Fearless Swimmer

B is fearless when it comes to the water.  That's one reason that we're going to try to do swimming lessons this winter/spring.  I took his floats off one day in the pool and decided to try to let him swim on his own.  I thought that if he started to sink, then he'd be scared and wouldn't jump in without us.  Nope.  He didn't care!  He likes to put his face in the water and swim by breathing how you normally would when you're swimming.  He also likes to jump off anything...boats, diving boards, the side, a raft, truly anything.  I have one picture (if I can ever find it) of him hanging on to a basketball goal at Uncle M's house.  He likes to have Daddy T lift him up so he can hold on to it and then he falls into the pool when he lets go.  I love my fearless boy, but there are many times I wish he was fearful!  I have to work with him on having a healthy fear of certain things.  I love this little boy!

Book Review: Deeply Devoted by Maggie Brendan

Catharine Olsen leaves Holland to become a mail order bride to a man in Wyoming.  When she shows up, Peter Anderson is glad that she's there.  However, Catharine just might have forgotten to tell him one thing.  Oh, it's a small thing.  Only that her two sisters were coming along with her.  The perfect way to start a marriage!  Peter may be a bit frustrated, but he recovers quickly and is glad that she's all she seemed to be in her letters.  He's kind to her, patient, and truly seems to love her.  Just because Peter loves her as his wife doesn't mean that all of his family is thrilled that he's taken this route in finding a wife.  His mother certainly doesn't hide her feelings for Catharine and sets out to do all she can to ruin their marriage.  Catharine is terrified that with enough prying by her mother-in-law, some of Catharine's deepest secrets and a past that she'd rather have concealed. 

With several stories weaved throughout the main story, it makes for a wonderful book that is hard to put down.  It's a book that seems to draw you in from page 1.  I've never read anything by Maggie Brendan but I definitely plan to now.  I can't wait until the second book comes out in this series.  I'm sure it will be even better than this one!

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I received this book from the publisher Revell to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55

Book Review: Walk Strong, Look Up by Chantel Hobbs

So, what gets you through those tough runs or those long walks during your exercise time?  What thoughts circle your head?  For me, I use my run as a time to thank God for my health and His creation.  When I focus on the parts of my body that are working overtime, I try to thank Him for allowing me the opportunity to run when some people are so sick that they can't even get out of bed.  I use that time to simply thank Him for all I see while I run.  If I'm burdened over someone or something, I also use that time to lift that up to Him, as well.  If I'm running near the high school, I also remember to pray for my therapy clients and my children who will one day be at that age, as well as any kids I work with that I know are in school.

This book is combining exercise with God.  Too often, we separate these when in all honesty, exercise provides the perfect time to spend with God in conversation with Him.  Chantel Hobbs lays out a walking plan (for those who need somewhere to start), but also pairs it with things you are to meditate on each week.  It's a month long process with each day spelled out for you.  Packed in the pages are recipes, nutrition information and answers to some of the most asked questions.

Chantel Hobbs is a motivational speaker, a life coach, personal trainer, marathon runner, wife, and mother of four.  She's been featured on many magazines, television shows, and radio programs.  If you're looking for something to help change up your exercise routine, give it a try.  If you're looking at getting into exercise and have no idea where to start, start with this book.

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I received this book from the publisher Revell to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55

Book Review: Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon

I'll be up front on this book.  It's honestly not usually the type of book that I like.  I'm not a suspense person.  I get too nervous and always feel like I need to flip to the end of the book first so I can prepare myself for what lies ahead and not get too attached to the characters that aren't going to make it to the end.  With that said, I actually enjoyed this book.  It wasn't so intense that I thought that I needed to put it down and take a break!  I was shocked to find that I enjoyed it.

The second book in the Guardians of Justice series, I felt that I could easily pick up on the characters without having read the first book.  Alison Taylor, a social worker, spends her life protecting people.  Mitch Morgan is an ex-Navy SEAL who is brought in to help protect Alison when she is at a point where she needs to be protected.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that Mitch, who just might happen to enjoy being around Alison, is a partner to Cole, Alison's police detective brother?  Alison's brothers are protective over her, but Cole is also a matchmaker and sets the two up on a date.  This would lead to the hidden dangers that put her life at risk.

