TERI WILSON

Romancing the pet lover's soul

Last week my serialized novella, Once Upon a Collar, launched at the White Rose Publishing reader's yahoo group. This fun read is available FREE for anyone who joins the group! We've beenhaving a great time over there reading the first chapter and answering discussion questions.

Come join us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WhiteRosePublishing/and get in on the fun.

Emilie Bonner, the heroine of Once Upon a Collar, is an artist who creates special wedding cake toppers. She's less than happy when she's forced to create a topper with a groom dressed in red pants as a cartoon-inspired Prince Charming. Since she's a dog lover, I thought I'd share a mini-gallery of wedding cake toppers she might findmore fun.

Aren't these a riot? I never knew such things existed until I wrote this novella. Shhh. Don't tell Emilie. She's supposed to be working onsomething more like this...

Once Upon a Collar, by Teri Wilson. Available for FREE from White Rose Publishing.

Whenever Emilie Bonner meets a man, she can't help but imagine what he would look like on top of a wedding cake. Since she spends most of her waking hours designing wedding cake toppers, it's somewhat of an occupational hazard. Somewhere along the way--perhaps after the first two hundred or so--hand-crafted bridegrooms, Emilie begins to doubt she'll ever findher own happily-ever-after.

Then, after a mysterious encounter with a woman who could be an angel, Emilie meets a handsome stranger at the dog park. At first, it seems as though Matt, with his big dopey dog and irrepressible charm, is thePrince Charming she's been waiting for. Not only is he a sweetheart, but he'd look great on top of a wedding cake.

Soon, however, she discovers something about him that changes everything and leaves her wondering - does God believe in fairy tales?

Welcome blog hoppers! If you are participating in The Sweetest Romance scavenger hunt…no worries! Your clue is near the end of this post.

In the meantime, I thought I would share some photos from my fun weekend at the Reliant World Series of Dog Shows in Houston. I was there competing in Rally Obedience with my sweet English Cocker Spaniel, Angel. And while I was there, I met a real canine celebrity.

STUMP! Remember him? He’s the Sussex Spaniel that won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year. He is also the oldest dog to ever earn the honor of Best in Show at Westminster! Way to go, Stump. He’s ten years young!

In person, he’s as charming and silky soft as he looks on television. Aren’t the photos great!? Well, they would have been a little better if my head wasn’t blocking the sign. It looks like I met TUMP instead of STUMP. Ha ha ha.

If you are a dog lover too, you will be excited to know that my new inspy romance – Cup of Joe – finally has a release date. It will be available from White Rose Publishing on December 4th in both digital and print formats. So, write the date on your calendar! Here is a peek at the cover and the blurb:

Goldie thinks she’s prepared for the death of her doting Grandpa who’s raised her since childhood. But after his passing, she finds herself curled up on the sofa watching television, feet clad in fuzzy slippers. She knows God has a new plan for her life, but she's simply too tired to figure out what it is.

To make matters worse, sweet, shy coffee shop owner, Joe Montgomery, keeps showing up on her doorstep with morning coffee. When she tells him emphatically she doesn’t like coffee—never has and never will—he shows up with a dog instead!

As she takes steps to start a new life, with her new puppy scampering playfully at her side, Goldie begins to realize a cup of Joe just might be what she’s needed all along.

OK, down to business for the scavenger hunters. Your clue on this blog stop is (insert drumroll here)….. THREE.

If you aren’t familiar with the scavenger hunt, you might want to check out The Sweetest Romance yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Sweetest_Romance/.

Don’t forget to visit the next stop on your treasure hunt:

http://lindabanche.blogspot.com/

Blessings,

Teri

Move over Fabio! PNut has arrived!

Friday night at my writer's critique group meeting, I got to meet the cover model of my first romance novel, Do You Hear What I Hear? (The Wild Rose Press). PNut poses as Pollock - a sneaky, witty, match-making Jack Russell Terrier who stops at nothing to make sure Chet and Simone live happily ever after!

The cover photo is perfect - doesn't that look like a scheming, mischievous little dog? My good friend and cover artist, Tamra Westberry, took the photo of PNut for the cover and even developed it old-school style. In a dark room and everything.

It was a delight to meet PNut, who is very sweet and modest. She hasn't let her success in the world of romance cover modeling go to her head.

