Celebrating the change in the wind...

Fall has always been refreshment to me. Whether it's the excitement of a new school year with new markers and crayons, notebooks and pens, or the hype for a new football season, or an approaching anniversary that inspires nostalgic reminiscing, or the celebration of a new year of life for both of my daughters, the change that comes with fall breathes new life through me.

Especially when a fall morning begins like this:

and includes this:

(The best pumpkin coffee creamer and pumpkin cream cheese can be yours by venturing out to Aldi.  It is seriously out of this world.)

With our house up for sale, we've been a little paralyzed with how to decorate for fall. We spent so much time decluttering and streamlining our house that we don't want to bring out anything that would junk it up and turn off a potential buyer. This is HARD for me. I love being home during this time of year because my house is filled with festive things that make me happy. I took the girls on a nature walk the other day, and Addison kept marveling at everyone's pumpkins, begging me to put out our fall stuff.  (We appeased them with the pumpkins above and the scarecrows below.) I came home from that walk and cried because I couldn't find my harvest candle because I packed EVERY.single.thing away.  We're slowly bringing out the festiveness, but I'm also trying to celebrate in simple ways--wrapping up in blankets and drinking pumpkin spice coffee. 

 Celebrating fall--it's in the little things. Nature walks, collecting leaves, simmering soups, pumpkins, jackets, togetherness...and sweet moments like this...

Fall has always been refreshment to me. Whether it's the excitement of a new school year with new markers and crayons, notebooks and pens, or the hype for a new football season, or an approaching anniversary that inspires nostalgic reminiscing, or the celebration of a new year of life for both of my daughters, the change that comes with fall breathes new life through me.

Especially when a fall morning begins like this:

and includes this:

(The best pumpkin coffee creamer and pumpkin cream cheese can be yours by venturing out to Aldi.  It is seriously out of this world.)

With our house up for sale, we've been a little paralyzed with how to decorate for fall. We spent so much time decluttering and streamlining our house that we don't want to bring out anything that would junk it up and turn off a potential buyer. This is HARD for me. I love being home during this time of year because my house is filled with festive things that make me happy. I took the girls on a nature walk the other day, and Addison kept marveling at everyone's pumpkins, begging me to put out our fall stuff.  (We appeased them with the pumpkins above and the scarecrows below.) I came home from that walk and cried because I couldn't find my harvest candle because I packed EVERY.single.thing away.  We're slowly bringing out the festiveness, but I'm also trying to celebrate in simple ways--wrapping up in blankets and drinking pumpkin spice coffee. 

 Celebrating fall--it's in the little things. Nature walks, collecting leaves, simmering soups, pumpkins, jackets, togetherness...and sweet moments like this...

You read the wrong books...

My post title is one of my favorite--albeit watered down here--quotes from Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. When I first heard this quote, it resonated with me. I had always considered myself a voracious reader, devouring anything I could get my hands on, but had I missed the right books somewhere along the way???

Even though I was an English major and loved writing myself out of any pickle, I often opted for the cliff notes versions of some of the classics I was assigned to read. I appreciated the imagery-rich descriptions of settings and clever dialogue and delving deep into the language to discover hidden meanings, but I much preferred the thrilling page turner with the seductive plot (Judith McNaught's Paradise was one of my all-time favorites. I know, right!?!?). As an English teacher, I have been so blessed with getting to go back and give some of these classics their due, but I always encourage my students to find something--anything--that they can sink their teeth into when they choose their own reading materials. I firmly believe that reading something is better than reading nothing (with the exception of fifty-shades-of-trash and the like).

As a child, I spent hours holed up with Little House in the Big Woods, Ramona Quimby, Anne of Green Gables, The Chronicles of Narnia, and my mom's old Nancy Drews and Boxcar Children, but I also devoured every Baby-Sitter's Club and Sweet Valley Twins book I talk my mom into ordering from Scholastic as well.

As a mom, I have tried to be intentional about what I have introduced my girls to in the literary world.  I am so, so thankful for my friend who introduced me to this book below:

It is such an inspiring book that really challenges what we are teaching our kids through what we expose them to. As a literal--and literary--person, I have always been focused on the words, the word pictures, the dialogue, and the story. This book reminded me of the power of the illustrations, and I have been introduced into a whole new world of capturing the young reader through actual visual pictures that make the words come alive.  I am reading these books with fresh eyes.  This book supplies a recommended reading list for each age group, and we have made our library lists--and our Amazon wish lists--through this resource.

Below are some of Addison's current favorites.  The Great Girl Stories collection is something that my mom picked up at a bookstore in Seattle a couple of years ago. In it is a collection of snippets of some of the classic early chapter books that I hope Addison will want to read--stories from Anne of Green Gables, Matilda, The Little Princess, Ramona, Pippi Longstocking, Heidi, Little House in the Big Woods.  We have just started reading some of those, and it thrills me to see her focused interest. I also LOVE it as well!

These are some of Ansley's current favorites. She asks for the Rainbow Fish every time we sit down, and she has named her babydoll Annabelle, and all of her stuffed monkeys are now George.

I am so thankful to have come across this book, and I would definitely recommend it!

***In my reading world, I just finished Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot, and it was so, so interesting!

My post title is one of my favorite--albeit watered down here--quotes from Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. When I first heard this quote, it resonated with me. I had always considered myself a voracious reader, devouring anything I could get my hands on, but had I missed the right books somewhere along the way???

Even though I was an English major and loved writing myself out of any pickle, I often opted for the cliff notes versions of some of the classics I was assigned to read. I appreciated the imagery-rich descriptions of settings and clever dialogue and delving deep into the language to discover hidden meanings, but I much preferred the thrilling page turner with the seductive plot (Judith McNaught's Paradise was one of my all-time favorites. I know, right!?!?). As an English teacher, I have been so blessed with getting to go back and give some of these classics their due, but I always encourage my students to find something--anything--that they can sink their teeth into when they choose their own reading materials. I firmly believe that reading something is better than reading nothing (with the exception of fifty-shades-of-trash and the like).

As a child, I spent hours holed up with Little House in the Big Woods, Ramona Quimby, Anne of Green Gables, The Chronicles of Narnia, and my mom's old Nancy Drews and Boxcar Children, but I also devoured every Baby-Sitter's Club and Sweet Valley Twins book I talk my mom into ordering from Scholastic as well.

As a mom, I have tried to be intentional about what I have introduced my girls to in the literary world.  I am so, so thankful for my friend who introduced me to this book below:

It is such an inspiring book that really challenges what we are teaching our kids through what we expose them to. As a literal--and literary--person, I have always been focused on the words, the word pictures, the dialogue, and the story. This book reminded me of the power of the illustrations, and I have been introduced into a whole new world of capturing the young reader through actual visual pictures that make the words come alive.  I am reading these books with fresh eyes.  This book supplies a recommended reading list for each age group, and we have made our library lists--and our Amazon wish lists--through this resource.

Below are some of Addison's current favorites.  The Great Girl Stories collection is something that my mom picked up at a bookstore in Seattle a couple of years ago. In it is a collection of snippets of some of the classic early chapter books that I hope Addison will want to read--stories from Anne of Green Gables, Matilda, The Little Princess, Ramona, Pippi Longstocking, Heidi, Little House in the Big Woods.  We have just started reading some of those, and it thrills me to see her focused interest. I also LOVE it as well!