I think anyone would like this book!  If I like it and I'm not fond of suspense books, then I know others would like it. 

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“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

I received this book from the publisher Revell to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55

Book Review: A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

Emma Malloy was married to an abusive man.  She fled the marriage and fled Dublin to head for Boston.  However, the scars remained even though the man didn't.  Emma has not only physical scars, but also emotional scars that follow her wherever she goes.  This leads her to fear men's tempers and to distrust most men.  She dreams of a healthy marriage, which she is pretty sure she will never have again because let's face it...who wants "damaged goods," as she calls it.  For this reason, she still wears her wedding ring so she won't have to face the rejection of men.

Sean's sister, Charity, is one of Emma's best friends.  Sean is a bachelor and has no plans to ever marry.  He prides himself in saying that no woman could ever tie him down.  Through a series of events, Sean finds himself out of a job and this knight in shining armor comes to the rescue of Emma as she is swamped at work and working close to 80 hours a week.  Since Sean thinks of Emma as a sister and wants to protect her, he's willing to do what needs to be done for the sake of her health and sanity.  Emma used to like and respect Sean until she saw his true temper, which dug up some bad memories of her ex-husband.  Can Emma set aside her bad feelings and stop trying to fake that things are okay?  Will she be able to express to Sean how his temper affected her?  How will Sean respond?  Will Sean be able to find another job....or for that fact, a woman?!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  I loved the humor in this book and found myself laughing out loud in certain parts because I could vividly picture the scene in my head.  This was the 2nd book in the series, but it wasn't hard for me to pick up and know what was going on and who was who.  I'm excited to get the first book now and read that to see if I missed anything.  I really enjoy Julie's style of writing and found that I was staying up way past my bedtime to finish a chapter!

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“Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

I received this book from the publisher Revell to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 55

Book Review: Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart

I was excited to read this book after having read Love, Charleston.  I was hoping that I would feel like I was walking along the Battery or something, just like I felt I was walking through Charleston on my own mini-vacation.  I was excited that I truly did feel like I was back in Charleston!

This book is based on the viewpoints of three main characters: Jackson, Mary Lynn, and Catherine.  Mary Lynn and Jackson are married and Catherine is one of their three daughters.  This family tries hard to fit into the social circles that are within Charleston.  They do the things that people who are well-off do.  Despite how hard they try to enjoy this lifestyle and to make friends with all of the people who are in their social groups, Mary Lynn finds that nothing is cutting it.  She feels so lonely and can't explain why.  I mean, doesn't money equal happiness?  Doesn't doing all of the "fancy" things mean contentment?  Wrestling with these issues, she comes face to face with a decision she has to make about God.  She prays hard for her husband to follow suit.  Will God answer her prayers in the way that she thinks He should or can she be content if she never sees him accept Christ in his life?  How will these decisions affect their marriage and their family?

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: The Wonder of Your Love by Beth Wiseman

What a delightful sequel this book was!  Beth Wiseman was one of the first authors I read when I began reading Amish fiction.  A friend had loaned me one of her books and I fell in love with the characters and the Amish world.  She has such a gift with her writing that makes you feel like you've stepped in the world of the Amish.  I find when I'm reading any books about the Amish that I feel as if time is slowing down a bit.  I know it really isn't, but their aspect on life really shines through the Amish authors I've read.  Beth Wiseman is no exception.  I find that it's hard to put down her books and I feel like I'm connected to the characters because she writes about things that we all face.

Katie has lost her husband and is raising her first child.  Katie struggles with many of the same emotions that I imagine I would struggle with if I was ever placed in this situation, such as: How could this happen?  What do I tell my child when he gets older?  How can I do this alone?  Why did God do this at a time when Jonas will never remember his father?  How will he turn out without a father?  Does my Heavenly Father even care about me or has he abandoned me as well?

