Life lessons are everywhere. I’ve always been a big reader, and enjoy finding inspirational material, whether its in a card, blog post, book, or a song.
There’s a wonderful website for authors run by Kristen Lamb called Warrior Writers. She’s funny, irreverent, and very insightful. Though her posts are aimed at authors, some of them apply to life in general. One I’d love to share with you is her recent 5 Tips for Long-Term Writing Success! Yes, its about writing, but these 5 tips apply to a lot of life’s challenges. Check her out. I promise you’ll enjoy it!
Dani
There’s a wonderful website for authors run by Kristen Lamb called Warrior Writers. She’s funny, irreverent, and very insightful. Though her posts are aimed at authors, some of them apply to life in general. One I’d love to share with you is her recent 5 Tips for Long-Term Writing Success! Yes, its about writing, but these 5 tips apply to a lot of life’s challenges. Check her out. I promise you’ll enjoy it!
Dani
Recently, one of my besties gave me a cool gift. Author Marilyn Baxter showed up to breakfast with this book:
She’d found it at a thrift store, and thought I would enjoy it since I write for the same line. This is from the Desire line when it was Silhouette Desire, a brand new venture, as this is #50. I absolutely love the cover! The ultra alpha male with a bushy mustache. Those high heels in the middle of the woods. And the (now) vintage car in the background. Dated as it is now, it's a true representation of the books I read that got me hooked on romance. The emotional draw of being swept off your feet by someone able to take car of everything (even if its not PC, I still dream of that some days). :)
Some of the first Desires I read were some older ones. A kind lady who lived across the street gave me a box of books when I was recovering from a very bad illness and it included this book and several others:
I still have this book and still read it too! It's Desire #712. A little closer to the traditional clinch cover, this one still represents the glamour of the Desire line. I'll be forever grateful to that kind lady! She reintroduced me to the joy of reading romance, and eventually writing it. Something I wouldn’t even think about until over 3 years after reading it.
Though vintage covers are cool, I have to admit I’m in love with my Desire covers. Now the line is Harlequin Desire, and my release for last month, A Bride’s Tangled Vows, was Desire #2322.
I think the full cover pic truly pops and draws the eye of the reader more. And I have a brand new cover coming soon. The Blackstone Heir, my Mill Town Millionaire book coming in February 2015, will be my first ever baby cover! It’s so cute! (The cover & the baby.)
So let’s talk about covers! What are your favorite old school and modern cover designs?
Dani
If you’ve ever wondered about the process for Indie authors creating their own covers, check out this really cool Inside Scoop post from yesterday on Nice Girls Writing Naughty by Ella Sheridan, who shares the awesomely hot hunk who will be on her upcoming cover with us!!!!
Nestled in the hills of South Carolina is the one town Aiden Blackstone has refused to acknowledge since he was eighteen years old. The town he grew up in. The town of his birthright. Lured home by his grandfather’s pretense of death, Aiden finds himself snared in a well-laid trap made of coercion, obligation, and duty. There’s no easy way out of his grandfather’s demands that he marry and take over the family business that supports the entire town, not if he wants to keep his invalid mother safe.
Saddled with a wife he shouldn’t want, and the town he never wanted to save, Aiden finds himself swimming through a mire of anger, responsibility, and lust, counting down the days until he can walk away, return to the life he built for himself in NYC, filled with socialites and high dollar art deals, not a town counting on their mill to stay open...and a woman whose soulful gaze gives him a redeeming purpose for every day.
Christina Reece spent her entire childhood wishing Aiden’s family was her own. When a tragic car accident left Aiden’s mother an invalid, Christina got her nursing degree and moved to Blackstone Manor to care for her. Over time, she ended up creating the family she’d always dreamed of...almost. Now she’ll do whatever she must to keep them safe and preserve their future.
When Aiden’s grandfather threatens all she holds dear, Christina volunteers to become Aiden’s wife—not realizing the tormentor from her childhood had transformed into a man she could truly love. A man eager to leave the minute his obligations are fulfilled. As they join forces to uncover a saboteur in their midst, outwit Aiden’s grandfather’s manipulations, and care for Lily, Christina sees the man Aiden truly is—and helps him to see it too. But how can she trust her heart to a man intent on walking away from everything they are building together?
Then their enemy strikes out, threatening everything they hold dear, Aiden and Christina must choose which is stronger—obligation or love?
