This stage of motherhood is the touched stage, the tugged, the wetly kissed, the invasion of the tickle monsters. One day, I’ll fear half-hugs from my sons, and I’ll look back and wonder about my good husband, how I got a hicky on my neck on the day I wore sweat pants, had a cold, and didn’t shower.

Some days, when I welcome television noise or when the boys are making rules for their fort and assigning man-names, I sneak to my writing place, and I spread out there, soaking in aloneness. I take the invisible straw out of my mouth, and I breathe deep sighs of still air. I try not to move a muscle. How long can I go without blinking?

Many days, I click to facebook and see photos of girlfriends together. I hear about lunch dates with soandso. I long, too, to join other women, like I did before becoming a homeschool mom, when so much of life was friends. I still don’t see it’s importance over what I’ve chosen to do, but that doesn’t replace the longing.

Next week comes the rare occasion that I leave home to let parts of me come out like a winter tiger lily. I get to go to BlissDom again and leave my little ones in Alabama with my amazing sister. I’ll be leading a Wednesday Workshop on Prompted Writing with the lovely SaraSophia and the hilarious Mrs. Leslie Flinger.

I’ll room with friends that I cannot believe I know, blogging friends who have become some of my best.

THIS ONE has three boys, knows loss, and is a home-educator, a creative soul who covers me in prayer. THIS ONE is a gentle soul who passionately loves beauty, sees God everywhere, the creature, the created things. She has four children, and she’s a poet. They both know the power of words, and they both know how to use it. They both prayed out loud for me when my Jude got so sick, one pulling off on the side of the road to lift her hands in petition.

How could I ever know such as these? Both Guides in the Lovely.

So I’ll room with Arianne and SaraSophia at BlissDom, and we’ll join any who love words as we do in what we’re calling the #WriterTribe. If you want to join us, watch for the hashtag on twitter and gather up with us when the tribes get into groups. If you won’t be at BlissDom, just follow those in the #writertribe online.They’ll be your type but in all different flavors, which is exactly what I like. “Takes all kinds,” I always say when life proves interesting. Like the webbernets to a Grandmaw, I can’t believe sometimes just how much I enjoy online writing that is so very different from mine.

Joining forces with the unlikely people I would never have otherwise known has been one of the greatest gifts I’ve received.

I hope to see you in Nashville, but if I don’t, come along with me from here. I’ll let you in on the good stuff as I know to recognize it.