These are some of Ansley's current favorites. She asks for the Rainbow Fish every time we sit down, and she has named her babydoll Annabelle, and all of her stuffed monkeys are now George.

I am so thankful to have come across this book, and I would definitely recommend it!

***In my reading world, I just finished Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot, and it was so, so interesting!

Mrs. Dash

I have a new friend. I read her writing, correct grammar, make revision suggestions, ruminate on the tricks of the English language, and we talk. We talk about her life in India, her family, her cancer treatments. We talk about dreams that we have for the time that we have on this earth. In some ways, she's my new gig. My first freelance client. In other ways she's a new purpose in my life. I can't help but imagine that God knew we should meet. I wonder what our friendship could produce?

Acts 17:26-28

"From one man he made every nation of men,

that they should inhabit the whole earth;

and he determined the times set for them

and the exact places where they should live.

God did this so that men would seek him

and perhaps reach out and find him,

though he is not far from each one of us.

For in him we live and move and have our being.

As some of your own poets have said,

"We are his offspring."

I have a new friend. I read her writing, correct grammar, make revision suggestions, ruminate on the tricks of the English language, and we talk. We talk about her life in India, her family, her cancer treatments. We talk about dreams that we have for the time that we have on this earth. In some ways, she's my new gig. My first freelance client. In other ways she's a new purpose in my life. I can't help but imagine that God knew we should meet. I wonder what our friendship could produce?

Acts 17:26-28

"From one man he made every nation of men,

that they should inhabit the whole earth;

and he determined the times set for them

and the exact places where they should live.

God did this so that men would seek him

and perhaps reach out and find him,

though he is not far from each one of us.

For in him we live and move and have our being.

As some of your own poets have said,

"We are his offspring."

Christmas Reads

Earlier this fall, I pinned that thing on Pinterest where you wrap up Christmas books for each day and then open one a day to read. Well, I love books, so I thought that would be the perfect thing for my girls to enjoy during the season of Advent... all in the spirit of waiting for the wonderfulness...

Well, I couldn't handle it. I like to read The Night Before Christmas EVERY night... Mostly because Addison can read it to me, and I wanted to have the Jingle Bells book out so that I can teach her to play it on her keyboard, and I like to read as many books as the girls will let me read to them at night. Bottom line--I couldn't handle the waiting... Maybe next year.

These are some of my favorite classics. Some of these are mine from childhood. Others I have picked up at specialty books shops along the way.

#1. The Sweet Smell of Christmas:

This scratch and sniff book was mine when I was a little girl, and it STILL smells. It is Addison's favorite.

#2. Over the River and Through the Woods

While technically it is about Thanksgiving, it has that lovely wintery feel that can take you through all of the holiday season.

#3 The Doll's Christmas

This is my new favorite of this season, and I look forward to having these celebrations with my girls when Addison and Ansley are old enough to have friends over for a party like this.

We are also enjoying reading about Jesus's birth every night. We sing "Silent Night," "Away in a Manger," and "Angels We Have Heard on High" as we read. Addison gets the giggles and requests me to sing it opera style. :) Even though we have good fun, I don't think the meaning is lost.

What a special opportunity to experience Christmas with little children. I am so glad that even when I outed my parents all those years ago, my mom continued to teach me about the magic of Christmas. Any other good book recommendations?

Earlier this fall, I pinned that thing on Pinterest where you wrap up Christmas books for each day and then open one a day to read. Well, I love books, so I thought that would be the perfect thing for my girls to enjoy during the season of Advent... all in the spirit of waiting for the wonderfulness...

Well, I couldn't handle it. I like to read The Night Before Christmas EVERY night... Mostly because Addison can read it to me, and I wanted to have the Jingle Bells book out so that I can teach her to play it on her keyboard, and I like to read as many books as the girls will let me read to them at night. Bottom line--I couldn't handle the waiting... Maybe next year.

These are some of my favorite classics. Some of these are mine from childhood. Others I have picked up at specialty books shops along the way.

#1. The Sweet Smell of Christmas:

This scratch and sniff book was mine when I was a little girl, and it STILL smells. It is Addison's favorite.

#2. Over the River and Through the Woods

While technically it is about Thanksgiving, it has that lovely wintery feel that can take you through all of the holiday season.

#3 The Doll's Christmas

This is my new favorite of this season, and I look forward to having these celebrations with my girls when Addison and Ansley are old enough to have friends over for a party like this.

We are also enjoying reading about Jesus's birth every night. We sing "Silent Night," "Away in a Manger," and "Angels We Have Heard on High" as we read. Addison gets the giggles and requests me to sing it opera style. :) Even though we have good fun, I don't think the meaning is lost.

What a special opportunity to experience Christmas with little children. I am so glad that even when I outed my parents all those years ago, my mom continued to teach me about the magic of Christmas. Any other good book recommendations?

Bear's Birthday Party... and the greatest coincidence of my life

Last night we celebrated Bear's birthday. We had a football party, ate football food, sat on football blankets, cheered for our team(s), and it was all super fun. Here is Bear with his grandchildren:Mommy with her girls:
Wardrobe change for the UA game, and Daddy with his girls:
So, now for my coincidence... My dear friend, colleague, literature lover, Conroy-worshipper-fan, Kris, sent me an NPR article about Pat Conroy's new book, My Reading Life. Turns out that his daughter's name is Susanna Ansley... Who knew? I already wrote about her middle name Carolina being chosen for my (and Patrick's) love for the states, the influence and memories that we have from there. Reading Conroy while living there was a big part of that developed love, and now, this! I almost jumped out of my skin with giddiness when I found out. Thanks, Kris!

Last night we celebrated Bear's birthday. We had a football party, ate football food, sat on football blankets, cheered for our team(s), and it was all super fun. Here is Bear with his grandchildren:Mommy with her girls:
Wardrobe change for the UA game, and Daddy with his girls:
So, now for my coincidence... My dear friend, colleague, literature lover, Conroy-worshipper-fan, Kris, sent me an NPR article about Pat Conroy's new book, My Reading Life. Turns out that his daughter's name is Susanna Ansley... Who knew? I already wrote about her middle name Carolina being chosen for my (and Patrick's) love for the states, the influence and memories that we have from there. Reading Conroy while living there was a big part of that developed love, and now, this! I almost jumped out of my skin with giddiness when I found out. Thanks, Kris!

Recent Mommy Reads

***This one's just for the ladies. Sorry, Dad and Steven.***

My mom takes Redbook Magazine, and she recently brought me two articles to read about parenting. I'll link them on here for you to read if your interests are piqued. I'll also share my thoughts on them.

The first was about breastfeeding and was titled, "No, You Don't Have to Breastfeed." This controversial article (just read some of the reader's comments after...) relays one woman's journey that lead her to unapologetically bottle feed her child. She weighs the pros and cons while honestly expounding on her unpopular, albeit personal, decision.

While I am a breastfeeding advocate, I also believe that what defines a good mother does not come from her nipples of milk and honey. We are culturally defined by so many "social norms" that henpeck us into feeling like we have to do things a certain way. In our day and age, breastfeeding is that norm, and, unfortunately, it just doesn't work for everyone... What about the mom who's baby is losing weight? The baby with food allergies to everything? The mom of the lazy eater? The mom who is so stressed out with older kids that she's just not making any milk?

