Writer Mamas: Salute!

Grandma and Grandpa Schindler with the two writing "distractions" who are visiting this week.

Writer mamas: I salute you!

Seems like I've always been a writer. When my kids were young, I'd write after they went to bed or were down for a nap. It wasn't ideal, but it worked.

As we all grew older, the writing schedule changed. Now, while they stayed up till all hours completing history projects or geometry homework, I'd be right there with them, composing like crazy or editing short stories.

And then, they were all gone. I quit full-time teaching and began freelancing full-time. And I could set my own office hours and work whenever inspiration - or deadlines - hit.

But this week, my 23-year-old baby is home from Arizona with Jorden and Walker, our 15- and 5-month old grandsons, respectively.

Whew! (I imagine mom says that more than grandma!)

I don't mind the distractions. Really, I don't. But it seems in a week filled with newspaper deadlines and blog posts, this grandma needs more naps than the babies!

Squeezing in writing time presents challenges, too. Write when those three take a nap? Tried that yesterday and I wrote 2 sentences. Erased. Rewrote. Edited. Erased. New sentence. Erased.

You get the point.

Write while Jorden stands by my chair blowing kisses and saying "Gamma..."? Just can't do it.

Write after they go to bed? I tried last night and decided I'd wake up early this morning and work for a few hours while the boys slept in.

Right.

It's tough being a writing mom - or grandma! You learn to prioritize and juggle babies and bottles and diaper changes while you write a lead paragraph in your mind, hoping you remember it when you actually get to the computer.

But, I also wouldn't want this week to be any other way. I'm blessed to have a supportive family who understands my crazy writing schedule. And, I'm grateful that I get to spend a week with these little boys who will be little men before I blink.

So deadlines and blog posts: beware.

You will get completed and written.

And you may even get a handful of blown kisses from Jorden or a coo from Walker.

But I'll get to you when I find time in my precious schedule.

by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at http://luannschindler.com.