I’m ecstatic that Labor Day weekend is upon us. I need a break! It has been a long, hard summer; yet in many ways it feels like it has flown by. At least I can say I’m not ready for summer to end and for the busy (rather, insane) fall schedules to start up again. God created our bodies and spirits to need rest. If we don’t fight to keep those times away from work sacred, they’ll easily get gobbled up by something (or someone) who’s more demanding.

Remember a few blogs back when I told you that I had decreased my hours at work? Well, they got increased again this summer. We’ve been short-handed in the office and it was all hands on deck to prepare for the new school year. Now we finally have a full team, with two new people and me as the veteran, and we’ve had a wild couple of weeks registering students. My heightened work load converged with getting my book in print and our granddaughter born. Not exactly the time I would have chosen to beef up my work schedule.

But now . . . the first week of classes is successfully behind me, my new office team is starting to function as a team, and I should have my book in my hands on Tuesday – which is the day it should be available to purchase here on this blog. My marketing materials arrived this week and they look great! There have been so many victories to celebrate along the way (finishing the first draft, submitting the manuscript, having it typeset, seeing the printer-ready copy) and now I’m about the enjoy the piece de resistance – holding the finished copy. Steve and I have tried to savor each small victory.

I’m more than ready to relax! If only I could find a pool and a lounge chair. . . . .