Almost every mom I know who chose to nurse her child went through some obstacle and made decisions along the way about when to stop, when to supplement, etc. For me, it was Addison's milk allergy and the drastic changes I was forced to make to my own diet. Was it worth it to continue??? Almost every woman has a story of mastitis, cracked nipples, diminishing supply, you name it... and the mom's who don't brag about their three years of spiritual bonding while nursing their child(ren), staring into their eyes, muckety muck. (Sorry for the overgeneralization.)

Unfortunately, another of our societal norms is the "misery loving company" mantra... I remember one of the first questions I got from friends, family, total strangers... was "Are you nursing? Pause... (in a borderline look of worry/condescension) How's it going?" First. Like it's any of their business. Second. Do you want me to share my battle stories to make yourself feel better, or do you really care?

No matter the decision a mom makes, she feels some sort of guilt and judgment. Some combination of selfishness and selflessness. And it doesn't matter how long or short or not at all that they nursed. Someone will ask "how it's going" and respond with some look of chagrin.

Like I said before, I am an advocate of breastfeeding. It worked for me and Addison, and my dietary sacrifices were worth it to me for the goal that I set for myself. (I will NEVER forget how good my first piece of EXTRA CHEESE pizza was for me or how much I savored every gulp of cow's milk with my chocolate chip cookies the night that my breasts were officially emancipated.) I will try to nurse this second child for a time, taking it feeding by feeding, day by day, and I hope and pray that I make the best decision for my child and my whole family and that caring about my family's well-being will be what defines me as a good mom.

Mostly, I just hope that I will not succumb to the expectations of others and that I will be GENTLE with myself...

Still with me?

OK, the second article was a bit more sentimental and reflective. It was titled: "Letting Go of Your Kids, Little By Little." The author describes the stages of a child's transition from dependence to independence and the little benchmarks along the way.

This article made me cry. It also made me understand why people keep having children. I've mentioned in a previous post that the idea of "growing up" has always been an emotional one for me. As an imaginative child, I prayed that the time would pass slow and that I would not have to grow up. Maybe it was some sort of Peter Pan syndrome--I don't know. As a mother, I have those same thoughts. With each milestone that Addison reaches, I am filled with awe and pride and love and wonder... mixed with a little sadness and sentimentality. I desire for her to be an independent soul (which she totally is) with hopes and dreams. I want to help her learn to love and serve, to work hard, to reach her goals. Yet, I feel myself wanting to hold onto these sweet days where her "Mommy, what' that?" and "Look, Mommy!" and "I'm Mommy's little girl." and "Hold you, Mommy!" phrases keep her my little girl for as long as possible.

This article put parenting into perspective for me. It made me so thankful for this opportunity and responsibility, and it made me want to cherish moments. Each moment. Especially the hard ones.

If you read these articles (or even if you don't), I'd love to hear your thoughts on these topics.

Happy Thursday!

***This one's just for the ladies. Sorry, Dad and Steven.***

My mom takes Redbook Magazine, and she recently brought me two articles to read about parenting. I'll link them on here for you to read if your interests are piqued. I'll also share my thoughts on them.

The first was about breastfeeding and was titled, "No, You Don't Have to Breastfeed." This controversial article (just read some of the reader's comments after...) relays one woman's journey that lead her to unapologetically bottle feed her child. She weighs the pros and cons while honestly expounding on her unpopular, albeit personal, decision.

While I am a breastfeeding advocate, I also believe that what defines a good mother does not come from her nipples of milk and honey. We are culturally defined by so many "social norms" that henpeck us into feeling like we have to do things a certain way. In our day and age, breastfeeding is that norm, and, unfortunately, it just doesn't work for everyone... What about the mom who's baby is losing weight? The baby with food allergies to everything? The mom of the lazy eater? The mom who is so stressed out with older kids that she's just not making any milk?

Almost every mom I know who chose to nurse her child went through some obstacle and made decisions along the way about when to stop, when to supplement, etc. For me, it was Addison's milk allergy and the drastic changes I was forced to make to my own diet. Was it worth it to continue??? Almost every woman has a story of mastitis, cracked nipples, diminishing supply, you name it... and the mom's who don't brag about their three years of spiritual bonding while nursing their child(ren), staring into their eyes, muckety muck. (Sorry for the overgeneralization.)

Unfortunately, another of our societal norms is the "misery loving company" mantra... I remember one of the first questions I got from friends, family, total strangers... was "Are you nursing? Pause... (in a borderline look of worry/condescension) How's it going?" First. Like it's any of their business. Second. Do you want me to share my battle stories to make yourself feel better, or do you really care?

No matter the decision a mom makes, she feels some sort of guilt and judgment. Some combination of selfishness and selflessness. And it doesn't matter how long or short or not at all that they nursed. Someone will ask "how it's going" and respond with some look of chagrin.

Like I said before, I am an advocate of breastfeeding. It worked for me and Addison, and my dietary sacrifices were worth it to me for the goal that I set for myself. (I will NEVER forget how good my first piece of EXTRA CHEESE pizza was for me or how much I savored every gulp of cow's milk with my chocolate chip cookies the night that my breasts were officially emancipated.) I will try to nurse this second child for a time, taking it feeding by feeding, day by day, and I hope and pray that I make the best decision for my child and my whole family and that caring about my family's well-being will be what defines me as a good mom.

Mostly, I just hope that I will not succumb to the expectations of others and that I will be GENTLE with myself...

Still with me?

OK, the second article was a bit more sentimental and reflective. It was titled: "Letting Go of Your Kids, Little By Little." The author describes the stages of a child's transition from dependence to independence and the little benchmarks along the way.

This article made me cry. It also made me understand why people keep having children. I've mentioned in a previous post that the idea of "growing up" has always been an emotional one for me. As an imaginative child, I prayed that the time would pass slow and that I would not have to grow up. Maybe it was some sort of Peter Pan syndrome--I don't know. As a mother, I have those same thoughts. With each milestone that Addison reaches, I am filled with awe and pride and love and wonder... mixed with a little sadness and sentimentality. I desire for her to be an independent soul (which she totally is) with hopes and dreams. I want to help her learn to love and serve, to work hard, to reach her goals. Yet, I feel myself wanting to hold onto these sweet days where her "Mommy, what' that?" and "Look, Mommy!" and "I'm Mommy's little girl." and "Hold you, Mommy!" phrases keep her my little girl for as long as possible.

This article put parenting into perspective for me. It made me so thankful for this opportunity and responsibility, and it made me want to cherish moments. Each moment. Especially the hard ones.

If you read these articles (or even if you don't), I'd love to hear your thoughts on these topics.

Happy Thursday!

Children's Book Recommendations, anyone?

I have a little pigtailed person who LOVES to read...

Mommy, however, is getting bored with our personal library...

So, on Day 1 of summer, we headed to the library for story time. We also checked out these:This is one I haven't bought yet because I think it will be sent to us via Cousin Dolly. But she LOVES it, and interprets it in her own words. "Llama Llama scared... Llama Llama cryin... He better... Ni-night..."She loves the pictures in this one, and she really loves the octopus, but the words are too dense, so I just make up my own story, and she commentates: "Fish sharing... He give his sparkle... It shiny... It blue one... It pink one..."

And the other was a pajama party book that goes month by month.

We own some of the classics, and as a book lover, I have a budget item for Addy-books, but I don't want to just blow it. Let me know what age-appropriate books you'd recommend!

I have a little pigtailed person who LOVES to read...

Mommy, however, is getting bored with our personal library...

