Another "Thumbs UP!" {a review of The Palest Ink}

I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of Kay Bratt's book review team for the last couple years. We even have our own snazzy name - she calls us "Kay's Review Krew." So when I was contacted about reading and reviewing another book connected to her series called The Scavenger's Daughters, I was ELATED. It's available THIS WEEK for purchase and I highly encourage you to rush right over to Amazon and get your copy now.

The Palest Ink is a pre-quel that expertly peels back the layers to the father figure from The Scavenger's Daughters, Benfu. Each chapter gives the reader another peek into the character of the man who dedicates his whole adult life to investing in the treasured daughters whom he finds and brings to his home. The experiences of his life BEFORE he became The Scavenger are woven together in this book in such a way that the reader can say, "Oh, that is why he understands the plight of loneliness so well." The reader FEELS the sense of isolation and other-ing that his daughters grapple with in the other books, when reading of the solitary confinement he experiences in his re-training camp. That sense of "coming home" that happens when his daughters bloom and grow under his and Callie's care is rooted in this book's unfolding of the deep contentment and connected-ness they find together as Callie nurses him to health after he escaped his brutal living conditions. All of the things that happened to him, that formed his convictions and his principles that we see as the benevolent and loving father are deeply established as a response to the life changes that were thrust upon him as a young man during the Cultural Revolution. I completely appreciated and enjoyed how well Kay wove those themes together and tied them up so neatly, as she reached back to "flesh out" this character that I grew to love in The Scavenger's Daughters series.

In addition to weaving Benfu's past so expertly for the reader to understand his future more deeply, Kay did a wonderful job of detailing the harsh realities of the early days of the Cultural Revolution in ways that were both honoring to the Chinese people and educational to the reader. I was always very interested in this particular era of world events and did a lot of reading as a student but it was thrilling to this self-proclaimed history geek to learn more and to put "faces" to the events about which I had learned. I loved learning, via this fictional medium, more about the thoughts and feelings of those who embraced Chairman Mao's ways and about those who were leery of the changes he brought. In particular, I found the elimination of creative expression, poetry, fine arts and music to be far more difficult to imagine as I read this story than even when I was learning about it in school. It's more personal to me now, given that I'm parenting two beautiful creative little girls who are similar to many of the characters about whom Kay writes. To think that they might have lived like that makes this story all the more poignant. Truly, to me, it makes all of these books that Kay has crafted more meaningful and poignant.

If you haven't read the other books of The Scavenger's Daughters series, you ought to purchase them all when you go buy The Palest Ink. Then settle in with a warm blanket and spend your cold winter evenings immersed in the beautiful world of Benfu and Callie. You won't regret it for a minute!!!!!

**I was given a complimentary copy

of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**

Bitter Winds is Available NOW!

By now, you all know that I'm a crazy Kay Bratt fan.

 I love her books. I love her heart for the children of China.

I love being friends with an author. I know, I'm a geek :)

So it's not going to be any surprise to you that I'm happy to share

about her newest release, available as of yesterday,

in the series called Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters.

You can order your own copy HERE!

Bitter Winds is the third in the sequential story line of Benfu and his family. The story this time focuses on the relationship between twins Lily and Ivy. Lily is blind and desperate to prove to her family that she is capable of growing independence befitting her adulthood. This need for independence is most greatly hampered by strong-willed Ivy who, for all intents and purposes, acts as Lily's guide, interpreter, and protector. She, of all the sisters, particularly seems to relish the role of "big sister." As the girls set off on a bit of an adventure, which Ivy is pretty opposed to from the start, things happen that jeopardize not just Lily's independence but ultimately her very freedom and well-being. The misunderstanding sets of a series of events that forces Ivy to face some hard memories and then some hard truths about who she is, who they are as sisters, and where they are "heading" in their lives. I won't ruin the story line for you but I really enjoyed the revelations that they faced about themselves as unique individuals separate from their twin-ship as well as the things they learned and ultimately cherished about their equally unique bond of sisterhood. The way they come back together as strong, independent, and ultimately healthy individuals greatly enhances not just their relationship but that of their whole family, too. That message of strong family ties built amidst hard, heart-wrenching tragedy and self-sacrifice really resonated with me.