She’d found it at a thrift store, and thought I would enjoy it since I write for the same line. This is from the Desire line when it was Silhouette Desire, a brand new venture, as this is #50. I absolutely love the cover! The ultra alpha male with a bushy mustache. Those high heels in the middle of the woods. And the (now) vintage car in the background. Dated as it is now, it's a true representation of the books I read that got me hooked on romance. The emotional draw of being swept off your feet by someone able to take car of everything (even if its not PC, I still dream of that some days). :)
Some of the first Desires I read were some older ones. A kind lady who lived across the street gave me a box of books when I was recovering from a very bad illness and it included this book and several others:
I still have this book and still read it too! It's Desire #712. A little closer to the traditional clinch cover, this one still represents the glamour of the Desire line. I'll be forever grateful to that kind lady! She reintroduced me to the joy of reading romance, and eventually writing it. Something I wouldn’t even think about until over 3 years after reading it.
Though vintage covers are cool, I have to admit I’m in love with my Desire covers. Now the line is Harlequin Desire, and my release for last month, A Bride’s Tangled Vows, was Desire #2322.
I think the full cover pic truly pops and draws the eye of the reader more. And I have a brand new cover coming soon. The Blackstone Heir, my Mill Town Millionaire book coming in February 2015, will be my first ever baby cover! It’s so cute! (The cover & the baby.)
So let’s talk about covers! What are your favorite old school and modern cover designs?
Dani
If you’ve ever wondered about the process for Indie authors creating their own covers, check out this really cool Inside Scoop post from yesterday on Nice Girls Writing Naughty by Ella Sheridan, who shares the awesomely hot hunk who will be on her upcoming cover with us!!!!
Nestled in the hills of South Carolina is the one town Aiden Blackstone has refused to acknowledge since he was eighteen years old. The town he grew up in. The town of his birthright. Lured home by his grandfather’s pretense of death, Aiden finds himself snared in a well-laid trap made of coercion, obligation, and duty. There’s no easy way out of his grandfather’s demands that he marry and take over the family business that supports the entire town, not if he wants to keep his invalid mother safe.
Saddled with a wife he shouldn’t want, and the town he never wanted to save, Aiden finds himself swimming through a mire of anger, responsibility, and lust, counting down the days until he can walk away, return to the life he built for himself in NYC, filled with socialites and high dollar art deals, not a town counting on their mill to stay open...and a woman whose soulful gaze gives him a redeeming purpose for every day.
Christina Reece spent her entire childhood wishing Aiden’s family was her own. When a tragic car accident left Aiden’s mother an invalid, Christina got her nursing degree and moved to Blackstone Manor to care for her. Over time, she ended up creating the family she’d always dreamed of...almost. Now she’ll do whatever she must to keep them safe and preserve their future.
When Aiden’s grandfather threatens all she holds dear, Christina volunteers to become Aiden’s wife—not realizing the tormentor from her childhood had transformed into a man she could truly love. A man eager to leave the minute his obligations are fulfilled. As they join forces to uncover a saboteur in their midst, outwit Aiden’s grandfather’s manipulations, and care for Lily, Christina sees the man Aiden truly is—and helps him to see it too. But how can she trust her heart to a man intent on walking away from everything they are building together?
Then their enemy strikes out, threatening everything they hold dear, Aiden and Christina must choose which is stronger—obligation or love?
Summer is tough for me—not in the same it was when I was a Stay At Home Mom. Instead of going stir crazy at home with my kids, wondering what they’re doing, how can I arrange for them to have more fun during the summer, and always, always—have I made choices that are shortchanging my kids?
I’m never with them during the weekdays anymore, so I have to ask other people to watch them (which doesn’t always equal fun). I feel guilty for asking other people to take them places, do things with them. When I’m not at the Day Job, I’m trying to write, which is also not fun for them. Though sometimes I take them to things and write while they’re occupied. I try to say “yes” to weekend activities, then feel guilty when I get zero writing done.
Motherhood isn’t just tough, it’s a tug of war.
I never thought I’d resent having to leave someone else with my children every day—I also never understood the guilt that accompanies having no choice but to do that.
What do I give up? Where do I cut back? What does that mean in terms of my writing career? I’m already slow to release my books because of my other obligations.
