As I’ve said before, I struggle to find the time to deal with work and now all the things my pursuit of Picture Book Writing entails.  I’m doing something every day to keep on top of things (revising, writing, reading e-mailed blog updates, reading picture books as mentor texts, watching webinars, drawing, etc.).  It all keeps me busy and I find myself not wanting to blog about it all.  I don’t know if I can make my process succint or relevant to other writers, and I certainly haven’t found a blogging niche in this community (as of yet–I keep looking).

That being said, I may have to put the weekly picture book posts on hold for a couple of weeks.  I’m down to the last two weeks of school and have entered the phase of extra work wherein I backup computers, fix broken things for the next year, sort throw piles of paper that have accumulated EVERYWHERE over the year, and wrap up the classroom for the summer.  It’s both a sorting process, wrapping things up for closure, as well as preparing things for next fall when I walk in ready to work (organizing files of materials, etc. that have gone wonky throughout the year).

PLUS every year I try to make a scrapbook cover with the kids’ pictures on them to go with their “friend” books (a collection of letters written from every student).  It is a big creative effort on my part but I feel it leaves them with a positive experience, almost like a yearbook, to take with them.  After all, just as in books and movies, it is the end note that you remember the most, not necessarily the whole story or the whole school year.  And if we remember most what we FEEL, then I want them to leave feeling blessed and loved.  SO, I will spend some extra time on those.

AND of course, real life intrudes as well.  There has been plenty of socializing with my family (my neice had her first ballet recital yesterday and I just about burst with pride) as end of the school year performances amp up.  AND plenty of socializing with friends as I remember that I do get to have a life too (outside of work and writing) connecting with people.  I have one friend in particular who is getting ready to move out of state and we have been trying to spend as much time as possible (when we can) together before she leaves at the beginning of June.  I’m getting stretched thin.  SO I’m making a choice to blog less for a few weeks in order to get everything else done.  But never fear, I shall return!