Thankful for What Wasn’t
I am the first to admit that I’m a very blessed woman. I make a decent living at my day J.O.B., and
have side work to give me some luxuries.
I have amazing children, and a home I am comfortable in, and more cars
than I can drive at one time. I have
good health and good health insurance, I have a sweet little black cat to keep
me amused and in good company no matter what time of day or night, and I live
in one of the prettiest places on the planet (Colorado). And I’m a published author! I already live a
blessed life that I am very thankful for, so it is hard to write a post and
outline those things without sounding like bragging. At least, it is for me.
But it occurred to me that there is something I’m really
thankful for this year, and it isn’t about something I have or got or own. It is about something that wasn’t. It was about something that I am glad didn’t
happen.
My oldest daughter, who is 23 this year, was supposed to get
married in June. The first half of the
year was swallowed up with wedding planning, including dress shopping, venue
booking, decoration making, invitation addressing, and every other sundry thing
that goes with a wedding. Like most
weddings, the wedding planning itself overtook everything else. Every discussion I had with my daughter would
work its way to the wedding, and there were decisions to be made by so many
people, and not everyone always agreed.
And then there was the planning for family to come from out of
town. On our side of the family alone,
there would be several dozen. Some would
stay in my house, but others I needed to make arrangements for. That mean there was a lot of cleaning, and
food prep, and planning for “plan B” in case something or someone fell through.
And suddenly, like a bolt of thunder, there was a dead stop,
two weeks before the vows were to be said. My daughter called off the
wedding. Called off the engagement.
Moved home.
“I couldn’t go through with it, Mom,” she said to me. “I couldn’t end up being in a marriage like
yours.”
Sometimes, hard truths happen when we least expect
them. She saw similarities between her
fiancé and my husband (her stepdad) that she couldn’t live with for the rest of
her life. The same things I worry about in my own relationship, she was seeing
in hers. And they weren’t even married
yet. My beautiful, brave, powerful
daughter put her foot down, stopped everything, and changed direction.
I’m thankful that she didn’t marry, that she didn’t do
something that made her so uncomfortable.
And I’m thankful she was strong enough to call it off. Despite the money that was lost on
everything, despite the people she would hurt by doing so, despite all that
would need to be taken care of and disposed of over the next few months, she
did what was right for her. As a mom, I
must have done something right in raising her.
She is much braver and stronger than I am. And she will reap the benefits of that
throughout her entire lifetime. I have
much to learn from her.
Theme: Second Chance Love
SubGenre: Contemporary
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Imprint: Champagne
Rating: Spicy (PG13)
Keywords: romance, contemporary romance, widow, Renaissance Faire
Page Count: 296
Digital Price: 4.99
Print Price (if applicable): 15.99
ISBN/ASN: 978-1509201679/B00XCXYLSO
The renaissance fair is filled with characters and romance, but will it end in storybook love?
Blurb:
Schoolteacher Connie Meyers is
suddenly a young widow, her husband killed in a horrific car accident.
Heartbroken to find out he had gambled away everything they had, she moves to
her sister-in-law's Midwest home to rebuild her life. A trip to the local Renaissance
Faire with her nieces leads to a summer job as a costumed storyteller.
Avowed bad boy and fair performer
Gage Youngblood is infatuated with Connie at first sight. Despite his
deliberately commitment-free life, and Connie's don't-touch-me attitude, he
soon has her in his arms, realizing quickly she is also in his heart.
When she is threatened by her
late husband's bookie, he steps into the role of protector, his fate forever
sealed with hers.
Excerpt:
“Who said
anything about a relationship?” he said, standing up so he could tower over her
again. “I’m just trying to have a little fun. You know, fun?”
If he’d
been an animal, she was sure he’d have had hair raised on the back of his neck,
he seemed so angry, and it struck her painfully. She hadn’t wanted to anger him
or hurt him. She turned away from him and closed her eyes to tamp down the
tears she knew would come if she let them. She crossed her arms over her chest,
to hold in the pain. Being tired made her much too vulnerable.
“Yes,” she
finally said. “I know about fun. Life isn’t always fun, though.”
“Princess.”
His voice was soft, tender. “I won’t hurt you. It’s not in my plan.”
Despite
herself, she felt the shivers of desire race down from her shoulders, down her
arms and legs, and back up to that secret, soft place at her core. She bowed
her head and gritted her teeth, hoping for the feeling to go away.
“And what
is your plan, Gage?”
“It’s a
simple plan. I want you to feel good. I want to feel good, too.”
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About the Author:
Susabelle
Kelmer is a wife and mother living at the base of the Rocky Mountains in
northern Colorado. She believes in romance, second chances, and the magic of
moonlight. When she isn't writing, she works with students with disabilities in
the college environment. http://www.susabelle.com
Susabelle’s tagline: Love is Everything.
Website – http://www.susabelle.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SusabelleKelmer
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/susabelle
Email: susabelle.kelmer@gmail.com
Susabelle - God Bless your daughter's fortitude! If more people could recognize that something ins't going to work before legally committing to it, we'd have a much lower divorce rate! You did a good job as her Mama!!!! Bravo.
ReplyDeleteThat is so true! She is so brave, and so very strong. I'm very proud of her.
DeleteWhat courage your daughter has. I wish her--and you--all happiness.
ReplyDeleteTook guts, food on her
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful post, Susabelle! May you both continue to grow and learn from each other. Thanks so much for sharing. :)
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ReplyDeleteBrave daughter, she must have learned it from somebody! Lovely blog. xx
ReplyDeleteSusabelle, Such courage! I stand in awe of both of you. Cause guess who raised her to have that strength? Amazing post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Your daughter is an extraordinary young lady. It's tough to have to walk away even when you know you're doing the right thing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone. She is the bravest person I know, even though she is scared to do something, she does it anyway. Braver than me!
ReplyDeleteAmazing step by a 23 year old ! Gid bless her
ReplyDelete