No one said parenting would be easy. It’s the hardest, most emotional investment I’ve ever made. In the end, the question of whether I’ve made the best choices can’t be answered. Maybe after they’re grown and gone and its too late for me to change anything. But as a counselor friend of mine once said, “The fact that you question yourself makes you a good mother. Some mothers never do.”
What's the biggest thing you question as a mom?
Dani
I’m never with them during the weekdays anymore, so I have to ask other people to watch them (which doesn’t always equal fun). I feel guilty for asking other people to take them places, do things with them. When I’m not at the Day Job, I’m trying to write, which is also not fun for them. Though sometimes I take them to things and write while they’re occupied. I try to say “yes” to weekend activities, then feel guilty when I get zero writing done.
Motherhood isn’t just tough, it’s a tug of war.
I never thought I’d resent having to leave someone else with my children every day—I also never understood the guilt that accompanies having no choice but to do that.
What do I give up? Where do I cut back? What does that mean in terms of my writing career? I’m already slow to release my books because of my other obligations.
No one said parenting would be easy. It’s the hardest, most emotional investment I’ve ever made. In the end, the question of whether I’ve made the best choices can’t be answered. Maybe after they’re grown and gone and its too late for me to change anything. But as a counselor friend of mine once said, “The fact that you question yourself makes you a good mother. Some mothers never do.”
What's the biggest thing you question as a mom?
Dani
Chaos.
One look at my bio is enough to convince anyone that this is an appropriate description of my life, at the moment. The things that get my attention are the things that need to be taken care of right now. I try not to let things creep up on me, but it happens more often than I'd like.
This fall/winter I'm struggling to stick to a compressed writing schedule, in hopes of releasing several books early next year. This only adds to the pressure I put on myself. Why? Not because I enjoy it. I'm trying to get my family to a place where I don't have to work full-time. This issue is getting there.
So I'm forever on the search to make things work. My personality works best with some kind of schedule, but its really hard to schedule chaos. I recently tried getting up earlier, thinking more time was the key, but it was no go. I don't cope well with the rest of the day as well with less sleep. So what's a crazy woman with a crazy life to do?
I'm trying to do this:
1. Acceptance
This is just the way life is for now. I don't like it. In fact, it makes me very unhappy at times, but changes aren't coming anytime soon. I need to deal with my attitude and move on. I have a quote posted on my bathroom mirror that says, "I discovered I always have choices, and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude." (Judith M Knowlton) So very, very true.
2. Just Keep Swimming
I have this as my screen saver at my day job. Everything I plan may not get done, but as long as I keep moving forward, progress will be made. Sometimes the snail's pace is very frustrating, but I keep trying. That's important.
3. Touchstones
This is my newest form of "schedule," still in the testing stages. :) My life and activities change daily. I rely heavily on my To Do List and a day planner, but a true, rigid schedule will only get disrupted by last minute homework, illness, or an unexpected errand that puts me behind.
Since I can't find a way to create more time, I have to use what I have more effectively. When I get to work, one of the first things I do is get out my Day Planner. I glance over it for important events and the list of what needs doing today. I prioritize and mentally map out a plan. I'm now calling this my "Touchstone", because I'm touching base with myself and what's going on in my life.
I've started doing the same when I first get home in the afternoon. I greet everyone, put my stuff away, then sit down and see what's left on the agenda for that evening. This way I'm hopefully approaching tasks in a logical manner instead of plunging into them haphazardly.
4. Clock Out
I've had a goal for years to take one day off a week--it simply never happens. I find it disconcerting to think of myself as a workaholic, because I don't want to be one. I want to be able to write during the day and relax with my family at night, but there's too much that needs doing with a full-time day job, part-time writing career, kids, pets, house, etc (even with my hubby pitching in very heavily). So this goal needed to adapt.
Now I aim for one day off per month, but as a compromise I have to quit working period at 9:30 each night. This has been really hard and I've only been at it for a few weeks. I'm to have nothing but fun after 9:30pm: no writing websites, Facebook, Twitter, etc. No "relaxing" with a craft book. Just TV, cuddling with the kids (or hubby!), reading, etc. It shouldn't be too hard, but it really is. My brain is always saying, "But shouldn't you be..."
Nope. I shouldn't be...
So there's my Not So Perfect Plan to tame the chaos. Having a plan doesn't mean I always succeed, but if I don't try, I'll never find what works, right? Do you have any tips or tricks that I can add to the pile?