Along the way, almost as a back story connecting much of the the details that support the girls' escapades, is woven an expansion of Li Jin's (or Dahlia's) story from Tangled Vines. She's come into Benfu's fold, learning to embrace her role in the new-to-her family that has longed for years to have relationship with her. She brought with her a son and a companion named Sami from the days before she was found by Linnea. But she also brought along a huge heart for serving the disenfranchised and a big vision for creative practical ways to do that. The unfolding of the community that she builds while she is learning to live in this (again) new-to-her expanding family is really well written. On a personal note, I had the privilege of visiting the "complex" or compound of Living Hope International's Beijing home back in April when we adopted our Mei Mei and when I read the descriptions of the shelter that Li Jin creates and crafts into a community, I completely relate to what is happening in her heart and mind. I keep picturing the physical surroundings of the LHI home when I'm reading and it's really a fun way to connect with the story.

Throughout the whole book, Kay does an excellent job of creating vivid pictures with her words. The little glimpses into everyday life in the bustling streets of China. The peeks into lives of street vendors and Benfu's whole "common folk" family. These all are things that keep me reading and make me want MORE of this mysterious land from which my daughters came. Her descriptions and understanding of Chinese culture draw me in to that mystery but also make me acutely aware of the common ground between the regular every day there and the regular every day here. I'm so grateful for what I learn about a culture different than mine when I read these books. But I'm also really thankful for the reminders I get along the way. Family is family, where ever you go. There's pain, there's difficulty, there's hardship. But there's also great joy and love. There's someone who has your back - even if you think you are the strong one who has always had their back. Those lessons are timeless. They are also the biggest reason I find this whole series so meaningful. I can't wait for more stories about Benfu and Callie's beautiful daughters!

*I was provided with a free,

Advance Reader's Copy

in exchange for a fair review of this book.

Julia Learns How To Vote Wisely

Purchase the book here!

Since we are heading into primary season in our region, I thought it would be timely to share this story with you and offer you my thoughts on this great little book that was sent to me by a friend of the author. {sheepishly admitting that it was QUITE a while ago}

This darling little book is full of Scriptural advice, simple explanations and engaging illustrations as little Julia walks through the month before a big election. As a momma to three very fashion-minded girls, I especially enjoyed the cover illustration of Julia in her too-cool-for-school voting ensemble!

The story starts with Julia's bedtime conversations with Mom about what the family will be doing for the coming month. Her parents open up a lovely age-appropriate dialogue and spend the whole month sharing their basic principles for civic responsibility. I loved, particularly, that the message was boiled down to this: Seek Biblical Truth first. Then seek and pray for a candidate that you feel most closely represents the Biblical Truth in which you believe. It really honed the focus down to God's Word and HIS heart for the privilege that we have as citizens to use our voice in the election process.

As I read through the story and conversations that Julia and her sisters have with their parents, I appreciated anew the simplicity of a citizen's participation in the process and the importance of choosing wisely. I also really liked that the book doesn't tell Julie WHAT to believe, only that she must consider what The Word says and that she need only measure the issues she faces against the standard of that Word to find the answers she seeks. That's such a great lesson for our kids - beyond even the message of how to vote.

I really enjoyed the book and Li'l Empress enjoyed the idea that her voice will "count" some day when she gets the privilege to vote. I've always made an effort to include my kids in the conversations of election seasons and usually bring them into the voters' booth with me. This book helped "pull it all together" for Li'l Empress when we voted together last fall.

If you are a politics-junkie or news-junkie like I am, or if you are looking for additional resources with which to teach your children about the election process, this great little book is for you! And if you are a home-schooling family looking for another resource for your civics or social studies curriculum, I even more highly recommend the story.

*I was sent this book free of charge in exchange

for a fair and honest evaluation.

Red Skies by Kay Bratt

I've just finished a third novel from Kay Bratt's series called Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters. This particular story is a "stand alone" meant to be read with or without connecting to the whole series. But I promise you, once you delve into the life of Benfu and his unique little family, you will WANT to read the whole series.

