What's On My Bookshelf

I love to read. I have loved to read since I could first read. My favorite part of Kindergarten was grabbing one of the easy readers and snuggling on the pillows in the corner of the playhouse; while all the other kids were running around, in and out, I sat contentedly with my book.

When Olivia was a baby I read a lot...and I mean a lot...of parenting books. Maybe that's just what new parents do. But on reflection, with the exception of a few, those books did nothing to ease the burden of parenting. If anything they only added to it. Questions were constantly brewing in my mind. Have I chosen the right parenting method? How am I doing at implementing my chosen parenting method? Is JP submiting to my chosen parenting method (you can only imgaine the stress this question ignited)?

I reread a few of my favorites when Isaiah was first born. Mainly to remember how we got Olivia to sleep through the night by 2 months old, because of course a mama's sanity is largely linked to how much sleep she gets. And it was worth it since he started sleeping through the night by 3 months old. But recently I have switched my focus to more leisure reading and reading that builds me spirtiually.

Now as a mom of 2 preschoolers, it's not easy finding time to read, but if you really, really want to you can. Here are some of my best pointers:

1. Rock your baby to sleep with a bottle of milk. That's right! With Olivia, none of my parenting books endorsed bed time rocking or feeding, but since I'm not reading those books anymore I get 2, 20 minute blocks of time a day to read. Bed time can get a little tricky with lighting, but in KY I could leave the hall light on and position my book just so to catch the light. Here in WA the sun doesn't set until after 9pm right now, so there's plenty of light to read by.

2. Teach your baby to take naps in multiple places...especially their car seat...and then run errands right at nap time making sure to place your book in your fashionably oversized purse. Disclaimer: this tip works best if your baby happily sleeps only 30 to 45 minutes, if you have more than one child, and if you have a hard time forcing yourself to sit down. This wouldn't have worked with Olivia who took awesome 3 hour naps...I could do the dishes, read, and take a nap all in one of her naps!

3. Make a huge, cross-country move right when your 16 month old begins a major teething streak. Then put his crib in storage and force him to sleep in a pack-n-play. You'll discover countless hours of reading available.

4. Hate to shop at Wal-Mart, but marry a man who LOVES to spontaneously stop in for a little something, and install a DVD player in the back seat (one for each child is optimum). I can't tell you how many times I've been thankful to have my book along with me (in my fashionably oversized purse) on family outings that have ended in a "quick" Wal-Mart run.

5. Don't own a Smart Phone. 'nuf said.

6. Turn off the tube...except of course American Idol and The Office (and possibly So You Think You Can Dance during the summer).

So that's exactly how I get my reading in...and this, is what I have loved reading recently...

The Circle Series by Ted Dekker
I came across this series by chance, but once I started I could not put it down. It's a Christian fantasy novel where the hero "moves" between our reality and a future reality where people can actually see what's in the spiritual realm. I started with "Green," but you could also end with "Green." The order of the other 3 books is important..."Black," then "Red," and finally "White."


I've read a number of other Ted Dekker books recently, but "The Circle Series" was by far my favorite.


Seasons of Grace Trilogy by Beverly Lewis
"The Secret," "The Missing," and "The Telling." I am new to this author, but I love, love her! Her novels are all about the Amish, and it's such a beautiful glimpse into this otherwise foreign culture. I love when novels inpire and teach, and these definitely do. And they remind me of how big a God we serve...one who is not locked into my way of doing things...or anyone's way of doing things. The eternal Trugh of the Gospel is so simply and beautifully displayed in these novels.


I've also started "The Rose Trilogy," but have only read the first book. Our library doesn't carry any of the other books, so I may try to get it through Paper Back Swap.


This Present Darkness and Pierceing the Darkness by Frank Peretti
I picked up these books on the recommnedation of our pastor in Elizabethtown and couldn't put them down. It's a glimpse into the spiritual realm battle between good and evil.