Dani
So I'm forever on the search to make things work. My personality works best with some kind of schedule, but its really hard to schedule chaos. I recently tried getting up earlier, thinking more time was the key, but it was no go. I don't cope well with the rest of the day as well with less sleep. So what's a crazy woman with a crazy life to do?
I'm trying to do this:
1. Acceptance
This is just the way life is for now. I don't like it. In fact, it makes me very unhappy at times, but changes aren't coming anytime soon. I need to deal with my attitude and move on. I have a quote posted on my bathroom mirror that says, "I discovered I always have choices, and sometimes it's only a choice of attitude." (Judith M Knowlton) So very, very true.
2. Just Keep Swimming
I have this as my screen saver at my day job. Everything I plan may not get done, but as long as I keep moving forward, progress will be made. Sometimes the snail's pace is very frustrating, but I keep trying. That's important.
3. Touchstones
This is my newest form of "schedule," still in the testing stages. :) My life and activities change daily. I rely heavily on my To Do List and a day planner, but a true, rigid schedule will only get disrupted by last minute homework, illness, or an unexpected errand that puts me behind.
Since I can't find a way to create more time, I have to use what I have more effectively. When I get to work, one of the first things I do is get out my Day Planner. I glance over it for important events and the list of what needs doing today. I prioritize and mentally map out a plan. I'm now calling this my "Touchstone", because I'm touching base with myself and what's going on in my life.
I've started doing the same when I first get home in the afternoon. I greet everyone, put my stuff away, then sit down and see what's left on the agenda for that evening. This way I'm hopefully approaching tasks in a logical manner instead of plunging into them haphazardly.
4. Clock Out
I've had a goal for years to take one day off a week--it simply never happens. I find it disconcerting to think of myself as a workaholic, because I don't want to be one. I want to be able to write during the day and relax with my family at night, but there's too much that needs doing with a full-time day job, part-time writing career, kids, pets, house, etc (even with my hubby pitching in very heavily). So this goal needed to adapt.
Now I aim for one day off per month, but as a compromise I have to quit working period at 9:30 each night. This has been really hard and I've only been at it for a few weeks. I'm to have nothing but fun after 9:30pm: no writing websites, Facebook, Twitter, etc. No "relaxing" with a craft book. Just TV, cuddling with the kids (or hubby!), reading, etc. It shouldn't be too hard, but it really is. My brain is always saying, "But shouldn't you be..."
Nope. I shouldn't be...
So there's my Not So Perfect Plan to tame the chaos. Having a plan doesn't mean I always succeed, but if I don't try, I'll never find what works, right? Do you have any tips or tricks that I can add to the pile?
Dani
The other day, as I sat in my cubicle at the day job, facing yet another report to be worked, one of the few co-workers who knows about my books popped her head around the corner.
"Have you seen it? Is it real yet?"
I had to smile. It was release week and she knew how excited I was about seeing my book on an actual shelf. We chatted for a few minutes before she disappeared back around the corner. I was left thinking about how encouraged that made me feel, and I realized, just about everywhere I go, God has put someone there to encourage me.
At the job before this, an older woman there encouraged me about balancing work and my family. We shared recipes and tips for juggling. In my family, my mom, sister, and mother-in-law have always been my champions. I have too many encouragers in the writing world to list here, but they include the Mavens and my incredible Playfriends. At my publishing house, its my editor. Whether I'm excited, sad, depressed, nervous, or giddy, always keeping the cheering section alive at home is the hubby.
I'm a very lucky woman to have so many Earthly Angels to encourage me on what has been a bumpy journey. So many women feel all alone, and I haven't felt that way in a very long time! Gratitude just overflows when I think about it!
So today let's celebrate those wonderful angels in our lives! Who are your angels and why?
Dani
"How can you give your family the attention they need while working full time and writing so much?"
When posed this question by another author at National Conference, I was halted in my tracks. Guilt is a problem for me. With 1 rude question, this author unknowingly hit me right in the gut. Though I'd love to be Wonder Woman (and hubby would totally dig that outfit!), I know I'm no super hero(ine). I do worry about short-changing my children or my writing, but I can't give up either. I've worked too hard for both.
I can't quit my day job, as much as I'd like to, because my family needs me to work for a steady income. At least for the time being. That's simply life at this moment. And as much as I'd like to complain about it, I won't. My hubby has gone above and beyond to take care of the kids and family responsibilities so I have more time to write. I won't fuss about the demands on my time when he has just as many on his.