I'll be digging in to book three, Bitter Winds, this weekend as part of the Advanced Reader team and I can't wait. The kids might have to fend for themselves while I visit with Benfu and Callie and The Boss snores off the remainder of his jet lag (more on that next week!)

Here's what I had to say about Red Skies (which is currently only available in e-reader form - click on the title link). I could have said so much more, but I can't and won't spoil it for anyone else. Trust me - you really need to read this book!

The Scavenger's Daughters series has completely captivated me. I have just finished Red Skies and I think Mari is my favorite of all of Benfu's girls (at least until I read the next one!). Her strength, her determination, her ability to see with her heart and not just her eyes - all of it made for a fabulous story of a young woman overcoming what Chinese society would have branded a permanent disability (that being the condition of being an orphan). The parallel story of An Ni and Mei's journey to each other and then to their point of intersecting with Mari was both devastating and yet incredibly hopeful all at the same time.

I think Kay did a really great job making Beijing teem with life and with building such believable personality and depth of character into the main characters. My favorite scene was when Benfu and Calla Lilly arrived in the midst of Mari's distress. It made me sigh with relief, almost as if I was with Mari in that little apartment, waiting for their rock-solid support and age-old wisdom. That's how believable these story lines are. 

As a momma to a former orphan of Beijing, I was cheering Mari, An Ni, and Mei on in my heart - it's only too easy to recognize that "there but for the Grace of God" could have been my child. My prayer is that Kay's books go far and wide toward raising awareness of the very difficult issues of orphan care in China and the often-forgotten crisis of street children. 

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review

Come on back later for my review on Bitter Winds, and for some pretty awesome KIDS' books that I've had the privilege of reviewing recently. There's even a sweet give-away for one of them!!

The Scavenger's Daughters

I'm excited to share something that I've been keeping a teensy secret from you all for several weeks now.... I got to be an advanced reader for Kay Bratt's new book, the first in what I hope will be a wildly successful series. So far, both LadyBug and I have read it, and Shaggy has mentioned wanting to grab it and take some time with the book too.

In the interest of full disclosure, I was sent a free copy of the book and asked to read it with the intent of sharing my review for the release date to spread the news about the book. Aaaand, it's probably helpful to disclose that I am a huge fan of every book by Kay that I've read so far. Like I said, I'm very excited about the series and I think you will be too.

The Scavenger's Daughter is the captivating story of an old man and his wife who have spent the years after the Cultural Revolution in China living in dire poverty, barely scraping by on the earnings he makes as a trash collector. Literally, his station in life is to seek out trash that can be turned into cash. Papers that can be ironed and recycled. Cans and bottles that can be sold to purchase food for his family. When he's really lucky, he finds furniture or clothing or other treasures. However, along the way to living his meager life, he has become the finder of far more valuable treasures than discarded bicycle parts. He has found literally dozens of baby and toddler girls and crafted a very unlikely family with his wife, Calli.

Find it here on Amazon!

Beyond the obvious connections that I feel to the story line of abandoned babies and special needs orphans in China, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Benfu's story of seeking the treasure in all of life. His adamant determination that all life has value and is worth living with love and purpose pulled me in completely. Each stage of the story pointed to the same message over and over and the consistency of his character's temperament and personality was written really well. Further, I really enjoyed reading the back story of the Cultural Revolution and the recent history of China through his (albeit fictional) eyes. I'm a history buff and I always enjoy learning about the events of history. But this time, I appreciated learning about the feelings and thoughts of one who survived that history. As the story wove Benfu's current existence together with his painful experiences of the past, it occurred to me just how deeply the Cultural Revolution dehumanized so many incredibly intelligent, interesting and stimulating people who all had so much to offer their world. It struck me that Benfu and his wife worked with these little girls, giving them a family, investing in them and offering them the hope of a future as a kind of redemption of the past they'd all endured. It's as if they were saving the girls' lives and saving themselves in the process.

