OMG with the snow...

So, you know I'm a Southern girl, right? And you know I prefer summers and beaches, right? Well, in January alone, the South has seen unprecedentedly low temperatures and two snowstorms. UGH! And if the weather rumors are correct (and who can know that since they're not even correct the day things are happening), we might get more in February. GAH! Is it summer yet?

The first snow didn't produce too much, but it was enough to shut down the South for a day or two.

But Deek got to work from home! YAY!

And we drank lots of tea from our cool Star Trek looking teapot!

The second time around, it came down a little more!

I don't hide my feelings on the matter. LOL!

But, it made a cool view from our three season room.

I *love* that room!

The bright sun shimmering off the snow highlighted Trinity in a glow of kitty beauty!

Gus was so cold, he wanted to sit inside my jacket. LOL!

One time, I chose to go into the snow and go tubing on Mt. Hood with Deek.

Y'all, these trees in Oregon are everything... <3

It's not really relevant, but I just love the picture.

While we were snowed it, at least Deek got to work from home, by my side, for several more days. That's the one benefit of snow...more time with my man!! And we'd done a good job of stocking up on food, so we didn't have any problems there. In fact, the night it started snowing hard, we cooked up several batches of meals to use in the coming days. We kinda ate like kings...albeit healthy kings. LOL! By the end, I'd almost run out of Aloha bars, Bai drinks, and plantains, but our stock held until it was safe to venture out again.

Snack of gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free champions! ;) 

We enjoyed movies, popcorn, and Bai drinks in the presence of the great and mighty Trinity!

Then finally, finally, all the snow melted, and the South returned to its regularly scheduled program (50-60 degree days)! Deek and I went for a 5+ mile walk because we were SO happy to feel the glorious sun on our faces and feel the warmth against our skin!

This man, y'all. I had *no* idea it was possible to be this happy or this in love.

Deek is my dream come true! <3

Deek's kisses are hotter than the sun! <3

Meanwhile, our gym handed out free flowers to help combat the January blahs.

How cool is that?

And we *had* to put them in a Mason jar because...the South. ;) 

Thankfully, January is almost over. Only one more month to go before spring makes its glorious appearance. Until then, I'll be over here dreaming about the beach and the sun so hot if feels like it's eating your skin. ;) 

PS. I've been so busy with the latest changes in our lives and so obsessed with surviving the snow, I realized I didn't do a post on Illogicon!! We had a fabulous time there and met some amazing people, so stay tuned for that post soon!

Until next time, stay warm, and may the sun be ever on your face. ;)

Changes

There's the old saying, "The only thing that never changes is that everything changes." Well, that's true. Another one I like is, "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

Last year, a lot of things changed--my dad had bypass surgery, my beloved PaPa died, we bought a house and moved, friends and family from the PNW came to stay with us, and my biological father died. It was a mixed bag of good and bad. More bad than good, so I was happy to see 2017 go. Buh-bye.

Some days life feel like this...

And this year is starting out with changes too. BookFish Books, the small press I've worked for since 2013, is closing its doors. It's a bittersweet thing for me. On the one hand, I'm sad for the authors, sad the business wasn't able to stand the test of time, sad because these beautiful books won't be in the world, at least temporarily (I hope some of the authors will sign with other presses or self-pub). And on the other hand, it gives me more time to focus on my writing, build my editing business, and work with new authors at Tenacious Books Publishing.

But still, it's hard to say goodbye. Some of the BookFish people are like family to me. Thankfully we live in a digital world where everyone is just a text or email away. And yet...it'll never be the same.

In general, I would say I roll with change quite well (except for the season changes because I abhor winter), so I consider myself pretty adaptable. But I still haven't accepted PaPa's loss, and I'm still puzzling out the situation with my biological father's death. Deek always says I'm a deep thinker with a huge brain. While I suppose that's good in a lot of ways, it can make letting go of deeply important things that much harder.

His BabyDoll forever...

At the same time, change reminds us to be thankful for the times we had and the things that are the same. I'll always have my memories of PaPa, and I'll be his BabyDoll for the rest of my days. I'll always be proud of the BookFish team and the amazing books we unleashed upon the world. Some of these things may fade in my mind over time, but the imprint they leave on my heart will last forever. 

So as things go away, I'm focusing on what's still here. While Deek and I will grow and changes as people and as a couple, we'll stand the test of time. That knowledge brings me great comfort in these moments when changes overwhelm me. I glance at my husband, and a peace comes over me. He's my rock, my happy place, my calm in the storm. When my heart aches over PaPa, or when ponder life because of what happened to my biological father, or when I choke up working on the final paperwork for BookFish, Deek is there. He's there to hold me when I cry, discuss my many random and varying theories, and tell me everything is going to work out fine. He's full of life, joy, passion, and humor. I adore that about him!

This man, y'all! This man makes my world so bright!!

In times of change or uncertainty, grab on to what is real, loving, and tangible. Remember the good times from the past, but step boldly into your future.

Erin and Deek forever!

Tenacious Books Publishing

Molly and Ryder, my YA sci-fi novel