Date Night

September 19, 2008 | family

It’s just an ordinary Friday. Same ‘ole, same ‘ole. Christian Writers Guild assignments to edit. A chapter to write. Maybe, just maybe I’ll get the house straightend. A walk in the morning. A bowl of cereal minus milk, and no thoughts to lunch yet.

But it’s also Date Night. Which makes this a special day.

What we will do? Rent a movie? I want to see Baby Mama with Tina Fey. Sometimes a night at home is just what we need to catch up and talk about our week, our goals, our kiddos, or just about us.

Or maybe we’ll go out and try a new restaurant, or take a hike up Sparrow Hawk trail, or walk along the river. (more…)

Happy Survivor Day to me

September 18, 2008 | faith, family

Seventeen years ago today I rested in a hospital room, waiting for results of an MRI. I had already had surgery to remove a portion of my breast. I had already had my lymph nodes removed. A tube ran out of my side. My chest was wrapped in gauze. My children were young, whisked about by friends and family who tried to divert their attention from the fact that mommy was sick.

My husband was at my side. The night before was too much. The doctors walked in. What had happened to the one doctor? Why did they increase in number every time the news was bad? This time a neurologist had been added.

“We found a shadow on the scan,” they said. (more…)

Three days a week

September 16, 2008 | articles, momlogic

Remember my post from yesterday? I need to cut back somewhere, because I’m blogging on Momlogic now too, and it’s a serious opportunity to blog with interviews with great authors and people over topics that thinking women just might read. : )

So, my personal blog will go to three days a week starting today. On the off days I’ll simply add a link to my momlogic blogs. I hope you’ll not only tune in to those interviews, but join me in the Christian Momlogic community!

Current blogs to check out:

• Postpartum Depression or Baby Blues? Interview with Judy Dippel, author, speaker, GYN nurse and postpartum depression survivor
•  More on Sex from author Jill Savage, “Is There Really Sex After Kids?”

Building a book, a career, a ministry

September 15, 2008 | writing

Our little neighborhood had only three houses when we moved in. Another house was built a couple of months ago. A new home is going up behind us.

I have discovered that I love seeing a house come up from scratch. I’m a professed lover of HGTV, watching Flip that House, First Time Buyers, and House Hunters whenever I can. Richard gets a laugh out of it. “Who knew?” he says.

We walk in the evening and I love to check out the day’s progress. Did they finish out the trim on the roof? Did they frame in the rooms? “Oh, look! They’re going to put in a whirlpool tub instead of a plain one!”

But this building business has also put a crimp on my writing life. Maybe those aren’t the right words. The truth is that I’m watching a crew of two brothers build a home from the ground up, and I’m supposed to be building books from the ground up–and the housebuilders are winning the race. The tangible progress of their hard work, their tenacity, mock me from my home office window every day. (more…)

Another great night

September 12, 2008 | T. Suzanne Eller, family

On Wednesday I met with 20 women and we talked about the wonderful and not-so-great moments of parenting. I asked them to consider their “good mom” list. You know, the things we said when we were kids, like, “I WILL NEVER do. . . . (fill in the blank)”.

There were some great answers. I will never yell. I will never hit my child. I will never make the standards do high that they are impossible. I will never humiliate my child.

The problem with those is that in the midst of real conflict with your child (meltdown at the candy aisle in WalMart or when a teen says “I hate you”), you can whip out your good mom list and it’s not very effective. You can stand and say all day long, “I won’t yell, I won’t yell, I won’t yell”, but what WILL you do? Because the problem is still there and it needs addressed.

So we broke in small groups and shared our good mom lists and then threw out the I WONT’S and brainstormed effective and practical things that we could do.

I love meeting with these moms and moms-to-be. They are funny, open, and fun to hang out with. I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I think friendship among women as we parent, love our families, work, and run after God makes us stronger.

I can’t wait until next Wednesday. . . when we will discuss “Making Your Kid’s Memories”.

Hey, I hope you’ll consider checking out my posts this week at Time Warner’s community (Momlogic) Christian Momlogic. This week we talked about:

Is There Really Sex After Kids?              Where Can a Mom Turn to for Support?

My Teenaged Son is Acting Out

 

Teens, Parenting, and Overcoming

September 11, 2008 | media interviews

Join Suzie today as a guest on God Unplugged with Amy Hammond Hagburg at 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. You can listen online as Amy asks Suzie to discuss teen issues, parenting, and overcoming a painful past! Click on the microphone and it will take you to God Unplugged.

Waiting Children

September 10, 2008 | community, mentoring

My daughter attended She Speaks with me in Charlotte, NC, this summer. She came into the room one night holding a picture up of a little girl from India.

“It’s my new Compassion child,” she said. “I’m a sponsor.” She held out the picture.

The little girl was different from the other pictures I had looked through that afternoon. I had wondered how people could choose among such beautiful children that pulled at your heart strings. This child looked angry. She stared at the camera, her eyes dark, her mouth a straight line.

“That’s why I chose her,” Melissa said. (more…)

Want to listen to an interview?

September 9, 2008 | books, media interviews, mentoring

I loved talking with the ladies at WLGT Blog Radio, Sandra and Sarah. We talked about The Woman I Am Becoming, discussing things like twentysomethings and faith, twentysomethings and relationships, twentysomethings and community. For all you twentysomethings who will later read this post on Facebook, tune in and let me know what you think. I love hearing what you have to say. Always.

Go to WLGT and click on my interview (2nd from top)! Have a great listen and let me know what you think.

Order The Woman I Am Becoming: Embrace the Chase for Identity, Faith, and Destiny.

Refreshing

September 8, 2008 | T. Suzanne Eller

Joy* and her boyfriend are new Christians. Joy is a former addict, a mom who lost her children, and who just got her baby girl back a few weeks ago. She’s in her twenties or early thirties, I’m not sure because it’s hard to tell. Life hasn’t been good, not for a long time.

Joy and I became friends one day in a small group. She didn’t have her little girl then. Others were raising her while Joy went through rehabilitation for her addiction. Her boyfriend was in the picture, but still on drugs. Joy became a Christian, drawn to our church because lots of other women from the rehab attended each week. (more…)

Isn’t this exciting?

September 5, 2008 | T. Suzanne Eller

I’m excited, watching the political race unfold. I won’t use this blog as a political endorsement because I don’t think that’s appropriate, and frankly I still am undecided.

But isn’t it awesome that we have the opportunity to watch these candidates shake up history? We are in the front seat as racial and gender lines are broken for the first time in our country’s history. My son called me yesterday early, wanting to know my opinion of Palin’s speech the night before. (more…)