Tia McCollors, author of The Last Woman Standing (August 1, 2009), stops by Mom’s Unplugged today.

It was the morning of July 3rd and I’d just dropped my daughter off with my mom. Earlier that week, my daughter and I had our mother-daughter time, and this particular Friday it was my son’s turn to have his mama’s attention all to himself.

Strapped securely in his booster seat and wearing a yellow M&M baseball cap (tilted to the side in his signature fashion), we were headed towards the golden arches. I’d promised him a Happy Meal and some time at the indoor playground. Afterwards, we were heading to see the Disney-Pixar’s animated adventure feature, Up.

Since we’d been in the car, he’d already barraged me with his typical three-year-old line of questions. “Mama, who’s that?” he’d ask about a stranger on the sidewalk.  “Mama. What color is that?” he’d say, although he’d long ago mastered his colors, but felt it was appropriate to test me in case I didn’t know. “Mama, I want a kids’ meal, first, okay?”

“Okay, Jayce,” I said, mentally kicking myself because I’d always said (before I had kids, mind you) that my children wouldn’t be able to ask for a meal by name from a fast-food restaurant.

I’d almost slipped into tuning out my son’s gibbering. You know how we Mamas can do sometimes – give the methodical answers… “No….uh-huh…I’m not sure…We’ll see…Yes….Ask Daddy.”

Then the questions stopped as I pulled to a stop at the traffic light. I glanced in the rearview mirror at my son. He was staring intently out the window, though his eyes were slightly squinted from the sun’s bright rays.

He looked my way and our eyes met in the rearview mirror. I’ve written about someone smiling so wide that their mouth spread from ear to ear, but until that moment, I can’t say I’d honestly seen it before. The brightness of my son’s face now rivaled the sun.

“Mommy, I’m happy.”

Clearly one of the tear-jerker moments. “Me, too,” I said.

You see, I’d contemplated taking this “day off” to spend with my son, because my perpetual to-do list was having babies at night! I still had tasks on my marketing plan to be completed, and I finally had the characters for a new book running around in my head and demanding that their story make it to the page soon.

But none of that mattered at the moment. Most people think that children that young don’t remember things, but I’m convinced otherwise. They might not always recall specific occasions, but they will remember their parent’s choices to make their little piece of the world a worthwhile, fun, and loving place to live. I’m determined not to let my children’s memories be that of me constantly shooing them away while I sit on the couch with my laptop and let the cartoons babysit them.

I told my husband about it those “three simple words” and we agreed that we’d make it a family tradition to have a parent/child outing with each of our children at least once a month. A mommy-daughter & mommy-son day and a daddy-daughter& daddy-son day.
And you know what? I’m happy.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lynette Bowers had no intention on falling in love with her ex-husband, “Ace” Bowers. After all, it has been ten years since their marriage ended, and two years since the beginning of his relationship with the younger and prettier, Sheila Rushmore. Besides Sheila, everyone knows that only a fool makes the same mistake twice, especially when it comes to marriage.

Ace seems stuck between his past and his future. With his conflicting emotions, he risks losing two women who hold a significant place in his heart. It’s going to take his faith and God’s love to handle the ensuing drama.

Sheila is starting to see Ace’s ex-wife as a threat to her lifelong dreams of achieving the happily-ever-after. Sheila is used to getting what she wants – except Ace’s commitment to marriage. When Sheila realizes Lynette may be the cause, she launches a plan to play the hand of God, instead of allowing Him to bring the love all three of them desire.

THE LAST WOMAN STANDING BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY

Tia McCollors is the author of four Women’s Fiction books. Read the question below to see if you can answer it and provide the name of the book in which it was featured.

Tia participates in annual tour with six other Christian authors. What’s the name of the group?

Leave your answer in the comment section. All post with correct answers posted to the blog comment sections will be entered in a random drawing for prizes. The more you post (with correct answers) the better your chances.  Winners will be contacted via email and also posted on Tia’s Blog, “From Tia’s Pen”.

Contest prizes include:
1.    $5 gift card to Smoothie King or Panera Bread (Winner’s Choice)
2.    $5 gift card to Chick-Fil-A
3.    $10 gift card for Border’s
4.    Autographed copy of The Last Woman Standing
5.    Autographed copy of The Last Woman Standing

Follow the rest of The Last Woman Standing Blog Tour at:

http://bitly.com/TheLastWomanStanding

Tia’s Contact Info:
•    www.TiaMcCollors.com
•    Tia@TiaMcCollors.com
•    www.myspace.com/TiaWrites
•    http://www.shoutlife.com/TiaWrites
•    Visit Tia’s blog: www.TiasPen.blogspot.com