Have a peek at the blurb for Do You Hear What I Hear?, which is available now in print at Amazon:

As a child, Simone Littleton adores the European folktale that animals are given the gift of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve. She makes a wish to talk to animals “forever and ever” and, when her pet Dalmatian asks her for a biscuit, she discovers her wish has been granted. Now Simone is all grown up and she uses her unique gift to rehabilitate unwanted horses. When race horse trainer Chet Wallace rolls into San Antonio, with chocolate eyes and dimples blazing beneath his black Stetson, romantic sparks fly. He is immediately drawn to the beautiful woman who has a mesmerizing affect on both his horses and his dog, but his less than enthusiastic response to Simone’s claims threatens their budding romance. It takes a scheming Jack Russell terrier and a fresh batch of rescue horses to convince Chet she just may be telling the truth.

Blessings and happy Independence Day!

Teri

Teri Wilson ~ Romancing the pet lover's soul

www.teriwilson.net

Thanks so much to each and every one of you who left a comment on my blog yesterday!! I wish I could give you all free books. Unfortunately, I can't do that.

But my (unofficial, unwritten - so don't hold me to it in the future - ha ha) rule is that if I have close to 30 or more comments, I will give away extra prizes. So, I'm giving away TWO sets of Hoofbeats & Heartstrings print books instead of just one. The lucky winners are...

JoAnn Carter and Joan K. Maze!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!! JoAnn, I have your email address so I will be contacting you. Joan - please email me at puppylove@satx.rr.com to claim your prize.

GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT WIN:

I have a FREE novella coming out this Fall from White Rose Publishing. It's called Once Upon a Collar. This fun, modern, inspirational fairy tale will be available FREE in weekly installments to all members of the White Rose Publishing readers' email loop. Don't miss out on the fun! The entire book is free to download. And since it will be released one chapter at a time, I'm trying to end each section with a fun cliff-hanger like ending. So, sign up for the readers' loop today at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WhiteRosePublishing/

Here's a little glimpse at Once Upon a Collar:

Whenever Emilie Bonner meets a man, she can?t help but imagine what he would look like on top of a wedding cake. Since she spends most of her waking hours designing wedding cake toppers, it?s somewhat of an occupational hazard.

Somewhere along the way--perhaps after the first twohundred or so--hand-crafted bridegrooms, Emilie begins to doubt she?llever find her own happily-ever-after.

Then, after a mysterious encounter with a woman who could be an angel, Emilie meets a handsome stranger at the dog park. At first, it seems as though Matt, with his big dopey dog and irrepressible charm, is the Prince Charming she?s been waiting for. Not only is he a sweetheart, but he?d look great ontop of a wedding cake.

Soon, however, she discovers something about him that changes everything and leaves her wondering?does God believe in fairy tales?

Good morning bloggers! And welcome to my little space on the Stop and Smell the Roses Blog Tour!

This past weekend I went to dog show in Hutto, Texas, with my dog, Angel. Angel and I participate in lots of shows - sometimes rally obedience and other times, conformation. This particular show was a conformation show. In a conformation show, the dogs are judged on how well their appearance conforms to the written breed standard. It's kind of like a beauty pageant.

I always have lots of fun at dog shows. Mainly because I just love to hang out with my dog. I know she's not perfect. But I really don't care. We go to shows to have fun. If she wins a ribbon, a crystal vase or a Tupperware bowl, it's like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. I know what you're thinking. Tupperware? But seriously. She won this tiny Tupperware container once that was so tiny I use it as a pillbox. It was a riot.

So, we had two separate shows on Saturday. The format of the dog show was new to me. This was an International Show and we had never been to one before. The judges talk to you and give you a written critique of your dog. The first judge wrote lovely things about Angel. She got the highest rating possible and won a medal, like at the Olympics. This was really exciting because Angel had never won a medal before. Then, when we went in for the Sporting Group awards, she won Third Place! And another medal! This one was bronze with a big 3 in the middle of it.

Soon, it was time for the second show of the day. Angel's second judge was the complete and total opposite of the first. He gave a very detailed critique, criticizing everything from her skinny frame to the length of her ears. I almost wanted to cover those lovely ears so she wouldn't hear all of his comments. And there were lots of them. So, I was a bit stunned when this judge also gave her the highest rating and we once again won Third Place in the Sporting Group.

Two different judges, two entirely different critiques. Same results.

Now, I know the second judge was only doing his job. But I have to think that, in life, we'd all be a lot better off if we looked at things more like the first judge. Praising everything that is good, offering encouragement and a kind smile. The Bible tells us this: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (Phil 4:8). Imagine how much happier we'd all be if we followed this advice!

