The kids are going to enjoy another day off of school. Our county is still in a level 2 snow emergency. I am looking forward to another day with them. Yesterday, Emily gave me a gift by spending a good 2-3 hours playing with Ri and Elizabeth. I was able to go through bills and piles and piles of paperwork that has sat on my desk, weighing on my shoulders for months! I was even able to organize my filing cabinet. Wow - I feel like I am a new woman today! It was wonderful.

I have shared before that one of the reasons I keep this blog is so that I can make a book for the kids. My goal is to make one for each year. I am in the process of my third book now (last years). It is purely for the kids to have a way to look back at their childhood. One day, I would love to have a book to give each child.... but my books end up being over 400 pages long and cost nearly $100.00. I think it may only be a dream and they will have to share these "year" books and cherish the ones I make for them individually. I did tell Mark that if the Lord takes me home before they grow up, I want him to use my life insurance money and buy the books for each child :).

All that to say that I enjoy sharing some of the talents of our kids here. Emily really enjoys writing and to my shame, I never realized how much. She began a creative writing course this semester and had an assignment that she asked me to proofread. I was blown away. By the end, I was tearing up. Not because the story was so incredible (though I thought it was!), but because there were parts of the story when I knew I was reading about my little girl. At the end, I cried.

So... I wanted to share her story here.

Jane sat cross legged on the bed that she had slept on every night since she was four. She turned and looked out her window. She had never before seen the sunrise accompanied by so many rich colors. Smiling, Jane turned her eyes into the room she had grown up in. She gingerly touched her cream bedspread. They had been picked out to match her pale pink walls. This room represented how plain and simple Jane had become. At the age of twenty-four she had finally discovered herself. Like other girls, Jane had gone through many stages trying to figure out who she was. Unfortunately her room had suffered the changes. When she changed, as did the walls around her. As she looked at the room, she remembered all the good times she had in her “sanctuary.” ; slumber parties with her best friend Mia, staying up until the wee hours of the morning reading, laying on her bed crying after her high school sweetheart, Tom, broke her heart, and planning her wedding to Shawn Oswald.
The day had finally arrived that she would marry Shawn. Jane couldn’t help but smile as she thought of his name. They had met after Shawn had led their college football team to victory. Shawn had been the quarter back, Jane had been the book smart girl who no one paid attention to. Jane had known of Shawn, well actually who hadn’t? Though Jane had no desire to meet him. Mia on the other hand had another idea. She had begged Jane to go to just one game with her; Jane finally complied. Reluctantly Jane had joined Mia. They watched with glee as Shawn had led their team to victory. After the game Jane had found herself being pulled blindly through the cheering crowd. She had found herself face to face with the man who had won the game. Once Shawn had introduced himself to Jane he started a conversation with her and Mia. They talked for so long that Shawn’s team had left him to do their own celebrations. Shawn took Mia and Jane out to a celebration dinner. From that night on Shawn and Jane were inseparable.
“Do you remember the time we tried to pull an all nighter in here when we were six? We would have done it too if Keith hadn’t have scared us to death with that snake!” Mia said.
Jane jumped at the voice of her best friend. Mia and Jane had grown up together. Recently they had become sister-in-laws.
“Hmmm. How could I ever forget? That was the night you decided you were going to marry my brother. Weirdo.” Jane said with a laugh.
“Yes.” Mia admitted, “ Smartest thing I’ve ever decided! Keith is the best husband I could ask for.”
“Well,” Jane said with a smile “ I’m sure my husband will be ten times better! In fact I know it.”
Mia rolled her eyes and joined Jane on the bed. Mia looked around the room and then her eyes landed on Jane’s petite figure.
“Jane!” She exclaimed “ Your hair still needs to be done! The wedding is only two hours away.”
Jane laughed and went to sit by her large mirror in order to let Mia work her magic with her hair. What she saw in the reflection of the glass did not shock her. The same face looked back at her that had for her entire life. Jane had always been plain in comparison to other girls, but she was ok with it. She knew what really mattered was on the inside. Her long black hair cascaded down her slender frame like a flowing black river. She tucked her jet black hair behind her pale ear. What did Shawn see in her? There were so many other girls he could get, why her?
“You’re beautiful you know.” Mia said breaking Jane’s concentration. Mia was pulling Jane’s hair into an extravagant twist. The design to complex for Jane to follow.
Jane’s electric, blue eyes pooled over with emotion as she whispered, “ Mia, there are so many things that could go wrong. Nothing is going to be the same! What if this is wrong? What if Shawn and I aren’t meant to be? What if I’m -OUCH!” Jane yelled as Mia pulled Jane’s hair tight.
Mia furiously pulled and tugged Jane’s hair as she spoke. “ Jane Anna Cummings you are so not getting cold feet on me here. I’m putting to much effort towards you and I will be the Matron of Honor. Shawn loves you because you are the nicest, sweetest, most loving girl that he has ever met!” Mia twisted Jane’s hair even tighter, “ And as for the change, well get used to it. Everything changes. Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. But the way you face the change is how it’s going to turn out. Look around you. I’ve helped you change this room from your boring nursery décor, to the flamboyant tie dye when you wanted to express yourself. I helped you cover your walls with all those pictures of the actors, and I helped turn your room into what it is not. Some of our experiments were horrible. But that didn’t matter because you embraced the change. Just like you need to embrace the fact that you’re going to be married. I promise it’s not that bad. “
“I know Mia. I’m just so scared.”
“It’s ok to be scared Jane. If you weren’t then that would be scary in itself.”
“Thanks Mia. You’re the best friend in the world.” Jane smiled.
“Well,” Mia said as she pulled the last hair into place. “ That’s what happens when you grow up with someone. There.”
Jane gasped as she saw her reflection. She reached up and gingerly touched her hair. She looked stunning. Tears spilled over as she finally pulled on her white dress. She was beautiful.
Mia picked up her bouquet and went to get Keith.
“ Are you ready to go little si-” Keith called as he rounded the corner and stopped. “ Wow. Jane.” Keith smiled “ Mom and Dad would have been so proud”
Jane took a deep breath and linked her arm through her big brothers arm.
“Thanks Keith” Jane took a breath. “ Let’s do this.”
Keith and Jane followed Mia’s lead to the bottom of the stairs of Jane’s childhood home. As they descended the stairs Jane took one last look into her room. She was ready.
Just as the doors were about to open for Keith and Jane to walk down the isle to reveal a very nervous Shawn, Keith leaned over and whispered,
“Are you ready Jane? Life as you know it is about to change.”
Jane smiled and swallowed her tears. The doors opened as Jane said surely
“I’m ready”