As one who believes that each of us is created in the image and likeness of God Himself, I found myself rejoicing and cheering Benfu on for his dogged determination to dig out the treasure in each girl, making sure each daughter got her own special way to SHINE and REFLECT the image of her Creator. His commitment to his family, no matter the cost, kept me reading long into the night and made me sigh with frustration that the book was over all too soon for me! It's been a long time since I let myself stay up that late to finish a book. Truthfully, it's been a long time since I read a fiction book that pulled me in quite so thoroughly.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to read this book and am glad to wholeheartedly recommend it to you as well. And I canNOT wait to read the next one...

Winners!

Thanks to those that came by and read my review of Your Big Story and entered the give-away. Special thanks to Baby Blue Eyes for picking comments number 5 and number 3 as our winning comments.

Deidre, from A Heart to Love

is a fellow adoptive momma from one of

my online groups that I joined when we sent our dossier off to China

These groups have provided invaluable support

and encouragement in the long, long journey to our kiddoes, 

as well as new friends and new readers, too!

She just recently came home with her sweet little girl -

head over there and give her some bloggy love!

and

"Aus," as he's known around here.

He's been the most faithful reader and commenter

of all things "Gang" related.

He found us through a mutual blogging friend

way back when we in China to be united with 

our Li'l Empress and has become

a huge supporter and excels at providing the

"long term perspective" as a dad to several adult children

and now to younger kiddoes added to their family by adoption.

Congratulations!

If you could please send me your mailing address via private email (attached to my profile if you click on the left sidebar where it says "The Gang's Momma"), I'll be happy to mail out the books as soon as possible. Enjoy the time spent reading them to your sweet little ones - I'll be praying that the story unfolds HIS RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF HIS PEOPLE to you all when you read together!

For those who didn't win but would still like a copy of this great little book, please head over to Amazon and  purchase your own copy now. You won't regret it!

Your Big Story

I'm really excited to introduce you to a new children's book written by my friend and brand new author, Andy Liples. In full disclosure, I freely admit to being terribly biased about both this delightful little book AND my friend. 

We've had the pleasure of knowing Andy and his sweet wife, Jess, for about 9 years now. They are solid, intentional, and generous people with servants' hearts. They serve in our local home church and give diligently of their time and talents for the encouragement of everyone who comes across their path. It's been such a joy to watch them grow together in their marriage and to see them parent their two kids as solidly and intentionally as they live the rest of their lives. They are a young couple of very strong and godly character and we feel so blessed and proud to call them friends. I was quite surprised when I heard that Andy had written a book and I could hardly wait to get my hands on it to share it with you all.

Your Big Story, By Andy Liples
is available at Amazon now!

Your Big Story is the story of the whole Bible that simply and eloquently grabs your little one's attention in the opening lines because it makes the child to whom you are reading into the main character of the whole story! How great is that? As I was reading it to Li'l Empress, her eyes would get big and she'd respond with an incredulous, "You mean ME?" every time I read, "you" or "your story." She was really engaged from the start. She especially loved that her little friend Hannah looks so very much like the little girl who pops up in the middle of each story within the story.

The best thing to me about this book is that the clear and simple message of the Gospel rings through each of the familiar Bible stories presented. They flow seamlessly into one another in a "story within a story" format, weaving together the most important themes of The Word:

God made You to be like Him.

God loves You very much and has a big plan for you.

God wants to be in relationship with You.

God gave us Jesus so that relationship with Him is possible.

The unfolding of it all throughout the book puts your child right smack in the middle of the tale. What kid doesn't love that kind of attention? But I noticed while reading that Li'l Empress was also presented with plenty of opportunities to respond along the way. She empathized with the consequences of doing bad things, solemnly informing me that sometimes she "does bad things" (oh, how I had to school my features to calmly respond and affirm that we all make bad choices!). She identified with the anticipation of God preparing the world for our arrival, telling me "just like we are getting ready for Mei Mei."  And when we read about Jesus taking all of the punishment for all of our disobedience, she asked a lot of really thoughtful questions. I loved watching her mental wheels turn as we talked about the choice Jesus made to take all that on Himself simply because He loved us so much. There's nothing so refreshing as a five-year old for boiling down the Gospel message to its most valuable points, is there?