As you stop and smell the roses today, I hope every stop along the way is filled with many, many good things. I'm giving away TWO good things to one very lucky winner: a print copy of each of my Hoofbeats & Heartstrings books (Do You Hear What I Hear? and Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw). To be entered in the drawing, simply leave a comment on this blog entry. Be sure to leave me your email address, or check back tomorrow to see who won.

And be sure to visit the other authors on the blog tour today:

http://amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com

http://authorsstudio.blogspot.com

http://bettyhanawa.blogspot.com

http://christineclemetson.blogspot.com

http://findagreatromance.blogspot.com

http://www.freewebs.com/lesmora/apps/blog/

http://freewebs.com/teriwilson/apps/blog/

http://grgiall.blogspot.com

http://hywelalyn.blogspot.com

http://jennfrancesca.blogspot.com

http://joycemoore.blogspot.com

http://lianalaverentz.blogspot.com

http://LindaHopeLee.blogspot.com

http://lje1.wordpress.com

http://noveltrails.blogspot.com

http://plotsandthoughts.blogspot.com

http://tanyahanson.blogspot.com

http://tinagayle.blogspot.com

http://traveltheages.blogspot.com

http://willtravelforromance.blogspot.com

Blessings, Teri

Teri Wilson ~ Romancing the pet lover's soul

Coming soon from White Rose Publishing:

Once Upon a Collar & Cup of Joe

Check it out… my new cover for Cup of Joe. Isn’t it adorable? I’m so excited about this book and can’t wait to get a release date.

But I’ll be honest. This blog is partly a cover-celebration-party and partly a rant. I am reading a book right now by a very well known, and liked, New York Times bestselling author – who, for the purposes of this blog, will remain nameless. Mainly because I don’t want to spoil the book for other readers. But, if you really, really want to know, just email me and I will tell you who it is.

Anyway, what attracted me to this book was the cover – it had both a handsome hero and a dog. I thought – “Oh great! A romance with a great dog character, too. Right up my alley.” I immediately got sucked in. I loved the book.

Until the dog got shot.

And killed.

I know, I  know. It’s fiction. The dog isn’t real and he didn’t actually die. But, to me, killing off a romantic lead’s pet is almost as bad as killing off the romantic lead.  At least it would be for me. My tagline is “Romancing the pet lover’s soul.” I think any reader of my books would feel betrayed if I reeled them in with that tagline and then ripped the rug out from under them. So, here it is: my pledge to my animal-loving readers. I will not kill a pet in my books just to make you cry.

I read an article for writers once that said if you want to take your writing to the next level, you’ve got to stab your main character right in the heart. Take what is most important to them and kill it. I’m sorry – I just can’t do it. Not with their pets. I feel like it would be manipulating the readers’ emotions, anyway. I’m a better writer than that – I can come up with something else to move the plot. I mean, look at my new cover for Cup of Joe, with the adorable little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. Wouldn’t you be disappointed if you bought that book and the puppy met its demise in the last few chapters? Even if the hero and heroine still got together in the end?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this…please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! About the cover and my little rant…

Blessings, Teri

Happy Easter Blog Hoppers!

Okay, you may be wondering how a photo of me and my dog relates to Easter (except those of you who visit my site regularly and know I will include a picture of my dog for any and every occassion, LOL). Well, that picture was taken Monday night at our special Easter-themed rally obedience training class. Our teacher arranged a fun obedience game and gave away prizes. Fabulous prizes...

Can you guess what I'm talking about? The one must-have Easter treat...(and you know I'm not referring to Peeps)...

Yes, that's right! The ever-popular chocolate bunny. My dog performed fabulously and I got to bring home a big chocolate bunny wrapped in shiny gold foil. Yummmm.

It had been years since I'd had a chocolate bunny. I remember the good old days, when my son was little. I would pick out the chocolate bunny for his Easter basket weeks ahead of time. And then, undoubtedly, I would devour it in a midnight chocolate feeding frenzy just days before Easter. It's shameful, I know.

Back to the store I would go for a replacement bunny. One year all they had left was white chocolate. I'm a terrible mom.

But this year, I brought home my shiny gold bunny and shared it with my son (who is now almost 18 years old). I even let him eat the ears - which we all know is the best part. So, maybe I'm not such a bad mother after all.

