Brothers Brave and Noble

See You in September

2010-09-01T07:03:00.001-07:00

It is September of the year 2010. This is important, for two reasons. Firstly, today marks the 9 year anniversary of my Greggory Handsome proposing to me, "Will you be my wife?" Yes, 9 years ago I became engaged. Betrothed. I remember everything about that day, which is a blog post on in its own. But I must moving along, because the second reason today is important is because it marks the one year mark month in which I began writing my first novel.

Well, technically I began on the 23rd of this month last year, and so, it has not been a full year - which I am clinging to, because I swore it would not take this long. I will finish prior to the official year mark. In fact, if I am able to stick with the deadline I made for myself months ago, will finish tomorrow. Yes. Tomorrow, September 2nd is the big day. Rough draft #1 will be finished. It should be around 70,000 words and the introduction to the story that my dear Brennan Brave and Liam Noble have inspired, and for which the book has been entitled with their namesakes: The Adventures of the Brothers Brave & Noble: The Existence.

The majority of characters were named and invented by Brennan, and I could never had told the story without his and Gregg's help. I'm not sure of the future for this story. Perhaps it will just be a family treasure. I do know, however, that finally making a disciplined practice of writing for the last year has changed my life. I really believe it's something God planned for me to do. I function best when that part of me is let out to play and dream and create daily. I am a writer.

So! With finishing the 1st draft tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to start putting some of my journal entries on the process and thoughts of this story up on the old blog. And I do mean OLD - I can't believe it's been so long! I look forward to it :)

From under the kitchen table,

clh

Brennan and Jack on the Phone

2009-02-07T16:49:00.001-08:00

Brennan and his cousin, Jack, got to talk to each other on the phone tonight. Their conversation had me cracking up:

BRENNAN: Hi Jack!

JACK: Hi Brennan!

BRENNAN: I got the Speed Racer movie...from the grocery store.

JACK: Oh, ...I got dehydrated.

BRENNAN: Yeah, I remembered you were having the flu.

JACK: Yeah.

BRENNAN: Hey, can I tell you a knock knock joke?

JACK: Okay!

BRENNAN: Knock knock?

JACK: Who's there?

BRENNAN: Pizza.

JACK: What?

BRENNAN: I said "pizza".

JACK: Pizza who?

BRENNAN: Pizza potato!

JACK: (laughing) You're funny.

BRENNAN: (laughing) Yeah. I made up that joke.

JACK: Oh yeah, you made up that joke?

BRENNAN: (sighing) Yeah. Just now.

New Year New Traditions

2009-01-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

Well it's a New Year and we had a really fun time ringing it in with the celebration of our Savior coming to Earth and excellent times together as a family and with friends. This Holiday season I read a book called Unplugging the Christmas Machine -it's all about bringing the joy and true reason for the Holidays back into your life and not letting yourself get wrapped up in the material commercialism of it all. It talked a lot about focusing on what you like the most about Christmas time and the traditions you want to begin and carry on with your family. This year we started some excellent Hampton Christmas Traditions. Here are some photos of our new favorite things for Christmas time that we'll get to look forward to each and every year: Tree decorating -my most favorite and beautiful antique decorations passed down from Mom. The lighting of the Christmas tree in Atlantic Station downtown -complete with fake snow coming down! Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier -6 miles of light displays, a live nativity and a carnival with marshmallow roasting and hot chocolate. Our Advent Wreath lighting and readings (followed up with ice cream). Gingerbread Train. Handmade stockings for the boys. Visiting with grandparents and cousins in Illinois. Check out our photo albums to the left for all of our Holiday memories!

Buford Bunnies and Grannies

2008-08-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine emailed me a link to a craigslist ad that was seeking an illustrator for their children's book. If interested respond with sample illustrations of a bunny and a grandmother type. So, below is what I came up with. We'll see what they think!

Query Letters and Peek-a-Poos

2008-07-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

Well this has been a productive week. In just the past three days I have...
1-queried three literary agents
2-been declined by each of them
3-been illustrating to get Walter done by August
4-started writing EVERY day
5-became addicted to searching for a puppy on the internet

Watch out ambition -here I come! So in the literary world, in case you didn't know, first you write your story. Next you find an agent so that they can market you to publishers, but in order to get representation from an agent you have to write what is called a Query Letter. Which reminds me, I need to add to the list of things I've done this week, "developed a hatred for query letters."

In your query letter you give them a one paragraph rundown of your book, like a synopsis, and a one paragraph rundown on you, like a bio. In the paragraph about your book you should probably say why it's different or superb, and it should not be said in a retarded way. This is an easy enough concept to understand, but - as it turns out - it is ridiculously difficult to execute.