Abiding in Christ by Andrew Murray
This one is not a novel. In fact, it's not even an easy read. It's described as a classic, which really only means it's written in an older English style that takes a lot of time and patience to read. I find myself rereading words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters...you get the point. But no book has ever been more worth it...seriously!!! I finding myself longing to grasp onto the truths presented in this books, truths that bring rest to the soul...so I keep reading and would highly recommend it!!!


Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
I don't think there are any words to describe this book other than to say it's a true account of a 3 year old's visit to Heaven. Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!

Raising Girls by Dr. James Dobson
Apparently I'm not adamantly opposed to parenting books. However, I am more choosy and it's definitely no longer my only genre of choice. This parenting book was exceptional, and while we didn't do this, this would be a great one to read together (ssshhh...don't tell JP, but I plan to sneak this one into his ruck sack before he deploys).


The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This is Isaiah's current favorite. I don't know how many times a day we read this, but there is nothing more irrisistable than an adorable 18 month old pulling at your pant legs saying "apapilla."

Lego Star Wars: Save the Galaxy by Scholastic
I am so thankful my sweet princess loves science fiction...she truly does! Olivia loves it because it is her first "comic book," and I love it because it is kid friendly science fiction...and the lines in it just crack me up (they have been changed from the actual movie to be more child friendly). And to hear Olivia read the different characters in actual character is priceless!!!

I would love to hear lots of suggestions for more great reads!!!


*FYI...if you click on one of these links for the books it will take you to Amazon.com where you can purchase these books for yourself, but rest assured I make no money by your click.

Rays of Sunshine

I am so thankful for those moments God gives us that are like rays of sunshine peeking through the storm clouds. Because if I may be so bold as to say it...this year, 2011, has been a stormy, difficult year. And in many ways the storm clouds don't appear to be clearing any time soon.

I know, I know...I don't like saying it. But don't we all have stormy seasons of life? Times that we wish we could just skip over. Times that we hope someday we'll be able to look back on and see that God was moving, even though in the midst of it He feels so distant?

Some of our storms are obvious; like moving 2000 miles across country and our 3rd deployment looming over our heads. But we have other storms lingering as well, storms that we aren't likely to openly talk about...family illnesses, marriage difficulties, and child behavior issues.

I guess I want to talk a little bit about our storms (without going into too much detail) because at times I get the feeling that our life looks a little too "picture perfect." JP is a wonderful photographer and captures some of our most beautiful moments, but in reality we are like every other family...one sinner married to another sinner raising sinful children in a very sinful and fallen world. Storms happen...

...but so do rays of sunshine...

...and that's what the above pictures above represent. We spent an afternoon in Seattle the other day going to the Pacific Science Center having a blast looking at the Star Wars Display, playing dinosaurs, exploring all the great hands on activities, and discovering butterflies in the butterfly garden.

Then we went to the public market down by the Puget Sound and indulged ourselves...indulged ourselves in chocolate covered cherries that tasted heavenly, locally grown apples that dripped with sweetness, fresh shrimp cocktail that reminded us why we love living so close to the ocean, and my favorite indulgence: flowers the color of sunshine picked out by my sweet girl especially for me.

The moment she saw the flowers she just had to pick out a bouquet and her face absolutely lit up, and she knew exactly which ones she wanted. And it was a moment of sheer delight for me to accept them from her. You see, our sweet sunshine has a very difficult time with moves, and most days recently a small storm cloud has been following her around. And we're never quite sure when the lightning is going to strike and the thunder roll; we're just sure it's going to happen more often than not. It was this way when we moved from Tennessee to Kentucky...and it wasn't fun...and it wasn't short...but she finally came around; and now we're back at it again, trying to poke holes through those storm clouds for her, pointing out the rays of sunshine God is providing for us here, and praying the Son rolls those clouds away permanently and quickly...

...but in the mean time, we'll soak up the sun for all it's worth when it appears confident that we are not walking alone...that Olivia is not walking alone...that the Son loves us, is protecting us, and is using these storms to shape all of us into His image for His glory...

