Too Many Questions

Here are the things that have been occupying my thoughts lately, all of which have probably kept me from blogging. At least that is the excuse I'll use.

Do we let Son1 go on a missions trip to Belize? Is an 11-day trip into a foreign country, being totally immersed in various ministries, too much for him to handle? Too much for any 13-year-old?

How long can I survive without any editing work? Why don't I have any work? What's going on? Is everyone just freaking out about the economy?

Do we homeschool Son2 next year? His migraines, his struggles with math, and his overall temperament and interests seem to make this a good idea.

Do I write a curriculum to teach people how to write a good children's picture book? Do the people who try to write these books ever read them? In case you were wondering, I'm fairly certain they don't.

Do I take a long-term substitute position as a language arts teacher for fourth and fifth grades at my boys' school for the last seven weeks of the school year? I don't have any jobs at the moment, so is this the right thing to do?

These issues and others have been really overwhelming my thoughts of late. And...brief update...I mentioned back in January that I was going to start giving attention to this novel I want to write. Well, I really blew it for a while, but I'm back on the wagon. Every day I realize how much more research I have to do -- just to write something that is essentially a YA fantasty/adventure novel. I'm certain that my local librarians must think I'm insane. On my most recent trip to the library I came home with The Company of Wolves, Tracks and Trailcraft, Life in a Medieval Village, Vegan Express (so I can make dinner in the midst of the craziness), and five young adult novels (so I can read their openings and then return them -- unless they're good of course).

Who new? Much of the plot is still a mystery to me, but parts of it are becoming clear. I guess I thought I would just start writing, but it has not turned out that way. I'm going to keep plugging away at it until the plot is essentially clear, then sketch out each scene, and then I'll start writing. Phew. For any writers out there, I'm reading a great book called Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell...very helpful.

Oh well, time to go wash some floors and brood some more.