So, on Day 1 of summer, we headed to the library for story time. We also checked out these:This is one I haven't bought yet because I think it will be sent to us via Cousin Dolly. But she LOVES it, and interprets it in her own words. "Llama Llama scared... Llama Llama cryin... He better... Ni-night..."She loves the pictures in this one, and she really loves the octopus, but the words are too dense, so I just make up my own story, and she commentates: "Fish sharing... He give his sparkle... It shiny... It blue one... It pink one..."

And the other was a pajama party book that goes month by month.

We own some of the classics, and as a book lover, I have a budget item for Addy-books, but I don't want to just blow it. Let me know what age-appropriate books you'd recommend!

Relearning old things...

I've spent much of my free time during these snow days rereading Books 1 and 2 of Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion Series. I first read these when I was working in Tuscaloosa with the campus ministry, and the words provided so much hope, humility, and purpose during those dark days. The story of a young faithful Christian woman who survived the fall of Jerusalem, Roman slavery, and persecution with such grace inspired me and touched me deeply.

For years, I recommended them to anybody who would listen, but somewhere along the way, I lost the message--the literary appreciation overshadowing the truth. Rereading them has totally brought me full circle and humbled my spirit in a way that I know I have needed. Although God brought me out of those dark days, I have continually struggled with so many of the aftermaths--forgiveness, trust, the sanctity of the church, the validity of the church.

Rereading this story, in a different place, in a different time, in a different set of circumstances, has opened old hurts, doubts, and fears that remind me of a time I would rather forget.

However, I should hope to never forget that time as it is a part of my story, and rereading these words reminded me about passion, determination, and fearlessness of the supernatural kind... the kind you experience and know has not evolved from your own strength, the kind that I did once experience...and I thank God for that gentle reminder.

As I became more captivated with each section, I realized that I already knew the end of the story... yet knowing that end did not keep me from sleepless nights of devouring every word, turning each page with fresh anticipation, reading each dog-eared, tear-stained page with hope and promise. The end left me no less satisfied, but even more affirmed.

It reminds me of another amazing book with its own wear and tear, full of my tears and joy, hope and promise. I'm thankful to also know the end of that story, even more thankful the author wrote me into it.

In this different time, different place, different set of circumstances, I look forward to immersing myself back into that truth with inspired anticipation as I turn each page.

I also am excited about sharing that story with this sweet person:

I've spent much of my free time during these snow days rereading Books 1 and 2 of Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion Series. I first read these when I was working in Tuscaloosa with the campus ministry, and the words provided so much hope, humility, and purpose during those dark days. The story of a young faithful Christian woman who survived the fall of Jerusalem, Roman slavery, and persecution with such grace inspired me and touched me deeply.

For years, I recommended them to anybody who would listen, but somewhere along the way, I lost the message--the literary appreciation overshadowing the truth. Rereading them has totally brought me full circle and humbled my spirit in a way that I know I have needed. Although God brought me out of those dark days, I have continually struggled with so many of the aftermaths--forgiveness, trust, the sanctity of the church, the validity of the church.

Rereading this story, in a different place, in a different time, in a different set of circumstances, has opened old hurts, doubts, and fears that remind me of a time I would rather forget.

However, I should hope to never forget that time as it is a part of my story, and rereading these words reminded me about passion, determination, and fearlessness of the supernatural kind... the kind you experience and know has not evolved from your own strength, the kind that I did once experience...and I thank God for that gentle reminder.

As I became more captivated with each section, I realized that I already knew the end of the story... yet knowing that end did not keep me from sleepless nights of devouring every word, turning each page with fresh anticipation, reading each dog-eared, tear-stained page with hope and promise. The end left me no less satisfied, but even more affirmed.

It reminds me of another amazing book with its own wear and tear, full of my tears and joy, hope and promise. I'm thankful to also know the end of that story, even more thankful the author wrote me into it.

In this different time, different place, different set of circumstances, I look forward to immersing myself back into that truth with inspired anticipation as I turn each page.

I also am excited about sharing that story with this sweet person:

Life is beautiful. Life is short.

My life has seemed paradoxical these last couple of weeks. Celebrating the birthdays of children alongside the last days of dear loved ones. My sweet Uncle Tom passed this morning after a long, valorous fight with cancer. His pain is now gone, his body at rest, his soul at peace.

I will remember many things about him--his joking sense of humor, his devotion to his family, his passion for sports. He always engaged me with questions about me--he cared to ask. He embraced Patrick into our family wholeheartedly, paying both of us compliments we will always treasure. "You did good, Kristy. He's solid."

It's always difficult to contemplate the brevity of life. The limited opportunities. The wasting away. Sometimes I find myself aligned with Macbeth's eloquently spoken philosophy:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

But then, I am thankful that my life DOES signify something. As a child of the Father, I am not living for the glories and manifestations that this earthly world can provide, for the mere "hour" of my one-act play. I am thankful for a Savior that has provided eternal life, eternal peace, eternal satisfaction in him. I am thankful to serve a patient, gracious God, and I praise/pray these words of truth to my Father:

8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~2 Peter 3: 8-9.

I know that he was patient with my Uncle Tom, and I pray for his continued patience with me.

I like to imagine the afterlife as something like this:

"I think of Heaven as a garden where I shall find again those who have made my world." ~Minnie Aumonier

My life has seemed paradoxical these last couple of weeks. Celebrating the birthdays of children alongside the last days of dear loved ones. My sweet Uncle Tom passed this morning after a long, valorous fight with cancer. His pain is now gone, his body at rest, his soul at peace.

I will remember many things about him--his joking sense of humor, his devotion to his family, his passion for sports. He always engaged me with questions about me--he cared to ask. He embraced Patrick into our family wholeheartedly, paying both of us compliments we will always treasure. "You did good, Kristy. He's solid."

It's always difficult to contemplate the brevity of life. The limited opportunities. The wasting away. Sometimes I find myself aligned with Macbeth's eloquently spoken philosophy:

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

But then, I am thankful that my life DOES signify something. As a child of the Father, I am not living for the glories and manifestations that this earthly world can provide, for the mere "hour" of my one-act play. I am thankful for a Savior that has provided eternal life, eternal peace, eternal satisfaction in him. I am thankful to serve a patient, gracious God, and I praise/pray these words of truth to my Father:

8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~2 Peter 3: 8-9.

I know that he was patient with my Uncle Tom, and I pray for his continued patience with me.

I like to imagine the afterlife as something like this:

"I think of Heaven as a garden where I shall find again those who have made my world." ~Minnie Aumonier

The countdown continues...

Until the August 11th release of this:I can hardly stand it, but this month I was delighted when I read this:Included in Pat Conroy's Charleston is a map of places that his characters visit in the book, a list of his personal favorite Charlestonian places, and an excerpt from his book. Talk about whetting your appetite... I could taste what his character ate for breakfast. I could feel the climate he described. I could sense the elitism of his Old-Charleston-South-of-Broadians through their names, their physical descriptions, their speech. It was good stuff. It's been 14 years since he released any work of fiction. It has been worth the wait.

While I've been biding my time, I've been reading this other piece of newly released southern Carolinian lit:I found Dorothy Benton Frank after I had exhausted all of my Conroy options, and I have found her writing to be refreshingly witty. Her characters are endearingly flawed, and while sometimes the endings are neatly tied up packages that seem to challenge reality, the dialogue, the inner monologues, the awkward situations provide for laugh-out-loud moments and keep the reader hooked.

If you are looking for an end-of-summer read, and if you love the Carolina coast, check one of these two out for sure.