So this is a dilemma I have struggled with since I went back to work full-time, particularly when I'm on a deadline or have to say "no" when my kids want something because there aren't enough minutes in the day.
So when I heard Kristan Higgins speak at RWA Nationals, it truly struck a chord. Both lunch speeches were awesome (other was Cathy Maxwell), but 1 particular statement by Kristen pierced my heart. It wasn't the focus of the speech in actuality, probably something she ad-libbed. But it was something I desperately needed at this stage of my career and life.
She talked about a time when her husband worked long hours. She was helping him study for firefighters testing and they had a small baby. In order to help their family out, she strapped the baby to her chest while she cleaned a few houses. "Women do what they need to," she said. "If you are doing what your family needs, be proud of that."
What? I'm a mom. I'm not proud...I'm guilty of not being Super Woman!
But she's right. I should be proud--
-of finding a fulltime job that pays decent without having recent experience.
-of working every day and still chasing my dreams.
-for teaching my children that dreams are worth sacrifice and hard work.
-for focusing on my children in the time I have with them.
-Making an effort to include fun activities or things they want to do when I can.
-expressing my gratitude for and to those who help me, including my husband, kids, mother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, and many others.
That, I think, is something to be proud of! All of you hardworking moms and dads out there, what are you proud of today? Give yourself a shout out! You deserve it!!!!
Dani
I can't quit my day job, as much as I'd like to, because my family needs me to work for a steady income. At least for the time being. That's simply life at this moment. And as much as I'd like to complain about it, I won't. My hubby has gone above and beyond to take care of the kids and family responsibilities so I have more time to write. I won't fuss about the demands on my time when he has just as many on his.
So this is a dilemma I have struggled with since I went back to work full-time, particularly when I'm on a deadline or have to say "no" when my kids want something because there aren't enough minutes in the day.
So when I heard Kristan Higgins speak at RWA Nationals, it truly struck a chord. Both lunch speeches were awesome (other was Cathy Maxwell), but 1 particular statement by Kristen pierced my heart. It wasn't the focus of the speech in actuality, probably something she ad-libbed. But it was something I desperately needed at this stage of my career and life.
She talked about a time when her husband worked long hours. She was helping him study for firefighters testing and they had a small baby. In order to help their family out, she strapped the baby to her chest while she cleaned a few houses. "Women do what they need to," she said. "If you are doing what your family needs, be proud of that."
What? I'm a mom. I'm not proud...I'm guilty of not being Super Woman!
But she's right. I should be proud--
-of finding a fulltime job that pays decent without having recent experience.
-of working every day and still chasing my dreams.
-for teaching my children that dreams are worth sacrifice and hard work.
-for focusing on my children in the time I have with them.
-Making an effort to include fun activities or things they want to do when I can.
-expressing my gratitude for and to those who help me, including my husband, kids, mother, mother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, and many others.
That, I think, is something to be proud of! All of you hardworking moms and dads out there, what are you proud of today? Give yourself a shout out! You deserve it!!!!
Dani
Today I'm sharing a bit about my chaotic writing process with readers at The Pink Heart Society blog. You'll see, I write here, there, and everywhere! Join us!
So many times when we're dieting we focus on what we "can't" eat, and very little notoriety is given to what we CAN.
With my new meds and attempt to balance food, I find I have to have protein, which means meats for dinner. I'm notorious for cooking them until they're dry, because I worry they'll be raw in the middle. (Hubby, on the other hand, is great at it, but not home at dinnertime.) Plus, with a busy lifestyle (day job, kids' activities, writing, a house...), I don't have time to cook at full meal every night.
So today I want to share a quick and easy favorite from our house: mexican chicken. Just throw it in the crockpot (don't forget the slow cooker bag!) and by dinnertime its ready to shred and use for a salad, burritos, tacos, nachos, whatever you heart desires -- as long as you can be bothered to throw it together. :)
Here it is:
3 large bone-in chicken breasts (if you use boneless, add an extra breast)
1 large jar black bean & corn salsa (I prefer the Walmart brand.)
Line your crockpot with a slow cooker bag, add chicken, then pour jar of salsa on top. Set to low heat for 6 hours. Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with a fork. Serve as desired.
See? Easy peasy!
