When my middle child was a baby, I attended a one-day writing workshop for women.  It was fantastic!  I had never had to write something on the spot (except maybe in elementary school, but that doesn't count!) and then have my work critiqued.  Fortunately, these women were honest but kind!  And I learned how to be diplomatic in my thoughts about other peoples' work.  I came away from that day feeling that I could, someday, write something worthwhile.  Something worth reading.  But it will take time and a lot of writing, and a lot of living.  My favorite author right now (has been for the past 3 years) is Frances Mayes.  I have four of her books on her life in Tuscany and I have read and re-read them many times.  They are, what I call, beautiful books.  Books I can't read when I have 3 kids vying for my attention because her words create pictures in my head.  You need silence for this kind of reading.  So I grab one of her books when I'm in the mood to be in Tuscany.  She was in a Portland, OR, book store a few months ago, and darn it!, Todd had to work so I wasn't able to go (it takes 2 hours to get there and her book reading was scheduled for 7 pm).  It just wasn't doeable.  I was so bummed!  She is just such an inspiration to me.  I don't agree with everything she writes but, that's o.k., you learn perspective that way.  But I love the beauty that flows from her descriptions of people and places.  Anyway, back to the writing workshop.  One of the things I learned at the workshop was that if you want to be a writer, you have to write.  Every day.  Even if you have nothing to say.  Just write.  I tried journaling but, after baby 3, I started skipping a year here and there.  Oops!  So tonight, I thought, just write.  Get it on paper.  I mean, on the screen.  So here it is.  One more thing:  Happy Mother's Day!  Where would homeschooling be without us?!?!