Until the August 11th release of this:I can hardly stand it, but this month I was delighted when I read this:Included in Pat Conroy's Charleston is a map of places that his characters visit in the book, a list of his personal favorite Charlestonian places, and an excerpt from his book. Talk about whetting your appetite... I could taste what his character ate for breakfast. I could feel the climate he described. I could sense the elitism of his Old-Charleston-South-of-Broadians through their names, their physical descriptions, their speech. It was good stuff. It's been 14 years since he released any work of fiction. It has been worth the wait.

While I've been biding my time, I've been reading this other piece of newly released southern Carolinian lit:I found Dorothy Benton Frank after I had exhausted all of my Conroy options, and I have found her writing to be refreshingly witty. Her characters are endearingly flawed, and while sometimes the endings are neatly tied up packages that seem to challenge reality, the dialogue, the inner monologues, the awkward situations provide for laugh-out-loud moments and keep the reader hooked.

If you are looking for an end-of-summer read, and if you love the Carolina coast, check one of these two out for sure.

Book Thoughts and Mental Toughness

A couple of weeks ago I finally finished Same Kind of Different As Me, and just yesterday I read The Traveler's Gift. Both were touching stories, spiritually encouraging, and motivational tools. If I had to recommend the one that hit me the hardest, I would definitely recommend The Traveler's Gift.

Patrick and I try to live our lives with the "Glass Half Full" mentality, but there are definite times where it is more difficult to intentionally choose that avenue. I know that I have alluded to the fact that life has taken us down roads that haven't even been on our radar during the past 7 months, and we have dealt with each curve as we have rounded it. Now, things are leveling out somewhat, and we are having to adjust to our new reality. We are grateful about so many aspects of it, but we still miss each other during the first few days of the week terribly--so much so that we are consistently having to pray that the Lord grant us, strengthen us, with some extra doses of mental toughness.

My mom was reading this book last week and told me about it, and on my way home, I felt like it might be something that could offer Patrick and me some extra encouragement, so I stopped at the local Books-A-Million and picked it up. I breezed through it yesterday because I wanted P to be able to take it with him this week, and I probably stopped several times and said, "Patrick, this is SO GOOD."

I am usually very skeptical about "self-help" books, but this one carries the reader and the narrator through history and uses various figures from Anne Frank to Christopher Columbus to Harry Truman to present its points. The premise is that we have to take responsibility of our choices, our success, and our happiness. We are not slaves or victims of our past choices but pioneers of our future. It was not a "health and wealth" type of presentation; rather it focused on God's gift of free will to us. One of my favorite points was when the narrator realized that life isn't always about making the right decisions but rather making each decision right.

You know how sometimes a book has to hit you at the right time to make an impression? Well, the timing of this one and our current situations couldn't have been more perfect. We had some special prayer time together and prepared ourselves to be mentally tough this week.

Then, this morning, Patrick called to tell me that his sweet Dad is in ICU in Louisville. He is going to have a pacemaker procedure in the morning. We sure would appreciate your prayers for him--and for us.

I also have a few new posts with recipes, updates, and thoughts below for your reading pleasure.

A couple of weeks ago I finally finished Same Kind of Different As Me, and just yesterday I read The Traveler's Gift. Both were touching stories, spiritually encouraging, and motivational tools. If I had to recommend the one that hit me the hardest, I would definitely recommend The Traveler's Gift.

Patrick and I try to live our lives with the "Glass Half Full" mentality, but there are definite times where it is more difficult to intentionally choose that avenue. I know that I have alluded to the fact that life has taken us down roads that haven't even been on our radar during the past 7 months, and we have dealt with each curve as we have rounded it. Now, things are leveling out somewhat, and we are having to adjust to our new reality. We are grateful about so many aspects of it, but we still miss each other during the first few days of the week terribly--so much so that we are consistently having to pray that the Lord grant us, strengthen us, with some extra doses of mental toughness.

My mom was reading this book last week and told me about it, and on my way home, I felt like it might be something that could offer Patrick and me some extra encouragement, so I stopped at the local Books-A-Million and picked it up. I breezed through it yesterday because I wanted P to be able to take it with him this week, and I probably stopped several times and said, "Patrick, this is SO GOOD."

I am usually very skeptical about "self-help" books, but this one carries the reader and the narrator through history and uses various figures from Anne Frank to Christopher Columbus to Harry Truman to present its points. The premise is that we have to take responsibility of our choices, our success, and our happiness. We are not slaves or victims of our past choices but pioneers of our future. It was not a "health and wealth" type of presentation; rather it focused on God's gift of free will to us. One of my favorite points was when the narrator realized that life isn't always about making the right decisions but rather making each decision right.

You know how sometimes a book has to hit you at the right time to make an impression? Well, the timing of this one and our current situations couldn't have been more perfect. We had some special prayer time together and prepared ourselves to be mentally tough this week.

Then, this morning, Patrick called to tell me that his sweet Dad is in ICU in Louisville. He is going to have a pacemaker procedure in the morning. We sure would appreciate your prayers for him--and for us.

I also have a few new posts with recipes, updates, and thoughts below for your reading pleasure.

Celebrations and Reading Funks

Sunday was a big day for this busy little person:First, she got to celebrate all of the important men in her life--her daddy, her Bear, her Pop, and her 2 great grandfathers. She's a blessed little girl. {I'm a blessed "big girl" too... I still think my dad has hung the moon... My baby daddy is quite a hunk too... :)} She got her daddy a book about fathers and daughters and a new navy sports coat. She also proudly told the world with her bootie that she's a "daddy's girl."












Then she got to participate in the baby dedication at church. She received her Bible and blessing from Brentwood Hills, the same church her mommy received a Bible and blessing from all those years ago. It was a special celebration for her and a great close to a fun weekend for our family! (Notice that she's already "feasting on God's word" as well as "patting the Bible" while even trying to read it!)












Below is a picture of the books that have been sitting on my bedside table. I'm reading all of them... or should I say plugging through all of them. Each is good; each holding my attention, and each is relevant to some aspect of my life--as a wife, a parent, a teacher, a writer, a human rights advocate... None of them have captured me, though; I cannot immerse myself into any of them; I'm not losing sleep because I can't put them down. And that's the essence, the beauty, of summer reading to me. I am craving something to dig into.

Maybe I haven't found it yet because I'm waiting on this:

Ah, my living literary obsession... I salivate to devour his every word... My 1st Edition copy of The Lords of Discipline is one of my most prized possessions... August 17th seriously can't come soon enough...

Until that time, I'm going to try this piece of chick lit I picked up at the library last night: (Thanks for the suggestion, Jesse.)
If any of you have any good suggestions, I'm wide open!

Sunday was a big day for this busy little person:First, she got to celebrate all of the important men in her life--her daddy, her Bear, her Pop, and her 2 great grandfathers. She's a blessed little girl. {I'm a blessed "big girl" too... I still think my dad has hung the moon... My baby daddy is quite a hunk too... :)} She got her daddy a book about fathers and daughters and a new navy sports coat. She also proudly told the world with her bootie that she's a "daddy's girl."












Then she got to participate in the baby dedication at church. She received her Bible and blessing from Brentwood Hills, the same church her mommy received a Bible and blessing from all those years ago. It was a special celebration for her and a great close to a fun weekend for our family! (Notice that she's already "feasting on God's word" as well as "patting the Bible" while even trying to read it!)












