The Bean Dream Day

For the first time in our almost 23 years of marriage, my husband awoke this morning at 7:30 am and said, “I had a dream last night.”  This may seem usual to you, but not to me.  He never dreams!  Ever!  Or if he does, he cannot remember them at all.  I, on the other hand, have vivid dreams in shining colors almost every night and can retell most of them for days.  See, opposites do attract.

To make a really long story very short, we have talked about a new book idea that I have schemed about for almost six months.  We jotted down ideas at Chipotle one night last Fall…. which brought both of us to tears.  It’s obviously a topic near and dear to our hearts.  Of course it’s top secret, and I can’t share quite yet, so you don’t steal the brilliant idea.  I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.  (Name that movie.) 

Anyway, Rick’s dream was about this awesome marketing idea for the book that I haven’t written yet.  It is now affectionately called the Bean Dream, and goes down in history as the best idea God has ever given him in his sleep.  Well, that he can remember.   I’m sure part of Rick’s button bursting moment was the fact that in the Bible it says YOUNG men will dream dreams and old men will see visions.  This was definitely a dream… not a vision.  (hahahahaha)

Sleepily I listened and then pondered and then finally responded, “That is a good idea!”  Rick emphatically stated, “That is a GREAT idea!”  To which I agreed…. and then couldn’t go back to sleep.  So, the plan unfolded before my fingertips on the laptop in bed as the sun peaked its sleepy head over the mountaintop and spread its golden beams into our room. 

OOOHHHhhhhhh, this is good! 

Tonight I showed Larisa what we are planning and she read the whole schpeal and replied, “This is really good.  Where did you get this from?”  “FROM GOD!” and once again, my own child was totally impressed with her parents.  It was a happy mommy moment.  This is such a rare occasion, that I just had to blog it.  If I remember right, the last time she was impressed by one of her parents was in 1998 when I set up a tent by myself. 

An-ti-ci-pa-a-tion is making you wait.  Sorry.

FREE Christmas Book Drawing!

Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad!  In the spirit of giving and Christmas, I’m giving away a copy of my new book, Laughing in the Midst of Marriage: Finding Joy in Being a Wife!  Whooo HOoo!  It is a devotional for wives of all ages, full of true life stories to inspire you and make you thankful for your husband.  To enter just LEAVE YOUR NAME in the comments section.  My contest committee will hand write them… hand cut them… hand them into a bucket… and hand select a winner from the pile.  This is all done quite officially, really.  The winner will be chosen on Dec. 18th late at night.  So that makes the official cut-off time “when I get home on Friday night.”  Good luck!!  and God be with you!!

Side note:  this will be the only post this week until the winner is announced…. because for my Christmas present, my sweet hubby is taking me away for five days…. without children.  Am I excited?  YES!!!  So, pass the word about the free draw and I’ll be back on Friday night.

If you’re one of those people who never wins anything, you can buy the book at www.cbd.com and probably be reading it before the winner!

It’s Time to Laugh!

My second book came out last week titled Laughing in the Midst of Marriage: Finding Joy in Being a Wife.  It is stocked full of humorous stories of married life guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.  I finished writing the devotional in March… and funny thing…. I needed to re-apply some of the truths even before it was in print.  Nice.  As we’re all in the married process, we’ll continue to live, learn and laugh along the way.

Knowing the book was coming, I’m not quite sure why I didn’t jump on the available time pre-book to get it on my website, but I didn’t.  Sorry!  It is in the works.  So if you are interested in purchasing an AUTOGRAPHED copy at this time (pre-LindaCrosby.com sales) there are a few options:

1.  Mail a check to me:

Linda Crosby 2416 W. Cordia Ln., Phoenix, AZ  85085

2.  Pay with a credit card through Paypal.  If you have a Paypal account this is easy.  Enter my email address:  rixgal@cox.net.  Next, enter the amount and click continue. Please make a note in the message box that this is for the MARRIAGE book.  (It’s pretty easy if you don’t have an account too, just a bunch of info to fill in first.)

3.  Come to my house and save on shipping.  Call first and I’ll have cookies coming out of the oven.

4.  Buy books at our church from now until Oct. 13th (and combine it with Tim Hawkins tickets for Date night Oct. 16th and SAVE $$!)