There aren't any chocolate bunnies in my new Easter romance, Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw. But there's a snow-white Chihuahua, a slew of lovely rescue horses and a dreamy veterinarian hero. Take a little peek at the blurb:

Christabel Wilde’s life has just turned upside-down. With little more than the clothes on her back and her newly rescued Chihuahua tucked under her arm, she makes a pledge to start over and applies for a job as a groom at a horse rescue farm. Nevermind that she’s never been up close to a horse before, she has a bigger secret to hide. A mysterious gift her new neighbor, Dr. Declan Armstrong, is determined to uncover. When the irresistible veterinarian volunteers to give her riding lessons, Christabel knows it could be the end of her secret. With the Easter holiday approaching, she tries to remember that sometimes what looks like the end is really a new beginning.

In the spirit of Easter, I'm giving away something even better than a chocolate bunny - an autographed, ** print ** copy of Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw. All you need to do for your chance to win is leave a comment on this blog entry. I will draw a name on Easter Sunday. Be sure to check back in the comment section to see if you won. Good luck!

And for those of you participating in the blog hop tour...

A TISKET A TISKET, PUT ROMANCE IN YOUR BASKET
 
Spring is in the air! Bees are buzzing. Children anxiously await the big morning where they can graze on candy all day. What about mom? We've got a treat for you! Come join a group of romance authors in celebration of spring. Enter to win a prize a day as well as enter to win the grand prize. Don't forget to enter to win the grand prize! Here's the dirt...
 
A TISKET A TISKET, PUT ROMANCE IN YOUR BASKET Grand Prize:
To enter to win prizes from the authors donating treasures to the grand prize (see each day's post for what an author is donating to the grand prize), find the four Easter eggs in the A TISKET A TISKET, PUT ROMANCE IN YOUR BASKET blog event.
 

 
You will be searching for the above egg. Just visit all of the authors' websites, locate the 4 eggs, make a list of their locations by pasting the urls to the website pages in an e-mail, then send the entry to happyendings2007@aol.com by midnight CST on May 1st, 2009. The winner will be randomly drawn and announced May 2nd at http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com. Tip #1, subscribe to http://blog.skhyemoncrief.com to learn if you're the winner! And don't worry. If you start in on the blog event late, just head back to Silver James' blog on April 1st at http://www.silverjames.com/
to begin your website search for the Easter eggs.

Tomorrow, the blog tour takes you to: Ashley Ludwig's blog at:

http://ashleyludwig.wordpress.com

EASTER BLESSINGS TO ALL!

Teri

Have you ever wanted to start all over again? On your hopes, dreams or just life in general?

Chances are, you have. Most of us have been there before, whether we've made mistakes or simply get to that point in life when everything seems the same. We want to scream, or at least whisper, "do over!"

As we find ourselves approaching Easter, now is the season for rebirth and renewal. Did you know that the Easter egg itself is a symbol of rebirth and resurrection? Now is a time when we can all have that do-over - if not in the physical sense, at least in the mental and spiritual. It is never too late to reexamine where your life is going and how it can change. Earlier this year, I blogged about how this was going to be the year when I let go of fear and opened myself up to all the possibilities God placed before me. It really is the perfect time for me to start again. My only child is graduating from high school this June and will be leaving home for college. While I'll admit this thought still terrifies me somewhat, I'm doing my best to turn it over to God and trust Him with my son's future. In the process, I am discovering He has great plans in store for me, too! I've recently signed on for a rather extreme mission trip for 2010 that is so up my alley it gives me chills. More about that in a future post, though.

My Easter romance Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw released this morning from The Wild Rose Press in e book format. It is a celebration of starting over and renewing one's life and sense of purpose - and, of course, finding love along the way.  It is also chock full of the symbolism and beauty of spring flowers. I hope when you read it, you find the inspiration to take whatever you want to change in your life and have a do-over!

Here's a little snippet from Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw. Happy reading!

Excerpt from Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw
By Teri Wilson

      He wore a straw cowboy hat, frayed leather work gloves and faded jeans. Period. She suspected he had boots on, but he stood too close for her to get a glimpse of his feet. He didn't have on a shirt, though. That much was certain.

           Christabel drug her gaze from the stranger's rippling abdominal muscles and somehow managed to look him in the eyes. Of course, they were nearly as distracting. Clear, ice blue. Twinkling with good humor. "Um, I guess I could use a little help."

           He flashed a crooked grin. "Pop the hood and I'll have a look." 

           "Thank you." She did as he said, scooped her dog into her arms and stepped out of the car while he held the door open for her.

           A gentleman. Nice.

           "I'm Declan, by the way." He tipped his hat and gave her a wink.

           She made every effort to keep her gaze focused firmly on his face, or the car, or anywhere but his bare chest. "I'm Christabel. Thanks for your help, but I'm afraid my car might be hopeless."

           "We'll see about that." He took off one of his gloves and scratched the dog on the chin. "Cute Chihuahua. What's her name?"

           "Snowdrop." The pup's nose quivered and she licked the tips of Declan's fingers. In the past weeks, Christabel had wondered more than once what kind of dog she'd brought home. "Do you think she's a Chihuahua? I wasn't sure."

           "Definitely a Chihuahua. See the dome-shaped skull?" He ran his fingers over Snowdrop's forehead, pausing to scratch behind her ears. "It's a dead giveaway. Is she a rescue dog?"

           Christabel's tongue tripped on her reply. It was a loaded question to say the least. "Y-you could say that."

           "It looks like she's lucky you came to her rescue, then." He met her gaze over the top of the dog's head and she became transfixed by his sapphire eyes. There was an intensity to them that made her feel transparent, as though he could read her thoughts. "Snowdrop, huh? Nice name. I suppose that's because she's white like snow."

           She tore her gaze from his, telling herself she was imagining things. Of course he couldn't tell anything about her just by looking at her. "Actually, a snowdrop is a type of flower."

           "Really? I've never heard of one before."

           "They have a unique history - their own mythology." What was she doing standing here rambling about flowers? She needed to get out of here and figure out what she was going to do with her life.

           "Do they now?" Declan's brows lifted and he leaned closer, clearly interested in the story behind Snowdrop's name.

           "According to legend, the snowdrop started as a snowflake that was magically transformed into a flower to comfort Adam and Eve when they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Now they're known as a symbol of consolation and hope." Her cheeks burned with heat and her gaze darted once again to his muscled physique. She looked away, trying to ignore the fact that he was half as naked as Adam himself.

           Declan's face grew serious, his voice quiet as a whisper. "What do you hope for, Christabel?" 

           Hope. The word alone held so much weight. She'd come here today with a heart full of hope, only to have that hope dashed. What did she dare hope for now?

Click here to purchase Love, Lilies & the Unbroken Straw from The Wild Rose Press.

Welcome blog hoppers (* blowing kisses *). Happy Sweetheart?s month!
 
Valentine?s Day was just a couple weeks ago. Does the thought of Valentine?s Day make your heart go pitterpatter?or does it make you gag? Seriously, it?s got to be the most polarizing holiday.
 
Ever.
 
The first year my husband and I were dating, we gave each other the same Valentine?s Day card. It was a total surprise. We laughed when we opened them together. The following year, it happened again. This time it must have freaked my husband out. When he proposed the following month, he told me he felt like someone was trying to tell him something when we kept giving each other the same Valentine?s cards!
 
This year, I had lunch with a good friend of mine the day before Valentine?s Day. She surprised me with a big, fancy package that contained three gorgeous dog bowls. Two were pink ceramic with sparkly crowns and letters that said Princess. The other was blue for my Prince. If you?ve looked at my website before, surely you know I adored this gift. Not only because the dog bowls were precious, but also because it was such a shock. I?ve known Diane for a long time now and we usually don?t exchange Valentine presents. All I had for her was a card.
 
Diane was ecstatic at my reaction to the bowls. She told me she gave them to me because (even though she?s happily married) she wanted to start celebrating all the different kinds of love in her life for Valentine?s Day. We then exchanged cards and guess what ? we had accidentally gotten each other the same Valentine?s card!  (It had a Chihuahua with a heart-shaped balloon tied to its paw, if you must know.)
 
I think God was speaking to me through that encounter with my friend. I have been blessed with all sorts of love in my life. Romantic love, the love for a child, the love I feel for my family, the love of my friends, the love I share with my dogs and the love of God. It?s time to celebrate and appreciate all these loves!
 
After my lunch with Diane, I had a dog training class. Before class I went out and bought a box of Doggy Tattoo Valentines ? yes, the kind kids give each other in elementary school. I signed my dog?s name (Angel) to all the cards and passed them out with little packets of Brach?s conversation hearts to all my dog-loving friends at class. It may sound silly, but everyone loved it. We put doggy tattoos on our faces and had a great time.
 
So, whether or not you?re in a happy relationship, if you are widowed, single, separated, divorced?this month is for you. You are loved!!!! Embrace it!
 
As my Valentine to you, I am giving away a $6.00 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press. I won?t even make you buy one of my books with it. Haha! Simply leave a comment on this blog for your chance to win. Be sure to check in tomorrow (Thursday) to see who won.
 