Apartments & Dogs 101

Apartment living. Someone should write a guide on apartment living. Now we've lived in apartments before, but not with 2 large dogs and 2 small children. I believe each of those are worthy of an entire book of their own: "Never Leave Your House Without a Poop Bag and 1001 Other Tips" as well as "Sleep Training Your Baby for Apartment Living."

This morning I encountered Tip #1 for the dog book: When living in an apartment, if your 2 dogs outweigh you, never (and I mean never) take them for their potty walk together. It may take more time, but it's definitely worth taking them out separately.

Now let me just say upfront...I'm okay. I took a couple advil and a hot shower, but no bruises have appeared and only minimal soreness. But this post will not contain pictures. Thought about doing the re-enactment to let JP capture it on film since he loves photography, but a girl has got to have a few boundaries...the mental image will probably be funnier anyways.

I thought I was doing a good deed this morning. Olivia and I were up watching cartoons, while JP and Isaiah were still snuggling asleep (this is part of the Sleep Training for Apartments book; I'm pretty sure the cry it out method we've had to use on occasion for Isaiah would not be welcome by our neighbors...so we've moved onto the "bring him into bed with us" method...and it appears he likes it quite well).

Anyways, the dogs were crying by the door so I grabbed my shoes and the dog leashes and headed outside for my first dog duty adventure since we moved here 2 weeks ago. And really, for apartment living, we have a great setup. Step out the front door, cross the street, and voila...a huge park with lots of grass (and a playground, which makes for easy child care duty). Lucy, Marley, and I do our jaunt through the park taking care of business fairly quick. I was almost getting proud of myself as we crossed the street. We had made it...I had made it...I can do this next week when JP starts work!

Then I see it. The dogs haven't seen it yet, but I surely have. My mind plays out the whole tragic scene about to unfold, and I try to quickly get the dogs in the door, after all, we're only 10 feet away. But then they see it too...

...a 12 pound fluffly little dog bounding straight for us with a huge smile on his face...

Now if I had stayed on the sidewalk I might have been okay...but at a combined weight of over 160 lbs and puppy energy to back it up, Lucy and Marley successfully pulled me closer to the adorable little dog and onto the grass...the wet grass...you know, from all the rain Washington gets. And my shoes slip out from under me...and I THUD to the ground. It hurt. It startled. But I held onto those leashes.

And then I slid. Yep...holding onto the leashes of 160+ dog power I was dragged across the grass...did I mention it was wet? I am just thankful I wasn't wearing a slick running suit or they might have pulled me clear back to Colorado.

But I was determined...on retrospect I should have been a little less determined...to hang onto those leashes and gain back control. And I did, once that sweet little furball came nose to nose with my two monstrous dogs and turned tail back home. Now Lucy and Marley only had good, playful intentions, but I think when that little fluff ball saw what they had reduced me to he knew he was in over his head.

I got up, brushed off my ego, and got everyone inside. I had held on and I hadn't screamed for help. I had thought about it, but in the moment I still had enough reason to know JP would never hear me and anyone else who came running would only make the dogs go even crazier.

Hoping to get a little sympathy for my ordeal I told my family about it. Olivia wanted to know what the dog's name was (I told her fluffly, or scruffy, or cutie pie...but I think I'll call him Kibble).

And while laying on the floor recovering, Isaiah came over and slapped my knees and yelled "Ow." I think it was some sort of ancient ritual inducting me into a dog walking society; something he most certainly learned from his babysitter Nick Jr during dog appreciation month.

And JP? Well, he did offer to get a pinch collar for the dogs and said I earned some sort of award for my heroism...but I'm still waiting for the award...and there was definitley a hint of laughter behind his words. I think a day at the spa would be perfect!

But at the very least, this should exempt me from dog walking duty, even though I'm going shopping for new shoes with better tread.