Let's Talk About Words

    It is scary to make changes in my life, but not choosing is still making a decision. Instead of just making a distinct choice, I avoid making up my mind, but I don't want my life to head in a direction just because I didn't choose. Learn more about my books  HERE Follow me  Susan on Twitter

Riding Waves is a book about learning to navigate the joys and trials of growing up, falling in love and going to college. When Harper's relationship with Dan starts taking her down a path she doesn't like, she will have to make some hard choices. Can Harper ride the waves of life or will they take her under? Excerpt: July 2011     The sun feels warm on my shoulder as Ashley and I play tennis on the street in front of my house. We have been best friends since the sixth grade, and we just graduated from high school this year. I see a car coming so we stop playing for a minute to see if it is coming this way. As the car gets closer, we realize that it is her parent’s car, and that her brother Dan is driving. I wonder why he is here and if Ashley has to go home? Or maybe he is here to see my brother, Jake? Even though, I am seventeen and she’s already eighteen, neither of us have our own cars. We were too lazy to ride our bikes to the tennis courts today so that’s why we...

I love the written word for many reasons, and cannot imagine a life without the feel of a book in my hands or deprived of the character's words replaying in my head. as difficult as it was to do, I chose three of my favorite books in order to understand why I like to read and how I can get lost in a book... http://www.chicagonow.com/look-good/2016/12/wish-i-had-a-list-of-books-that-i-have-read/

As I sit here changing my address again for the third time in four years, I am reflecting on how much resistance I give to change in my life. I like to be challenged, but on my own terms, not because of situations in life that I seem to have no control over. It seems though that more I resist and fight these alterations, the more that I hurt. Today, I choose to focus on the positive and just lean into the changes coming my way, if I can....  https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Marie-Schulhof/e/B00IBPFHV8 https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/susan-marie-schulhof/id613849093?mt=11 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Susan+Marie+Schulhof?fs=0&_requestid=358537

Riding Waves   is a YA and NA Fiction Novel about learning to navigate the joys, as well as, the trials of growing up, falling in love and going to college. It appears that Harper’s life is heading in the direction of her dreams as she graduates from high school and begins to date her best friend’s charismatic older brother, Dan. As she struggles to balance her own needs with the demands of being in a relationship, she loses her best friend and is in danger of losing herself. She has some hard decisions to make when her choices lead her only to confusion and pain. While on vacation in Florida, she writes a poem comparing her own life to how she feels when body surfing. She realizes that just like in body surfing, she must decide which waves will take her to shore and towards her dreams, and which choices might take her under and cause her only pain.  Can Harper ride the waves of life or will they take her under? https://itunes.apple.com/…/susan-marie-schulhof/id613849...

   Although I enjoy hiking, hanging out with my loves ones and writing, there is nothing like getting lost in a good book. Since I was a little girl, I have been an avid reader. I often wish that I had a list of every book that I have ever read. I also wonder what the very first chapter book I read was. Hours can fly by when I let myself enter the pages. I love getting lost.... https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/susan-marie-schulhof/id613849093?mt=11

I am working on my training about how to love your job, and reflecting in how true this quote from Shakti Gawain is...  "When you're following your energy..., the distinction between  work  and  play  dissolves."  http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Marie-Schulhof/e/B00IBPFHV8

So excited to start the next chapter of my life!  ‪#‎ lifegoals‬ My life goals in 2013 were: 1. Write and publish a fiction book (Done 2014) 2. Travel and hike -Grand Canyon (Done 2014) -Yellowstone -Italy -Australia 3. Inspire, mentor and/or teach others (In 2016!) http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Marie-Schulhof/e/B00IBPFHV8

    How do we know what our deepest desires are? I was at an event where the speaker asked us, "If God asked you right now what you want, what would you say?" At first I thought that was an easy question, but then I realized a few things. First off, what I want has changed over the years. Before my children were born, I would have begged for children and a family. Then once I was a mother, I probably would have asked God for just a little time for myself, just to go for a run or read a book. So now as I get older and my daughters are in college and graduating, what would I ask for today? Which brings me to my next thought. W ould my request need to be solely for me? Everyone has their own free will and choices, so can I ask for happiness and joy for my daughters? What if my choices for them aren't their choices for themselves. Could I ask God for what I want for them? If I need to ask just for myself, what would I say?  I would like to pursue my dreams, but specifica...