Hugs & Kisses,
 
Teri
 
All About Romancing the Blog:
 
ROMANCING FEBRUARY 28 romance authors invite you to participate in a month-long event of love and laughter. Each day starting Feb. 1, 2009 an author will throw a romance party at her blog and host a contest with a prize. The link to the next day's blog location will also be provided at each location. Just drop by and enter the contest. You could win a prize a day! On February 28th, one person will be awarded the grand prize of a $75 WRP gift certificate. All you have to do to enter the grand prize contest is make a list of each author in this blog event and name one title she has available. Submit your list to mailto:Christmasrideblog@live.com
by midnight CST, February 27, 2009. The winner will be announced on February 28th--just in time to warm up that person's February. Visit http://www.amberleighwilliams.blogspot.com to start at the beginning with February 1.
 
Yesterday's blog stop was http://lianalaverentz.blogspot.com and tomorrow's will be http://tarahscott.tarahscott.com/.

This past weekend, the first of 2009, I did something entirely different. I traveled to Mexico with other members of my church to build a playground at a church school in the border town of Piedras Negras.
 
Going on a mission trip is something I?ve wanted to do for years and I have no idea why I waited until now to give it a shot. Actually?when I really think about it, I do know why. It all boils down to one simple word ? FEAR. Not any one particular fear, but a whole bundle of little fears that, when taken together, make one big mess. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not knowing the language. Fear of getting sick from drinking the water in a foreign country. Fear of danger.

The list goes on?

And it culminates with perhaps the biggest fear ? fear that I would not be able to find any friends or family who wanted to go with me and I would be alone in a group of strangers.

Turns out that last fear came true. And guess what. I met loads of interesting, warm people who I never would have gotten to know otherwise. By nature, people who go on mission trips are the friendly sort. I was fine.

Once I took the leap and signed up for the trip, the fears hid for a while. I was elated and couldn?t wait to get down there and do something really meaningful to start the new year. I packed about a million bottles of water and tons of peanut butter. Being a vegetarian, I wasn?t sure if I?d want to eat any of the food. (In case you?re wondering, I had the best cheese enchiladas ever!)

Then, the morning of the trip the fear reared its ugly little head. I could think of nothing else but the reaction of my parents and my dog obedience teacher when they found out I was going to Mexico and had volunteered to drive my car across the border. They thought I was nuts. My obedience instructor was convinced I would be kidnapped (and that was the best-case scenario as far as he was concerned.) It?s a good thing I did volunteer to drive because that meant there was no backing out. People were counting on me. Over here in Texas? and over there in Mexico.

The crazy thing is, once I crossed that border and used my passport for the very first time, I forgot what I had been so afraid of. I became instantly enraptured by the smiling faces of the people we were there to serve. I raked sand in the hot Mexican sun until my hand bled with blisters. But when we were finished, the most miraculous thing happened. We carried the playground equipment onto the sand and before we could even set it down, kids were everywhere. Climbing, playing, laughing. The playground wasn?t the nicest I?d ever seen ? the equipment wasn?t even new ? but it was the best thing these children had. And watching them that day, I found it hard to believe I?d ever had any doubts about going on the trip.

I?ve posted some of my photos from Mexico below. And trust me when I say these pictures are only a tiny slice of my brief life as a missionary. These may be the only pictures I have in my camera, but my mind is filled with hundreds of images I will never forget ? the goat herder who seemed to materialize out of the hills with a long staff and dozens of goats at his feet, the old man who rode a bicycle so loaded down with bales of hay on the handlebars it was a wonder he remained upright, the sound of roosters crowing at all hours that was like music to my city girl ears and a border sunset such a vivid red it took my breath away.

The morning we left, we all held hands with members of that tiny church in the hills of Piedras Negras as their pastor prayed. His prayer was in Spanish, but an older lady there spoke English and translated for us. It was one of the most eloquent and beautiful prayers I?ve ever heard, especially the part when he said, ?though we speak different languages, we all stand hand-in-hand as brothers and sisters.?

I sit here now at my computer with the dust of Mexico still on my shoes and I know that this experience will transform everything about my life, including my writing. And wouldn?t it be a shame if this year had been just like all the others and I?d simply stayed home and dreamed about one day going on a mission trip?

This year, I?ve decided to adopt a Bible verse as my motto. John 10:10 ? ?I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.? This year I will live a life abundant with adventure and love, rich with all the experiences God doesn?t want me to miss. This is the year I refuse to let fear and doubt get in my way.

Won?t you join me in putting the NEW in NEW YEAR?

Blessings, Teri