This morning, as my nervous breakdown was just at the very beginning of its gestation, I realized that I, the actual AUTHOR and illustrator of the book What if Walter Ate Wood?, have NO CLUE as to what makes my book a beautifully unique snowflake in the sea of identical picture books. Then, logic led me to concur that if I myself am coming up with nothing, it must be due to the fact that my book is in fact not unique or awesomely different, nor superb in any way. Leaving me with the final conclusive data that this is the reason I have not yet been offered representation. I don't sparkle. I don't grab their attention. I'm not what they're looking for.

And now my nervous breakdown is in full swing. I have an acute awareness of my chest and how it kind of seems to be pushing in on me. My brain is turned completely inward and can think on nothing but that I've probably wasted all the good agents with a dumpy query letter. You can't query them again. It's over. And who's left now?

I felt I was being seen as a pair of GAP jeans, hanging on a rack in between all the other GAP jeans. No defining characteristics. Just some denim sewn together by the same machine that sewed the other pairs together. I also worried that when I tried to step out and show how maybe I AM different and superb, I got the "irregular" tag put on me and was sent to the outlet mall. I even thought of what it would feel like to be made of denim and hang from a plastic hangar; I stared at the computer screen with my shoulders scrunched up to my ears and my arms stiffly protruding at a 45 degree angle, connecting with my inner-jean. See, I went crazy.

It was this state of mind that led me to the puppies. I informed Gregg through Facebook chat that I was "accidentally" looking at puppies for sale on the internet - he responded, "Puppies make you so happy," and he was right, they really do. Even the word: puppies. How can you say that word and not feel happy? And if you can, than you're in the bad place way worse than me. So! I registered on puppyfind.com and looked at peek-a-poo puppies all afternoon long. And I felt much better.

The week's half over. I hope that yours is as productive as mine :)

Happy Spring Time

2008-04-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Spring time equals twigs and chirps,
Little blue bells and confetti storms of white and pink dogwood petals.

Spring time is the cause of deep inhales and running races.
Spring time makes me think of pink cake with white frosting.

It makes me wish I could fly like the birds and bees populating the air all around me,
And it helps me remember the creativeness of God to decorate eggs of his own in a perfect shade of blue with brown speckles.

Happy Spring Time.

This is the Way Brennan Plays...

2008-04-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

"Hey! Want to come play Ret-row Rocket Ship with me?"
(Ret-row is a super hero Brennan made up.)

Ret-row Rocket Ship is a game Brennan loves to play. He pretends he's flying a rocket ship through outer space. To play this game you need lots of random items placed in equally random areas throughout mom and dad's bedroom -and don't forget the laundry basket with a piece of cardboard inside -it's the captain's control chair!

Because he loves to play this game I find myself discovering the intricate workings of Ret-row's rocket ship all over the house. Like this arrangement here: the block, curler, baby rattle device.

And this one: the various balls nestled in a row behind pillows mechanism. The operation of which is critical for optimum rocket-ship handling.
Then there is the hinge-pin to the inner workings of any imaginary laundry basket rocket-ship: the fingernail polish/eye makeup system, which must be located beneath the fold of the quilt.

You can of course remove the fold to make additions and repairs to the fingernail polish/eye makeup system, but it is imperative the fold is replaced before engaging power to the rocket-ship.

And, On-board Weaponry...just in case.

Bob the Tomato's iPod...

2008-04-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Last week Brennan and I were playing with our Play-Doh. We decided to make Bob the Tomato from VeggieTales, along with lots of snakes and balls of various sizes. I noticed Brennan working diligently on attaching some of his creations to our Bob. When he was finished it looked like this:
I said, "Oh wow Brennan! You gave Bob ears and an arm!" To which my son responded, "Nooo Mom, it's not his ears and arm; it's his iPod."
That's my boy.

The Car's on FIRE!?

2008-04-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

Well...not anymore...

It was a phone call I was NOT expecting to get yesterday...and it went something like this:

Cyndi's new phone rings...it's Gregg Hampton.
She answers: "Hey Babe."
Gregg: "Sigh..."
Cyndi: "What's up?"
Gregg: "The car caught on fire."
Cyndi: "Ha...you're pranking me a day early."
Gregg: "No baby. The CAR-IS-ON-FIRE"
Cyndi: "The CAR is on FIRE!?"
Gregg: "Well...not anymore...they put it out"
Cyndi: "Is it RUINED?"
Gregg: "I don't think so...er...well probably, I mean the front of it was on fire."

...then just quiet. For a long time. Mm...neat...

Yeah, never expected to get that phone call. That's probably why I never did. APRIL FOOL'S! (Our new-ish car's a black mazda anyway...I'm not sure who's car's on fire in these pictures...)

Liam's Baptism

2008-03-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Sunday March 2nd, at the 11 o'clock service at The Vine, Liam Noble Hampton was baptized. At first I was having a hard time with this. When Brennan was baptized it was an exciting and important moment. We invited anyone and everyone who was closest to us and available to share in the celebration of this sacred event. We had a party afterwards and special blessing. It was beautiful. This time with Liam...I was still excited and knew it was important and special, but it was difficult because none of those that were there with us for Brennan were present for Liam. I felt sad. I felt like he was getting cheated. Then God reminded me of a couple things.