Eli has 6 children, but has also laid his wife to rest.  He's now in Canaan, enjoying his life with very few things to actually worried about since his children are all grown.

When Katie and Eli meet, they find that they like each other as friends, of course.  There's too much age distance between them to make them compatible for anything else.  How will Eli encourage Katie as she walks through parenthood alone?  How will Katie help Eli and encourage him throughout his alone time?  How will their friendship grow?  What are God's plans for their friendship?  Will it take any unexpected turns?  These are all questions that you'll find the answers to when you read the book!

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I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Book Review: A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher

C.J. and Jaime have a marriage that feels on the rocks.  Jaime is facing her first Christmas without her mom and her dad is suddenly wanting to be a part of her life now.  Her dad has invited her and C.J. on a cruise with him over Christmas.  Since her dad isn't too fond of C.J. and makes that very well known, C.J. isn't thrilled about going.  Jaime wants to go because she's hoping it will finally be her chance to be with her dad and for him to fall in love with her as a daughter and to want her again.

Mattie and Sol have a child, Danny, and have taken in Mattie's cousin, Zach.  Zach is on the verge of leaving the Amish community but Mattie sees the best in him and has convinced Sol to let him stay at their house and help them out.  Sol agrees, despite the worldly influence Zach is being on Danny.  Mattie's heart longs for more children.  She's had difficulty getting pregnant and has recently miscarried and is having trouble accepting God's will for her life in this area.

Stuck in a snowstorm with nowhere to go when their car slides into the pond, C.J. and Jaime have to miss their cruise and find refuge at Mattie and Sol's house.  They each encourage each other in surprise ways and when Danny goes missing, C.J. (a Search and Rescue-SAR-person) plays an important part in the search.  However, will someone else be able to redeem themselves through this experience?  Will Zach stay or go?  Will Jaime realize the truth about C.J. and how will she respond?  How will Jaime's relationship with her dad turn out?  Will Mattie and Sol have more children or will Danny be their only one?

This is such a heartwarming Christmas story.  It was a sweet storyline that was easy to read in 2 days (with kids).  I loved how real Mattie was and the humor at the end of the book.  If you like Amish fiction, add this one to your collection.

For more reviews on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13425768.

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It’s Christmas in September!

To celebrate the release of her first Christmas book, Suzanne Woods Fisher has teamed up with her publisher, Revell, to bring you the "Christmas in September" iPad Giveaway! The winner will be announced on 9/27 at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party! Details below. Tell your friends and join in the fun (9/7-9/27).


Oh and be sure to follow the blog tour here - many of the bloggers have copies of the book to giveaway! 

Suzanne and Revell will be presenting one merry winner with a Christmas Prize Pack (valued at over $600):

• A Brand New iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
• $25 gift certificate to iTunes
• A copy of A Lancaster County Christmas

To enter, click one of the icons below. But, hurry the giveaway ends on 9/26.

But, wait! There's more! The winner will be announced at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party on 9/27 at Suzanne's author page. During the party she'll be revealing something *BIG* - you won't want to miss it. She'll also be hosting a book chat, trivia contest and giving away a few early Christmas presents! Hope to see you there.

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group inexchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Compassion and World Vision: It does make a difference

We are so blessed to be sponsoring children through these 2 programs.  I absolutely love hearing from "our kids" and hearing from them quite often.  We have mostly younger kids, but we do have 2 older ones that are fun to hear from because they themselves write to us.  One is in Uganda and the other is in Rwanda.  The one in Uganda writes us in English with no translator.  His handwriting is pretty good!  I was shocked when I got my first letter from him!  Of course, it is in some broken sentences but we don't care.  His mom is sick. He is in an AIDS-prone part of the country, which is another reason we wanted him.  He had been waiting for a sponsor and after 3 years is about to graduate to the next level for someone else to help him through college.  He has huge dreams and we were able to make sure that happened.  All he needed was a chance. 

