Four years ago, where were you? What were you, and how were you? I asked myself these questions as 4Mothers closed the loop on its fourth year. As whenever I engage this process, I am dumbfounded at the answers.
Four years ago, I had two children, not three. They were 4 and 2 years old (so young! when I look back at their photos). I was working as a lawyer, and my husband had quit his job to take care of our boys. He was also playing around with part-time work options, and gearing up for a third major hip surgery in as many years. We had just embarked on a mammoth (for us) investment decision. We still had a beloved pussycat. Our oldest son hadn’t started school yet. Neither of us was 40. Did I mention that I had two children, not three?
Four years ago, I decided to take a writing course about creating memoirs from the experiences of motherhood. I met a group of women there and heard some remarkable writing and did some of my own. Some of us decided to write a blog and get together, for the pleasure of writing company.
Four years later, we still do this. We are no less busy that we were when we met; au contraire, mes amis, we have added two children to the already full bushel of boys. Our lives are so blessedly full, but we make time for this. We may not meet as often as we like, but we meet, and something in that regular rhythm, kind of like the daily-ness of this blog for me, is a comforting touchstone.
Four years. What have they brought to you?
4 Mothers 
Four years ago, in February, I got married. Seventeen days later, our son was born.
I had, at the time, 3 chapters of a novel written. Two previous novels had not found publishers. It took two years (I work full-time) but on my 40th birthday, I finished a first draft. After 7 months of querying and about 65 rejections, I signed with a literary agent. On February 21, the day before my son’s 4th birthday and the anniversary of the day I went into labor, my agent sent my novel out to editors. It sold in two weeks.
I am very happy to say that the book is forthcoming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Fall 2015. Right as Liam starts kindergarten. And that’s my last four years.
I enjoy your blog very much, particularly as the mother of a boy!
That is a great story about your book coming to fruition… many congratulations! And wondering to know your four years have been as eventful as ours…
Those years brought me you guys! I love our 4mothers adventure!
wonder what the next four will bring…?!