Below is a picture of the books that have been sitting on my bedside table. I'm reading all of them... or should I say plugging through all of them. Each is good; each holding my attention, and each is relevant to some aspect of my life--as a wife, a parent, a teacher, a writer, a human rights advocate... None of them have captured me, though; I cannot immerse myself into any of them; I'm not losing sleep because I can't put them down. And that's the essence, the beauty, of summer reading to me. I am craving something to dig into.

Maybe I haven't found it yet because I'm waiting on this:

Ah, my living literary obsession... I salivate to devour his every word... My 1st Edition copy of The Lords of Discipline is one of my most prized possessions... August 17th seriously can't come soon enough...

Until that time, I'm going to try this piece of chick lit I picked up at the library last night: (Thanks for the suggestion, Jesse.)
If any of you have any good suggestions, I'm wide open!

I heart Anna Quindlen

I tend to go through periods of literary obsessions... Lately I have been transferring my Hemingway affections over to another of my favorites, Anna Quindlen. I have a journal with inspiring quotes, and it is filled with pages and pages of hers. Here's one:

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."

Any of you who have been to my home know that my walls need instead to be built-ins... I believe that a home should feel warm and cozy to its inhabitants, and, therefore, should be filled with the things most cherished. For me, it is books. Patrick has actually put me on a "book-buying freeze" in reaction to the "technology freeze" I initiated. But, I digress.

I tend to go through periods of literary obsessions... Lately I have been transferring my Hemingway affections over to another of my favorites, Anna Quindlen. I have a journal with inspiring quotes, and it is filled with pages and pages of hers. Here's one:

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."

Any of you who have been to my home know that my walls need instead to be built-ins... I believe that a home should feel warm and cozy to its inhabitants, and, therefore, should be filled with the things most cherished. For me, it is books. Patrick has actually put me on a "book-buying freeze" in reaction to the "technology freeze" I initiated. But, I digress.

Savannah from Savannah: Read this book!

I came upon this great read through my sister, so I credit her with my newfound love for this writer. She found it while browsing at our favorite bookstore, Sundog Books, in Seaside, Florida. It caught her attention because of her daughter's and my niece-y's namesake, and the rest is history.

I had been looking for something a little "happier" to read after my recent literary experience with oppressed women in Afghanistan and teenage angst...

I found it at my library {I have put myself on a "buying-new-books-freeze" for the summer} and pretty much devoured it. It is upbeat, realistic, moral, and just an all around laugh-out-loud book. One of my fascinations with it is the main character's {Savannah from Savannah, DUH} pursuit of a writing career. Her self discovery and evolving of relationships take her on an adventure of relearning the character qualities of compassion and the ability to see beyond herself. It is not in the Christian fiction genre, but it is rooted in faith and eternal purpose while still being hilarious and realistic. Is is set in the beautiful south {and I am a lover of southern literature}, and it just makes you feel good.

Another author that I'd compare Denise Hildreth to is Kristen Billerbeck, writer of the "What a Girl Wants" series. Savannah from Savannah is exactly the sort of book I'd aspire to write. If you need a light-hearted, inspirational, feel-good book, check this one out for sure!

*It's part of a 3 book series. I'll be back at the library today trying to locate the subsequent two!

***EDIT*** The other 2 are great as well--I especially loved the one set in Seaside, and did anyone notice that DENISE HILDRETH commented on my blog????!!!! AND she lives in Franklin. I'm thinking I need to foster this connection and maybe she'll even let me take her to lunch and pick her brain...

I came upon this great read through my sister, so I credit her with my newfound love for this writer. She found it while browsing at our favorite bookstore, Sundog Books, in Seaside, Florida. It caught her attention because of her daughter's and my niece-y's namesake, and the rest is history.

I had been looking for something a little "happier" to read after my recent literary experience with oppressed women in Afghanistan and teenage angst...

I found it at my library {I have put myself on a "buying-new-books-freeze" for the summer} and pretty much devoured it. It is upbeat, realistic, moral, and just an all around laugh-out-loud book. One of my fascinations with it is the main character's {Savannah from Savannah, DUH} pursuit of a writing career. Her self discovery and evolving of relationships take her on an adventure of relearning the character qualities of compassion and the ability to see beyond herself. It is not in the Christian fiction genre, but it is rooted in faith and eternal purpose while still being hilarious and realistic. Is is set in the beautiful south {and I am a lover of southern literature}, and it just makes you feel good.

Another author that I'd compare Denise Hildreth to is Kristen Billerbeck, writer of the "What a Girl Wants" series. Savannah from Savannah is exactly the sort of book I'd aspire to write. If you need a light-hearted, inspirational, feel-good book, check this one out for sure!

*It's part of a 3 book series. I'll be back at the library today trying to locate the subsequent two!

***EDIT*** The other 2 are great as well--I especially loved the one set in Seaside, and did anyone notice that DENISE HILDRETH commented on my blog????!!!! AND she lives in Franklin. I'm thinking I need to foster this connection and maybe she'll even let me take her to lunch and pick her brain...

Beach Reads

As our vacation comes to a close, so do my days of lazily reading on the beach. In essence, this vacation also serves as our "babymoon," and I know I will not come to the beach as footloose and fancy free in the future. That said, I decided to soak in all the "good reads" that I could. In addition to catching up on my Real Simples, Dominos, and Baby magazines, I read these 3 great books!
*
Someday is the newest in a Christian fiction series that I began reading years ago. It is centered around a family--the Baxters--and is set mostly in Bloomington, Indiana. While I have tired of the series a bit {this is the 13th book in the series.}, I have not tired of the family. In fact, I feel like the Baxters are my friends, my neighbors, even sometimes my confidantes. While the lines can sometimes be cheesy, these books have real life, real issues that Christians face daily and can identify with, and they are anchored in faith and scripture. Some of the verses that Kingsbury focuses on have become my go-to verses during times when I am praying scripture. This particular book continues the storyline of the previous ones and focuses on issues that threaten Godly marriage. It seriously made me thankful for and want to pray for protection in my own marriage. If you are interested in the series, you should start at the beginning with Redemption. The first 5 she wrote collaboratively with Gary Smalley, and in my opinion, they are the most well-written, have the most depth, and set the tone.

*On my last trip to the beach for New Year's, I read Hosseini's first novel, The Kite Runner. It immediately made it to my top 25 list. I loved the social awareness that it surfaced. I loved the character development, the intensely complicated relationships, and the idea that redemption can even be found through future generations. I loved his first one so much that I incorporated it in my 10th grade Honors World Literature class during our study of Social Injustice. The students who chose to read that book also fell in love with it. I have been saving his second, A Thousand Splendid Suns, for this trip because I wanted to be able to give it my undivided attention. This book also focused on characters and their relationships, but this time the relationships were between women. It took place beginning in the '70's when the Communists were in control of Afghanistan and moved through the rule of the Taliban, the Americans' role and non-role in all of it, and their ultimate journey to redemption as well. What made this book even more interesting to me was that I watched the movie, Charlie Wilson's War, simultaneously. The movie depicts the Americans' covert war that helped Afghanistan defeat the communists. If you are interested in and an advocate for human rights and social justice, or even if you just are interested in broadening your world view, I would definitely recommend both of these books!
*

Jodi Picoult, author of many books including 19 Minutes {which I wrote about at the end of last summer} and My Sister's Keeper, is a master at telling psychologically complex, morally gray, and poignant stories. At the beginning of each of her books, you can think that you feel black and white certain about an issue, and by the end of it, through looking at that same issue through each of her character's perspectives, you can justify and view that issue through a totally different light. In this particular novel, she addresses the issues of rape, protecting your family, discovering self, and reinventing of identities. One of her main character's is a prominent scholar of Dante's The Divine Comedy which tells of a pilgrimage through the 9 levels of Hell. Her husband is a comic book artist who is writing a new comic that deals with a father's search to rescue his family, traipsing through the levels of Hell--hence the title, 10th circle. This book deals with the overarching question, "Should the punishment fit the crime?" Is every action due an appropriate reaction or consequence? Are there exceptions, ways to justify acting outside this sphere? How does it all make sense? It was a page-turner and thought-provoker!

