Today is my 21st wedding anniversary to my cute, funny Christian husband.
Although I started out looking for a Christian man who liked children and animals many years before I met him, I never imagined Mr. Wonderful was kind of looking for a writer, as well as a red-head who was interested in farming.
My mom, of course, hoped I would find a Christian man who liked children and animals AND someone who came from a German farm family. I started to be amused during my single years how Mom would repeat the last name of current Mr. Wonderful and ask, "Now, is that a German name ...?"
Back to writing ... when we met and during our early years, I was a news reporter. Then when we started our family, I was a stay-at-home mom and farm wife.
All along, I kept writing and my dear husband kept being supportive. Next to my mom, he was the most sure I would be published someday.
We bought computers and printers and ink and piles of paper. (Let's not talk about the 400-page manuscript which I sent, unsolicited, in its entirety, to a very large Christian publisher.) He gave me a guy's perspective on many issues. He read summaries and excerpts. I did not subject him to whole manuscripts because dairy farmers' lives take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., or between rounds of milking and chores. He barely had time for news, weather and commodity prices. He even helped work out how an 1850s farmer would make hay in Indiana -- what equipment they would use and how many days a cutting would take to get in the barn.
He took care of the kids (and at various times, cows, horses and poultry) while I went to cluster meetings and writers' conferences. He kept everything running while I went on a research trip.
Turns out his love language is gifts of service.
Without quiet support like that, I would never have had a chance to pursue my lifelong dream of being a writer (and marrying a nice German farmboy.)
Although I started out looking for a Christian man who liked children and animals many years before I met him, I never imagined Mr. Wonderful was kind of looking for a writer, as well as a red-head who was interested in farming.
My mom, of course, hoped I would find a Christian man who liked children and animals AND someone who came from a German farm family. I started to be amused during my single years how Mom would repeat the last name of current Mr. Wonderful and ask, "Now, is that a German name ...?"
Back to writing ... when we met and during our early years, I was a news reporter. Then when we started our family, I was a stay-at-home mom and farm wife.
All along, I kept writing and my dear husband kept being supportive. Next to my mom, he was the most sure I would be published someday.
We bought computers and printers and ink and piles of paper. (Let's not talk about the 400-page manuscript which I sent, unsolicited, in its entirety, to a very large Christian publisher.) He gave me a guy's perspective on many issues. He read summaries and excerpts. I did not subject him to whole manuscripts because dairy farmers' lives take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., or between rounds of milking and chores. He barely had time for news, weather and commodity prices. He even helped work out how an 1850s farmer would make hay in Indiana -- what equipment they would use and how many days a cutting would take to get in the barn.
He took care of the kids (and at various times, cows, horses and poultry) while I went to cluster meetings and writers' conferences. He kept everything running while I went on a research trip.
Turns out his love language is gifts of service.
Without quiet support like that, I would never have had a chance to pursue my lifelong dream of being a writer (and marrying a nice German farmboy.)
I can't wait to show him what just arrived on our porch: a box containing author's copies of the novella collection "Quakers of New Garden" that includes my story!
Who else supports us in our writing? We should give them a big thank you!
Who else supports us in our writing? We should give them a big thank you!
Ann, how wonderful. Congratulations on all your happily-ever-afters.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary. You said 21 years? Newlyweds! (My wife and I will be celebrating our 29th in July.)
ReplyDeleteJeff
Happy, happy anniversary, girl! What would we do without those awesome spouses who tell us we're their favorite writers and help us live through the rejections!
ReplyDelete