Every Day A New Surprise

I've been madly decorating our house for the last couple of weeks. No, we are not Santa-and-Reindeer central, but when I attack this kind of project a little at a time I find it ends much better. With the house actually looking decorated instead of like Santa threw up on us.

My favorite thing? The past couple of years bebe has been really into LEGOs. Last year we fed that addiction with a LEGO City Advent Calendar...this year with a LEGO Friends Advent Calendar. Yeah, I know, this kind of thing promotes greed; no child need to have a 'present' to open for 24 days straight. Blah blah blah. The thing is, it's a family project. Yes, she opens the doors and puts whatever the pieces are together, but the whole project? That is a family thing. We take ten minutes out of our day to be really focused on one another. We talk and laugh and (sometimes) get aggravated because the pieces don't seem to want to go together. But it is 'us' time. And at least once more each day I catch bebe playing with the figures, remaking them into something completely new and different...and sometimes I get sucked in to playing.

So every day holds a new surprise for her. We are less than 10 days until Christmas and each day she wakes up excited to see what is next inside one of the LEGO doors. I love watching the surprise on her face when she sees what's waiting inside.

It's kind of how I feel about starting new books - every sentence, paragraph, page and day sends my characters (and me!) on a little bit of a journey to find a new surprise. Some days the surprise is good, some days not so much...but the surprise keeps me moving forward.

Do you feel that way about new WIPs? Or is the unknown more of a challenge to you?

Comments

  1. Great post and great analogy. I'm going so slow on my new story, I think maybe I'm "Adventing" it. :-) I love that there's surprise and excitement for bebe every day.

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  2. it's so much fun, Liz! And I know what you mean about slow going - the book I just finished seemed to take forever. Keep at it, you'll hit your stride!

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  3. I had no idea there are Lego Advent Calenders--how cool! Son was/is a Lego addict, too! And what a good way to describe the writing process--it is a journey full of surprises. Nice post, Kristi--thanks! ;-)

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  4. thanks, Nan! Yes, the make Star Wars and several other themes, too. They're a lot of fun - today she built a fireplace! :)

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  5. You know I'm jealous! I wish I could justify buying one for myself. LOL. Why did my kids have to grow up??

    And I love it when my book surprises me. When something happens that I didn't see coming. That's the best--especially when it makes the cut after cut.

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  6. You need to indulge yourself, Margie! :)

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