5.  Buy books from my sister, Christy.  She has a box of fresh ones sitting at her house.

The books are $10.99 plus shipping of $2.20.  (This is a MSJ discounted price! Oh My!)  TOTAL: $13.19 US Funds.  For multiple copies, please email me or leave a message here and I’ll cut you a deal on shipping.

Thank you so much for your support and love.  This is quite the adventure and I’m blessed that you are on this slippery ride with me!

Has it Really Been a WEEK?

Hello Friends!  I feel like Madame Blueberry singing her song, “I’m so busy, busy, dreadfully busy, you’ve no idea what I have to do.”  It’s such a catchy, annoying tune.  Too bad I don’t know how to video tape myself singing it for you.

Scrapping in the Pines was fabulous as usual.  Four days of resting, eating, taking walks (shopping counts in there!), watching movies and chatting with the girlfriends.  It comes at such a great time of year too, right after school and sports have started.  Ahhhhhh.  The soothing memories occasionally last for almost a month!  It was an exciting time filled with centipedes, a skunk and Veronica’s four clothing changes per day.  Highly amusing!

My son, Austin, turned THIRTEEN on Monday.  I’m officially a mother of two teenagers.  I can’t be that old.  He is slowly catching up to his sister (who has only grown 1/8 of an inch in three years…. ) and me.  I’ve still got 5 inches on him, but it won’t last long.  His birthday request was a street hockey game with his homees.  It will be Friday night… pizza, hockey, cake and ice cream.  Makes for a good teenage induction evening.  Here is the most recent picture I have of Aus.

My husband’s mother and brother are here visiting for a week, so there is more cooking going on and less homeschooling.  But the visits are always full of laughter and good times.  They are already all sunburned from extended pool time… including my children.  How many times does a mother have to say, “RE-APPLY Sunscreen?”  Oh well.

Exciting news is that my Laughing in the Midst of Marriage book came hot off the press yesterday!  I should have a hot little copy in my hot little hand by Saturday!  So exciting.  This sort of crept up on me and I need to rock-n-roll to get it available on my website.  When I told the kids that it came out, Larisa said, “Congratulations!  You’re a published author.”  And Keeve added, “Again.”  So it’s not as thrilling as the first time, but thrilling nonetheless.  I’ll be sure to post pictures of the cute little purple books when they arrive.  Oh!  And I need to go buy a cute little purple shirt to match!… or a cute little purple jacket… at least good purple jewelry.  Any excuse to accessorize will work.

No adoption  news to report.  Please stay tuned.  I know I am.

I’m gearing up for the D6 Conference in Frisco, TX next week.  Not only do I get to speak, but I get to meet all the people at Randall House who work so diligently on my book!  I’m so excited!  And I just can’t hide it.  I’m about to lose control and I think I like it.  Like it.  I’m also looking forward to seeing Tim Hawkins.  He totally rocks my socks.  He’s so stinkin’ funny.  It’s not too late to join the festivities!  www.D6Conference.com Sept 23-25 just north of Dallas.  Come and be blessed.

Over and out.

Marriage… it’s the real thing.

Isn’t it cute?  This is the tentative cover art for my next book that should be coming out in August/September.  It’s #2 in the Laughing series…. Laughing in the midst of Marriage.  Lord knows I’ve been given a boatload of writing material by being married to Rickey.  This one seemed to be easier to write than the mothering one.  I’m not quite sure why???  I guess that old adage “second time’s a charm” is true. 

It’s quite exciting to hold your own book in your weary writing hands for the first time.  I’m so looking forward to it.  Truly scrumptious.

I’m speaking at a marriage conference this weekend… so please pray if you’re the praying type.  Hey, I suggest you try it, even if you aren’t the praying type.  I have plenty of entertaining stories to tell, but WHAT really is the key to a great marriage?  I’m not sure I’m supposed to answer that, but this type of conference really makes you stop and think, “What HAS held us together for 22 years?”  Undoubtedly, it’s the Lord.  We would have killed each other long ago had we not been God-fearing souls.  As we daily give up SELF and focus on serving others, it’s really a no-brainer.  That’s the problem right there… when my brain gets involved.  Why am I so selfish?  Those are the days when I’M fully in control and have forgotten to surrender to the Lord.  Jesus, help us!

www.LindaCrosby.com