First, that it was pretty ridiculous to think he was getting cheated -he was going to be receiving from the King of the Universe -how in anyway is that a rip off? Well, it's not. Second, even though those same people weren't here in person, they were definitely thinking of us and praying for us and will do the same awesome job of showing Liam the way and love of Christ as they do for Brennan. Then lastly I was reminded that we have great friends down here who love us and were just as excited for Liam and us as our friends and family back home and also, that Christ is my home. This last one is a lesson I feel God is constantly proving in my life; no matter where I am physically, my true home is Christ alone. When I'm sitting down and being with Him I'm home. It's not a yellow house in Moline. It's not a tan house in Georgia. Home is where I live with Christ. It's the constant. It's the safe place. It's where my heart is. Now making all those revelations come full circle, I realize that I am able to understand and notice these things because of the people who stood with my mom and dad when I was a baby and promised to show me the way and love of Christ. They've kept their promises and I've been blessed beyond measure to have such examples in my life.

The service was awesome. Eight individuals were baptized (2 infants, 5 teens, and 1 young adult). The video testimonials of the 6 older people were really powerful. A couple of them were re-affirming what had been done for them as infants and I was excited for the day that both Brennan and Liam would make the decision on their own to follow Christ all the days of their life. After the service we went outside to the baptismal and with everyone circling around us Liam was baptized. Brennan said "Liam did a really good job!" and he did. I am so thankful for our church and love they show us, and also for the amazing things that God is doing through this body of believers.

If you'd like to see the pictures from Liam's baptism they're available on our web album at http://picasaweb.google.com/cre8iveworship/LiamSBaptism

unChristian

2008-02-26T11:32:00.002-08:00

So at the vine we're in a series called "unchristian". It was inspired by the book of the same title. In this book there are convicting testimonies and statistics of what the typical "non-Christian" thinks of Christianity, Christians, Church, etc. In our series we're basically acknowledging the mistakes made not only by the Church and Christians in the past, but more importantly made by ourselves and how we can own up to those short-comings and get to a place of honestly living Christ-like lives that draw in non-believers and those who have been damaged by our own kind. We're going back to the basics of Christ's own teaching- Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. We're taking up a challenge to live transparent lives and no longer just wear Jesus masks to go on still living selfishly with indifference to God's children and a set of priorities that are far from what God desires us to be passionate about. We're repenting.

There is a perception out there of "Christians" right now and it is a negative perception....and it is a WIDE perception... To the world, the word Christian brings to mind thoughts of hypocrisy, exclusiveness, judgment and haughtiness. It's time to change that perception.

Interestingly enough, some have raised concern over this topic -wondering if we're watering down Christianity too much, or if we're becoming softies. I wonder, then, do they honestly think that living like Christ by loving the Lord with all our heart soul mind and strength and loving our neighbor is a simplified and watered down version of Christianity? Do they think that living in a transparent and honest way is an easy thing to do? If it is, then why would it seem so very few are truly doing it? The new commandment Christ gave to us deserves to be unpacked and meditated on. What does it look like to love something with all your strength? Who is our neighbor and do we love and welcome her? I am finding myself frustrated with those who immediately assume that if we make this our focus and what we're about, we're somehow condoning some person or some lifestyle or some issue, when that is not at all the case. If anything -they're making the point by even suggesting so. What I mean is, I realize it's more than just loving people and loving God, otherwise the Bible would be one page long. The other stuff is good and is in there for a reason. I'm just saying, I think along the way we've gotten ourselves into the wrong "order of operations," to quote some middle school math processes. Jesus got himself a good group of friends who loved God and what God loved and then, with his friends, went and talked to people. All the people. And he did what God said to do. And he did it perfectly without sin. And then he said -now watch and learn.

So I'm just saying let's do more watching and learning and less looking away and forgetting. And I'm also saying don't tell me it's too 'easy-happy-fuzzy & warm-Jesus-y faith.' It's supposed to be easy for people to like Jesus -he's Jesus, seriously, come on. The hard part is looking like him.

FINALLY, right?

2008-02-18T06:04:00.000-08:00

Well I have finally taken a couple hours to learn and organize my picasa photo stuff and have it ready for your viewing!! Thanks for being so patient. Things are going well here at the Hampton Household. We were all sick with colds for a few weeks but with Gregg starting to feel better I think we're officially on the up-swing of things as far as healthiness goes -Thank God! Here is the link to our Picasa Web Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/cre8iveworship

A Blog All of My Own!

2007-11-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Brothers Brave and Noble! As you probably already know, we're not going to have our old blog after the first of the year. So, this will be our new on-line photo album and the place where you can keep up to date on all the happenings of the Hampton's.

See you soon!