Challenge: What's your favorite "healthy" dish these days?
Dani
The majority of women who have ever given birth have felt it – that little niggle of low grade vibration in the back of your brain. The feeling appears every time you try to go somewhere alone, leave your child with a sitter, or wish for a few more minutes of sleep despite the crying noises on the monitor. Basically, any time you even think about putting your own wants or needs above your child’s. One would think this physical manifestation of guilt would disappear as children get old, but in certain areas it never goes away completely.
My kids are now old enough to fold their own laundry, fix some basic meals, and clean the bathroom. Despite their growing self-sufficiency, I still feel guilty for leaving them to their own devices in the evenings so I can write. The hubby says they’ll be fine, but he has no clue how hard it is to turn off Mommy Guilt.
There are a few (very few) techniques I’ve learned over the years to combat that niggling feeling. Maybe if I write them all down in one place, I’ll remember to use them during my upcoming writing push.
1. Cuddle First, Work Later
Okay, so my kids are really too big now to cuddle, but it doesn’t stop them from trying…or from wanting attention. I find there are fewer interruptions if I give them some one-on-one time before I work, rather than after. Fill up the attention-deficit, and they’re usually good for a while.
2. Distraction
I’ve heard all the childcare experts, but I’m still not above using the television, video games, computer, etc. to distract my kids while I work. I simply save it for when I know I’ll be busy, then turn them loose.
3. Firm Boundaries
I’m lucky in that my kids still want to talk to me all the time. But that makes working at home hard. Now that my kids are old enough, I can employ the ole “don’t bother me unless there’s fire or blood” caveat. The fewer interruptions I have, the lesser my guilt, maybe because I feel less like I’m abandoning them.
Giving them a firm boundary (and specific exceptions) helps minimize interruptions. Most of the time, I’ve also employed a visual boundary as a reminder. You see, my office has an open doorway between me and the rest of the house. Its really an extension of the laundry room. So hubby helped me hang a sheet across the expanse that I can either pull back (open) or let down (closed). This door reminds the kids that mommy is working. If they stand on the other side and talk, I tell them to leave or just ignore them (every kid, no matter their age, will test his or her boundaries). But in time they’ve learned to abide by them.
These are my very slim options for managing my kids and my guilt, but I’d love to have more! How do you minimize the guilt when you know you need to take time away from being “Mommy”?
This week, my Book Worm will take a trip for a band competition and be gone to a major theme part for 5 days -- without me.
*knees go weak*
You see, as a creative person, my imagination isn't always used for good. As a matter of fact, we authors often look for the best way to screw up our characters' lives, because it makes the emotional payoff that much higher in the end. So when imagining everything that could happen to her while she's gone, my brain goes to Worst Case Scenario first.
From the Extreme: What if she's kidnapped from the park? What if her belt isn't tight enough on the rides?
Then there's the milder "mommy" worries: What if she gets lost in the park and gets scared? What if she gets sick and is afraid to ask for help? What if she spends all her money and doesn't have enough left for meals?
This imagination can so work against me here. Even though I'm friends with the Mom in charge of her walking group, the fears still run rampant.
This is a big trust challenge for her too. Because I do know that Mom, I'll really know how she acts that far away from me. Since middle school this has been a bit of a challenge. So, that's a slight fear too. Which only feeds the worry Monster.
What's the way to alleviate this? Well, I don't have a lot of answers here. I can't make it go away altogether. But I'm trying to at least lower the worry quotient by:
1. Redirecting my thoughts. Distraction is my friend during these times, as well as Facebook. :)
2. Talk to her. Instead of bombarding her all at once, I've been dropping little tidbits like, "Pay attention and don't wander from your group for any reason" when I can slip it naturally into the conversation. It helps that she's so excited that she wants to talk about the trip ALL THE TIME.
3. Pray. Being a Mom has strengthened my need for faith. I can't be with her always, but God can. I believe He hears every fervent prayer, and won't allow anything to happen that we can't handle with His help.
4. Remember, we've been teaching her for years. She can't prove herself trustworthy without the opportunity. And mistakes are the best learning experiences -- even if, as a mother, I'd rather not see her have to experience anything bad.
So I'm open to advice about surviving this new milestone (especially since I'm sure I'll face many more of these moments during the teen years).
Dani
P.S. Check in tomorrow! It's Release Day for Finding Her Rhythm!!!!