WHY I WRITE
I am sitting in my husband’s study, beating myself up because I don’t have any ideas for my next column. A picture of my three-year-old daughter when she was a newborn flashes up one the computer screen. That one is quickly followed by a photo of my one year old granddaughter when she was a newborn. It suddenly dawns on me that I need to quit saying I’m blocked and write. So here is the product of my wandering mind.
Dear God:
I am so very thankful for all that you have given me. I am especially thankful for my wonderful children. Four of them you miraculously gave directly to Al and me directly as a product of our love. One you even more miraculously brought into our lives from a foreign country and the
most recent one you miraculously used my daughter as a vehicle to give us one more of your children.
I am not worthy of these gifts, yet you saw fit to give them to me anyway.
All of these children entered our lives at just the right time. First, you gave me Scott. You gave him to us sot that we had someone to mature with. He was our test child, the one that taught me how to be a mother.
Then there was Nicholas. We are still trying to figure him out. For the longest time Nicholas has stumped me. Now, that he is an adult, I may be getting past the tip of the iceberg. He is a writer and this is a passion we share. He is one of my soul mates, one of my inspirations.
Now, onto Katie, she is my little girl. Need I say more? She was another female in a house full of males and someone to share all those things that mothers and daughters share.
Freya came next. She was my foreign country child. Freya lived with us for a year. It was an amazing year. Freya became Katie’s big sister as well as not letting Al and I get to comfortable with empty nest syndrome. We went through a lot of changes that year, not because of Freya, but along with her.
During that wonderful year with Freya, we were bestowed with another gift, Anastasia, our change of life child. Anastasia was given to us at a time when we had become complacent. We thought our life’s journey had been set and that we had everything we could ever want or need. Anastasia has helped us rearrange our priorities and realize what is most important in our lives.
Then one more gift. Katie had a baby girl of her own, my granddaughter. Andriana has been as much of a blessing as all of my other children. She is one of the lights in my eyes and has been a lifeline for Katie when things have gotten bad.
All of our children have given us and will continue to give us many more gifts. They are the gift that keeps on giving.
Now, you may ask, what does all of this have to do with why I write? The answer is very simple.
I write to praise God. My children are a few of the reasons I praise God. The children, each in their own way have enriched my life. They are my soul mates and my muses. They inspire me to reach down deep into myself and write what I find in my heart.
I write to praise and glorify God and I thank God everyday for the gifts of my children and the gift of my writing.

WHY I WRITE: THE BEGINNING
By
Christina Weigand


One of the first articles I wrote for my column was entitled “Why I Write.” In the article I talked about my children and how they are my inspirations and my muses. While I was writing I realized the one person was not included in this picture, but that one person needed an article just dedicated to him. That one person is my husband Albert Weigand Jr.

Thirty years ago young man asked me out on what was to be the first of many dates. We had met at the church that both of our families attended, where we were both singing in the Folk Group. Al was a senior at the rival high school and I was a junior. He had taken my sister, Cheryl, to homecoming and had been spurned by her. Through a mutual friend, I let it be known that I was interested in him. He asked me out on that first date and we have been together ever since. There have been many ups and downs over the years, from the highs of our wedding day, the birth of our four children, our 25th wedding anniversary to the lows of the death of my sister and our respective grandparents.

When Al asked me out on that first date I had no concept of the impact he would have on my life. Al and I married when we were 19 and 18 years old and had our first son a year later.

I got to watch Al go back to school, work a full time job and support and raise a family. I was so proud of him for the example he was setting for our children. I was also learning from him, because once he graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree, I followed his footsteps and went back to school for my degree. Those years were hard on everyone. Al and I did a lot of adjusting and changing to accommodate my going to school and work.

Al supported me and pushed me when I was ready to quit. He helped out with the housework and taking care of our growing family. Finally, after seven years, he was there to share the triumph of graduation.

When we found out we were pregnant with our fourth child after being almost finished with raising the first three, I was scared, afraid that Al would leave, because the last thing he wanted was another child. He didn’t leave. In fact, he was more there during the pregnancy than he had been for the other three. He went to almost every doctor’s appointment. He was there for both of the sonograms, first breathing a sigh of relief because it wasn’t twins and then recovering quickly from his disappointment that it was another girl so he could share my excitement and finally, sat with me for over 24 hours while I labored and gave birth to Ana.

Now, he is beside me and encouraging me as I embark on yet another journey with God and my writing. I have basically abandoned my Bachelor’s Degree to pursue a writing career and yet he is still there for me, encouraging, editing, and pushing me to keep going when the rejection letter arrives in the mail.

Al and I’s spiritual journeys are in different places, yet he supports me and encourages my need to be with Christ. He has realized how important my writing and God are to me and gives me what I need for that.

I feel blessed to have Al for a husband. He is my soul mate. Next to God Al is the most important soul mate I have. Al helps me to discover myself and a world I only dreamed about as a child. He opened the doors of the world for me and held my hand as I took those first tentative steps in this adult world. We have taken this journey together and will continue it together. So, Al this is my love letter and birthday tribute to you.

Thank You for all you have given me
You are my muse and my inspiration,
You are my soul mate.
Happy 46th Birthday!
Xoxoxoxoxo
Love Always and Forever
Chris

Welcome to my Blog I hope you enjoy what you find here. I certainly enjoyed creating it. Please feel free to wander about and make yourself at home.

Chris Weigand