Manuscript...Teens...Scratch My Back

I’M NOT LYING. I REALLY DID IT!

Proof that I did finish the revision.

TEEN TALK
So, I’m leaving The Vault the other day, heading on my way out to get my kids from school. I walk out a door which is next to a table of four teen girls, probably 14 or 15 years old. It all happened very fast (because I squeezed out ever last second I could in order to increase my NaNo word count). As I’m pushing open the door, practically halfway out, one of them says, “Bye.” As the door closes, I can hear them giggling and I realize that bye was meant for me; a silly, teen girl farewell just for me. I should have realized, because I hear through the closed door (we all know how the teen voice carries), “I can’t believe she doesn’t know you…” followed by a comment about how often she’s there, in that spot, her spot. I really wanted to stop and eavesdrop outside the door, but I did have kids waiting on me, so I chuckled to myself on my way to the car. I LOVE reminders of how teens act in public. To them, that table, that place is theirs (and I should have known).

BACK SCRATCHIN’ WITH A MESSAGE
My kids taught me a cool, new trick last night. They think it’s fun to draw or write words on people's backs (did we do this as kids?). So, as I did my usual bedtime reading, my six-year-old girlie wrote me messages—on my back. This is nice! Like getting your back scratched. Unfortunately, the first message she wrote on me was “the poop.” Okay, that wasn’t very nice, but if you switch the "p" word with the other another four letter word that sort of means the same thing, well…then it’s was a compliment. Right? I made her erase it. Good move on my part, because erasing is great for a tired mama's back, too.

But I have to tell you, her last message was lovely. She wrote, “To Mommy, Peace to the World. Love, S_!” Great message, sweet girl! Great message!