We got a letter from our son in Uganda (who always writes that he's our son forever) on Monday.  I couldn't help but tear up when I read part of what he wrote to us.  He said that he wishes we could visit him because we are his friend from out of the country.  He shared his memory verse he was learning and told us what it meant to him.  Then he said, "I thank  you for the gifts you have given to me.  I pray that God can give you more than you have given to me."  I have thought about that all week because it brought up so much emotion in me.  This boy has no idea how much we are blessed and how much we take for granted.  He thinks we've sacrificed so much for him when all we've done is eliminated some of our comfort purchases or entertainment.  I love the blessings we've received but not so we can use it for ourselves.  I love it because it means we can adopt another child or support another missionary or find some other way to help someone.  It was so humbling for me to know that this boy in situations much more detestable than mine is praying that we will be blessed.  Could it be that he feels sorry for me and how he hears that Americans take so much for granted?  That we can't be happy despite how much we buy?  How lonely many of us are?  How we foolishly use our time and money on things that will so quickly pass away once we die?  I don't really know what his thoughts truly are, but I do know that it made me want to give more and do more for the Kingdom.  I love all our kids, biological and "adopted."  I do think of my sponsored kids as ours.  We pray for them daily, we write letters to them, we talk about them, and we learn about their countries.  For the most part, we have specific reasons why we chose the countries it did.  It varies from matching up the kid's birthdays with a child with the same birthday so that my children can write to them and relate to them as they get older.  In some cases, we had missionaries in that country and it was one small way for us to get involved in that country.  In other cases, we WANTED to be in an AIDS community to give hope to the children who have lost so much and in many cases think that there is no hope for them so they go ahead and contract the disease since they think they will get it anyway.

I pray that someone who reads this will see the difference such a small sacrifice can make.   It's a commitment.  It's life-changing.  I'd dare say it'll change you more than it will them if you let it.  Dare to care.

Consistency

Growing up, I remember hearing parents, moms especially, say that they were just tired.  It had been a long day for them and all they did was listen to their children whine or break up arguments or deal out consequences.  I honestly remember thinking that didn't sound that bad.  I mean, how could whining or disciplining so much turn your day into a bad day.

Now that I'm a mom, I understand.  That's one of those things that you'll never know until you experience it.  And now I know why it's so tiring.  It goes back to consistency.  It's hard and tiring to be consistent.  It's hard and tiring to follow through with what you said would happen.  It's hard and tiring to always give and not hear a "thank you" very often.  It's hard and tiring when you are trying to lay aside yourself and focus on someone else when you're exhausted from never sitting down all day.  It's hard and tiring when you are constantly breaking up arguments with toys, etc.  Despite knowing how important it is for me to be consistent in my disciplining, it's hard.  There are days when Daddy T walks in the house and I say "they're all yours.  I can't deal with it anymore."  I honestly feel like my head has taken so much stimulation in that it can't take in anything else. 

I can tell the days where I'm consistent and the days I'm not because B's behavior is so much better when I'm hard on him and keep him in line from the get go.  We always have fun on those days because he knows that he can test me but won't get away with it.  He also knows that by the end of the day, I'm exhausted and he tests me more then because he does know he can get away with more at that point.  I've been working hard at focusing more on this issue the past week and for the most part, we've had a great week.  There's been peace at the house because he knows that I only give my instructions once and I know he can obey the first time.  He's smart and doesn't need me to remind him.  He proved my point on Tuesday when I told him that we needed to clean his room.  I was cleaning the living room and I called back to him to make sure he was obeying.  He told me he wasn't cleaning, so I went back there to discipline him.  However, as soon as I walked in I noticed the clean floor.  He had obeyed and put EVERYTHING where it should be.  I didn't have to discipline him, although we did have a talk about lying.  That's the other issue that's come up lately.  (He doesn't understand the word, yet, so that makes it a little difficult.)

So for you moms like me that are tired and need a little encouragement, do know that consistency pays off.  At least that's what my dad says!  (As he looks at me and says, "I remember.  Been there done that."  Then he tries to tell me how I acted that way.  I never believe him about his examples.  I know I never acted that bad.....)