Next on my list are The Last Lecture, Water for Elephants, and The Shack.

As our vacation comes to a close, so do my days of lazily reading on the beach. In essence, this vacation also serves as our "babymoon," and I know I will not come to the beach as footloose and fancy free in the future. That said, I decided to soak in all the "good reads" that I could. In addition to catching up on my Real Simples, Dominos, and Baby magazines, I read these 3 great books!
*
Someday is the newest in a Christian fiction series that I began reading years ago. It is centered around a family--the Baxters--and is set mostly in Bloomington, Indiana. While I have tired of the series a bit {this is the 13th book in the series.}, I have not tired of the family. In fact, I feel like the Baxters are my friends, my neighbors, even sometimes my confidantes. While the lines can sometimes be cheesy, these books have real life, real issues that Christians face daily and can identify with, and they are anchored in faith and scripture. Some of the verses that Kingsbury focuses on have become my go-to verses during times when I am praying scripture. This particular book continues the storyline of the previous ones and focuses on issues that threaten Godly marriage. It seriously made me thankful for and want to pray for protection in my own marriage. If you are interested in the series, you should start at the beginning with Redemption. The first 5 she wrote collaboratively with Gary Smalley, and in my opinion, they are the most well-written, have the most depth, and set the tone.

*On my last trip to the beach for New Year's, I read Hosseini's first novel, The Kite Runner. It immediately made it to my top 25 list. I loved the social awareness that it surfaced. I loved the character development, the intensely complicated relationships, and the idea that redemption can even be found through future generations. I loved his first one so much that I incorporated it in my 10th grade Honors World Literature class during our study of Social Injustice. The students who chose to read that book also fell in love with it. I have been saving his second, A Thousand Splendid Suns, for this trip because I wanted to be able to give it my undivided attention. This book also focused on characters and their relationships, but this time the relationships were between women. It took place beginning in the '70's when the Communists were in control of Afghanistan and moved through the rule of the Taliban, the Americans' role and non-role in all of it, and their ultimate journey to redemption as well. What made this book even more interesting to me was that I watched the movie, Charlie Wilson's War, simultaneously. The movie depicts the Americans' covert war that helped Afghanistan defeat the communists. If you are interested in and an advocate for human rights and social justice, or even if you just are interested in broadening your world view, I would definitely recommend both of these books!
*

Jodi Picoult, author of many books including 19 Minutes {which I wrote about at the end of last summer} and My Sister's Keeper, is a master at telling psychologically complex, morally gray, and poignant stories. At the beginning of each of her books, you can think that you feel black and white certain about an issue, and by the end of it, through looking at that same issue through each of her character's perspectives, you can justify and view that issue through a totally different light. In this particular novel, she addresses the issues of rape, protecting your family, discovering self, and reinventing of identities. One of her main character's is a prominent scholar of Dante's The Divine Comedy which tells of a pilgrimage through the 9 levels of Hell. Her husband is a comic book artist who is writing a new comic that deals with a father's search to rescue his family, traipsing through the levels of Hell--hence the title, 10th circle. This book deals with the overarching question, "Should the punishment fit the crime?" Is every action due an appropriate reaction or consequence? Are there exceptions, ways to justify acting outside this sphere? How does it all make sense? It was a page-turner and thought-provoker!

Next on my list are The Last Lecture, Water for Elephants, and The Shack.

The week I've been waiting for all summer...

Is finally here!!!

I can't believe that it is the end of an era... I saw The Order of the Phoenix last week (my favorite of the 6 in print), and it just set the stage and intensified my anticipation. I am dressing as Hermione Granger on Friday night and heading for the Borders Bookstore Potter party. There will be festivities all night, and at midnight they will present us with our 40% off pre-ordered copy. I plan to come home and read ALL night long. And all day the next... and the next... I've cleared my schedule, and this, to me, is what summer is all about--and this summer, it presents itself as an exceptionally HIGH highlight among the otherwise monotonous packing and unpacking of boxes... :)

Anyway, I have such mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am ready for all of my questions to be answered: Is Snape bad? Is Dumbledore really dead? Will Harry die? What about all the prophecies...? On the other, at the end of the book, it will be OVER. I don't know if I am quite ready for this. But, hopefully by Sunday (at the latest! :)) I will have my answers and some closure.

This pleasure read, followed by my class reunion the next Saturday, serve as my finale for Summer. Then, I am forcing myself to get back into school mode. I recently found out that this year I'll be teaching 10th grade honors and general classes. It will comprise of world literature, composition, and speech. It will be quite a change from my 11th and 12th American and British lit classes, but it is a welcome change as I will also get to teach some of these modern world lit pieces: The Kite Runner and Night. Although both have been on my list, I've yet to read either. So, I'll be busy!

Is finally here!!!

I can't believe that it is the end of an era... I saw The Order of the Phoenix last week (my favorite of the 6 in print), and it just set the stage and intensified my anticipation. I am dressing as Hermione Granger on Friday night and heading for the Borders Bookstore Potter party. There will be festivities all night, and at midnight they will present us with our 40% off pre-ordered copy. I plan to come home and read ALL night long. And all day the next... and the next... I've cleared my schedule, and this, to me, is what summer is all about--and this summer, it presents itself as an exceptionally HIGH highlight among the otherwise monotonous packing and unpacking of boxes... :)

Anyway, I have such mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am ready for all of my questions to be answered: Is Snape bad? Is Dumbledore really dead? Will Harry die? What about all the prophecies...? On the other, at the end of the book, it will be OVER. I don't know if I am quite ready for this. But, hopefully by Sunday (at the latest! :)) I will have my answers and some closure.

This pleasure read, followed by my class reunion the next Saturday, serve as my finale for Summer. Then, I am forcing myself to get back into school mode. I recently found out that this year I'll be teaching 10th grade honors and general classes. It will comprise of world literature, composition, and speech. It will be quite a change from my 11th and 12th American and British lit classes, but it is a welcome change as I will also get to teach some of these modern world lit pieces: The Kite Runner and Night. Although both have been on my list, I've yet to read either. So, I'll be busy!

19 minutes

I stayed up late last night to finish this one. I think it is my favorite of the summer so far.

This is one of those books that makes you want to change the way you live. In the midst of a tragic, violent act, each reader makes various judgments about the players involved--while at the same time being unable to truly place blame on any one individual.

Each character was sympathetic and it was easy to identify with some aspect of most of them. As a school teacher, it made me want to be intentional about showing compassion to those students who are on the outskirts, who are mistreated and do not fit in. It made me angry. It reinforced how every situation or incident can play an integral part in the psyche of any person.

I stayed up late last night to finish this one. I think it is my favorite of the summer so far.