    Recently, I was reading a letter from my pen pal who is in prison. We had been writing about our summertime past times, and he said that he is used to being in prison now, but that he misses just going out on his father's boat, fishing with him. Often people talk about that on our death bed. They say that we will never wish that we worked more or spent more time away from our families, yet it is more than that. Life is lived in the little things. My hope is that I can remember that in my life and enjoy those simple moments with my family and even in my work. https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan

Excerpt from Growing Flowers Sunday July 31, 2011    I head downstairs and grab a bowl of Apple Jacks, my favorite, as I turn on my computer to see what I missed while I was sleeping when my mom walks in the back door.    “Morning sleepy head,” she laughs.    “What? It is still morning at least,” I respond as I see that it is actually after eleven.    “How late did you stay up last night?”    “I don’t know probably three,” I mumble.    “What did you do that late?” she asks as she pours herself another cup of coffee.    “Look at what everyone, that doesn’t have a curfew, posts about what they are out doing.”    “Oh, sure Lily. I forgot that you are the only one with a curfew.”    “No, just the only college student with a curfew,” I mumble again.    “Come help me in the garden when you finish eating. You used to love helping me in the garden,” she says as she g...

     After an impactful and thought provoking message at Willow Creek Community Church tonight, I went for a walk. In these peaceful and beautiful places of beauty, I can connect and feel God.  https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

       When I was little, I expected my   Mother  to be perfect and know all of the answers. I am sure that my own daughter's felt that way about me growing up as well. Then as they got older and realized that I made mistakes and messed up at times, it probably made them a little angry and upset. It is difficult to understand that Mom's are human and capable of being wrong, yet as a  Mother  I gave everything I had for my girls and would have done anything for them. Mother's are not perfect, but we do do the best that we can with what we know at that time in our lives. I am grateful for a day that celebrates Mother's and gives us all a day to say thanks. Happy Mother's Day ! https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

    "Time flies" is usually a negative phrase. It means that we are getting older; our kids are growing up, or our loved ones are dying. As I get older, I think more about what time really means, and what is the purpose of my life. The reality of it is that the passage of time is a miracle. We get each and every day to define what our lives stand for. Author of Riding Waves and Fun4Babies http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Marie-Schulhof/e/B00IBPFHV8 https://twitter.com/SchulhofSusan https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7

I am getting so excited and so nervous to be part of this Local Author Fair and Book Signing at the Barrington Area Library in Illinois. I have done book signings but only at my work with people that I know. Please come and say hello. I would love to meet anyone who has read my books or my blogs.

    My faith journey started out the same as anyone else being raised Catholic. I was baptized; I had my reconciliation, my first communion and my confirmation. My spiritual  foundation consisted of attending CCD, which was what religious education was called back in the 70's, and memorizing prayers and the Ten Commandments. I attended Church on the main holidays and sometimes in between, and I prayed to God at holiday meals and sometimes before bed. I felt that I was doing my part to check off  the box, religion expectation, of living a good life. I believed at the time that what I was doing was enough, but then the hard times started coming. At times the rain fell so hard, I could no longer see a blue sky in my future.    In the late 1980's, a friend and co-worker at a Girls Group Home we worked at invited me to attend Willow Creek Community Church with her. I think that she invited me because we had seen some horrible ex...

 I hope my words touched you in some way. Follow me on this blog or on my Facebook Author page for more thoughts about life and for the release date of  Suppression and Growing Flowers. Susan Marie Schulhof is the proud mother of three adult daughters and lives in the Chicago area. Riding Waves is her first novel, and she is currently writing two books called Suppression and  Growing Flowers . She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and has worked for Bright Horizons Family Solutions since 2001. She published the non-fiction book Fun4Babies in 2013 , writes an inspirational blog ( http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com ) and is on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. She is an active presence at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois.