Let's Get Together... Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...

There are so many things I would've missed out on had Kayla and I not started writing together. (And I'm not just talking about book contracts...)

It's funny how you don't realize these things until you are in the midst of them. Kayla may be only 12, and will be the youngest published full-length novelist, and she has opportunities placed in front of her that a lot of us would have dreamed of having at her age - but she's also been through more--persisting through the tough times--than most of us have had to deal with our entire lives.

Writing together has brought us even closer together. Our creative brains just feed off each other - brainstorming and plotting take on new meaning. And the laughter is doubled - (and we laughed a lot before, so this is significant!)

It's also been fun to understand a little more about her. She's so precious, and we've always been close (I'm really close to both of my kids) - but this novel-writing journey has opened up more ways for me to understand Kayla. And because of her nerve disorder, it's sometimes eye-opening to see her describe how she "feels" things. She's learning, and I'm learning. It's an incredible experience.

Other things I've learned? Well...
-she's faster at writing than I am (and I'm pretty fast)
-she's faster at finishing her edits than I am (sigh)
-she's got a crazy sense of humor, and more depth than most adults I know
-she knows who she is, and rests in God's direction each day (I wish more of us could do that)


Now Josh loves to write as well... but the thought of writing with him scares me to death. Why - you may ask? Because frankly, his creativity is so off the charts, I'd never be able to keep up -- and I think I would constantly ache from all the laughter. (You should hear him and Kayla when they are working on a story together - just wait - that duo could definitely be something to watch.)

So for now, I'm content to learn from and with my kids, and enjoy this precious writing journey.