This is one of those books that makes you want to change the way you live. In the midst of a tragic, violent act, each reader makes various judgments about the players involved--while at the same time being unable to truly place blame on any one individual.

Each character was sympathetic and it was easy to identify with some aspect of most of them. As a school teacher, it made me want to be intentional about showing compassion to those students who are on the outskirts, who are mistreated and do not fit in. It made me angry. It reinforced how every situation or incident can play an integral part in the psyche of any person.

Humor me, Harper Lee!

I was HERE!

Last night will be a night that I will always remember. It will definitely by a spotlight from the "Montgomery years" that I will look back on with delight. I got to experience what every book-loving English teacher could dream of--being in the presence of her hero.

For more information about the event, click here and read a touching story of two schools merging, and Harper Lee making a rare public appearance.

In my elementary, middle, and high school years, two books really touched me, opened my eyes, and made me passionate about the world of literature and reading: Anne of Green Gables (and Avonlea to follow) and To Kill a Mockingbird. When I was in college and was choosing between two sororities, a fact that pushed me over to one side (with several others) was that Harper Lee had indeed pledged Chi Omega. Trivial, I know, but true.

Yesterday, at about 10 a.m., I found out that Harper Lee had planned to make somewhat of a last-minute appearance--which is an extreme rarity as she avoids the public limelight and lives a reclusive lifestyle--at a joint high schools' performance of her famous work. Lee's teachers and students were invited to this invitation only event compliments of the State Department of Education. I almost fell out of my chair, and I completely rearranged my day and night. My good friend, Britani, who shares a love of TKAM, was able to share this special event, and we were moved. The performance was excellent, and just seeing her was worth it. We did almost go borderline psycho with plans to follow her limo, or walk the streets of Monroeville and just happen to show up at her church with our copies of TKAM for her to sign. How convenient, right? But, alas, we refrained... (I also refrained from wearing my Chi-O jersey! :))

Coming soon are some pictures that we took from the event...

I was HERE!

Last night will be a night that I will always remember. It will definitely by a spotlight from the "Montgomery years" that I will look back on with delight. I got to experience what every book-loving English teacher could dream of--being in the presence of her hero.

For more information about the event, click here and read a touching story of two schools merging, and Harper Lee making a rare public appearance.

In my elementary, middle, and high school years, two books really touched me, opened my eyes, and made me passionate about the world of literature and reading: Anne of Green Gables (and Avonlea to follow) and To Kill a Mockingbird. When I was in college and was choosing between two sororities, a fact that pushed me over to one side (with several others) was that Harper Lee had indeed pledged Chi Omega. Trivial, I know, but true.

Yesterday, at about 10 a.m., I found out that Harper Lee had planned to make somewhat of a last-minute appearance--which is an extreme rarity as she avoids the public limelight and lives a reclusive lifestyle--at a joint high schools' performance of her famous work. Lee's teachers and students were invited to this invitation only event compliments of the State Department of Education. I almost fell out of my chair, and I completely rearranged my day and night. My good friend, Britani, who shares a love of TKAM, was able to share this special event, and we were moved. The performance was excellent, and just seeing her was worth it. We did almost go borderline psycho with plans to follow her limo, or walk the streets of Monroeville and just happen to show up at her church with our copies of TKAM for her to sign. How convenient, right? But, alas, we refrained... (I also refrained from wearing my Chi-O jersey! :))

Coming soon are some pictures that we took from the event...

shout out to Hemingway

I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching Ernest Hemingway to my 11th graders during the last few days--so much so that I think I am going to make him my new literary obsession. We read and studied his short story, "In Another Country," and watched the A&E biography of him (thanks, Jen). Previously, I only read this particular short story and The Old Man and the Sea. Now, I am on a mission to find A Moveable Feast because I am particularly interested in his love for Hadley and their time in Paris. I looked at Trade Books today, and I had no luck. Amazon, I'm on my way... Anyway, to honor the late Mr. Hemingway, I have chosen some of my favorite of his quotes to pay my respects... Humor me.

"All my life I've looked at words as though I was seeing them for the first time."

"Courage is grace under pressure."

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

"We are all apprentices in a craft where noone ever becomes a master."
My kids actually enjoyed and appreciated our study of Hemingway. I think they liked the life of adventure that he lived--especially his 4 wives... What a womanizer! But what a writer!

I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching Ernest Hemingway to my 11th graders during the last few days--so much so that I think I am going to make him my new literary obsession. We read and studied his short story, "In Another Country," and watched the A&E biography of him (thanks, Jen). Previously, I only read this particular short story and The Old Man and the Sea. Now, I am on a mission to find A Moveable Feast because I am particularly interested in his love for Hadley and their time in Paris. I looked at Trade Books today, and I had no luck. Amazon, I'm on my way... Anyway, to honor the late Mr. Hemingway, I have chosen some of my favorite of his quotes to pay my respects... Humor me.

"All my life I've looked at words as though I was seeing them for the first time."

"Courage is grace under pressure."

"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."

"We are all apprentices in a craft where noone ever becomes a master."
My kids actually enjoyed and appreciated our study of Hemingway. I think they liked the life of adventure that he lived--especially his 4 wives... What a womanizer! But what a writer!

My "Book Nook"

In my classroom I have an area with a bookshelf/magazine rack (the kind that you'd find in the back of Books-A-Million) filled with all sorts of books, magazines, comic books for my students to read (an idea that I got from my friend across the hall, Jen). I have a rug with a bean bag and floor pillow, a table with two chairs tucked away in a comfortable area of my room--all as an effort to create a mood that subtly encourages my students to WANT to read. (Some days this effort is met with more success than others.) Throughout my teaching career, I have frequented thrift stores, yard sales, and second-hand bookstores to find suitable books of interest for my diverse students. I have become addicted to "Young adult Literature," and I want to provide my students with the opportunity to read ANYTHING. Recently, I've noticed that my book supply is dwindling... We have a check out system similar to the library, but the popular books are being passed around so fast that I'm losing track. I never know whether to be frustrated by my disappearing books or kind of excited that my kids are actually reading them and wanting them.

If you happen to have any extra books lying around, stashed away in trunks or attics, please consider donating them to Lee High School, room 107 (my classroom). Here is a small sampling of my wish list as well as another great place to look for book reviews. Let me know if you are interested! Thanks for the support.

In my classroom I have an area with a bookshelf/magazine rack (the kind that you'd find in the back of Books-A-Million) filled with all sorts of books, magazines, comic books for my students to read (an idea that I got from my friend across the hall, Jen). I have a rug with a bean bag and floor pillow, a table with two chairs tucked away in a comfortable area of my room--all as an effort to create a mood that subtly encourages my students to WANT to read. (Some days this effort is met with more success than others.) Throughout my teaching career, I have frequented thrift stores, yard sales, and second-hand bookstores to find suitable books of interest for my diverse students. I have become addicted to "Young adult Literature," and I want to provide my students with the opportunity to read ANYTHING. Recently, I've noticed that my book supply is dwindling... We have a check out system similar to the library, but the popular books are being passed around so fast that I'm losing track. I never know whether to be frustrated by my disappearing books or kind of excited that my kids are actually reading them and wanting them.

If you happen to have any extra books lying around, stashed away in trunks or attics, please consider donating them to Lee High School, room 107 (my classroom). Here is a small sampling of my wish list as well as another great place to look for book reviews. Let me know if you are interested! Thanks for the support.