Each portion of the story is well-supported by the adorable illustrations, drawn by Ruth Cottingham. The artwork is bright and colorful and very accessible, even in the difficult parts of the story line (i.e. Jesus' death on the Cross). Each picture brings the story right into your child's lap, and not just literally, reinforcing the title and message of the book. In addition, the appearance of the little girl participating in each vignette of the individual stories helps your little reader make the connection that this story is about her. I found the little companion caterpillar that peeks in on every page to be completely whimsical and utterly delightful. I will leave the unfolding of the caterpillar's own little tale for you to discover for yourself.

Again, I freely admit to being terribly biased about this adorable book. But I have also read a lot of children's Bible stories over the 18+ years that I've been this gang's momma. I can confidently recommend this book to you, here in my little corner of the blogosphere, and tell you that this is a refreshing and sweet new perspective on God's love letter to His children. It's a message that bears repeating. To you AND to the sweet little readers in your house!

God made You to be like Him.

God loves You very much and has a big plan for you.

God wants to be in relationship with You.

God gave us Jesus so that relationship with Him is possible.

*******************************

Andy Liples and his publisher have graciously donated

two signed copies of Your Big Story

for me to share with all of you.

Here's your three opportunities

to win one of them for your little one!

1. A first entry can be earned by leaving a comment here on the blog telling me about your own favorite childhood Bible story book(s). If you can't remember your own favorites, please share with me a book or two that your kids particularly enjoy.
2. Earn a second entry by sharing about my friend's new book and this review on your own blog. Please enter a separate comment back here and include the link to your blog post when you do so.
3. Earn a third entry by sharing this post on your F@cebook timeline or in one of your FB groups and forums. Please enter a separate comment back here and include the link in that comment. (You can do that by clicking on the time stamp of your shared link and copying the url to paste here in your comment.)  
4. Please consider "liking" and then "tagging" Your Big Story's FB page when you do share on your FB wall, so that Andy and Ruth can see how folks are responding to the book. It's certainly not a requirement and does not count as a separate third entry. It's just a nice thing to do and who doesn't love that kind of encouragement? Go. Be an encourager!
5. Comments will only be accepted until midnight on Monday, March 25th. That will give me time to get your mailing address from the two winners and send the packages on their way before The Boss and I head to China. :)

***FYI: Comments are set to blog-owner moderation

(to protect from spammers),

so yours might not appear immediately upon entering.

I will announce the winners on Tuesday or Wednesday, March 26th or 27th. Sorry for the vaguery, but as I mentioned, I'm going to China soon and things are really crazy here. Well, crazier than normal for this Gang anyway! Thanks for understanding :)


***Updated: Comments on this post are now closed. The two winners will be announced on Wednesday morning, March 27th. Thanks for playing!

A Little Tease

This is just to whet your appetite and keep you sharp.... 

I'm very excited about a little give-away

I'm hosting at the end of this week.

Keep your eyes open

and when it is revealed,

PLEASE share it far and wide!

That's all.

Have a nice day.

Sweet Give-Away Winner!!!

Good Morning all!  I'm excited to announce that Nicole from Living Out His Love is our randomly-selected winner of the Sweet Moon Baby book give-away. Her family's favorite adoption book is The Red Thread, by Grace Lin. That is a new title for me and one I'm sure I'll be checking out soon. Thanks, in fact, to everyone who shared their faves. I've got a whole list of recommendations to work with now as I build our family's library.

While I'm at it, if you haven't ever peeked over to my friend Nicole's blog, I highly recommend that you do so. She's a very gifted photographer and each time I visit her site, I'm amazed at the beautiful pictures she shares. She is also an adoptive momma who is home-schooling her three cutie pies, all while actively advocating for orphan care and supporting adoptive families in her network. I think you'll really enjoy cruisin' around her blog a little bit. Like she says, "grab a cup of coffee (or tea or whatever takes you to your happy place)...." and check it all out. For you readers who are local, you will especially want to look at her photography business. Tell her The Gang's Momma sent you to check things out!

Congratulations, Nicole!!!

I know you and your sweet little ones

will enjoy reading this tale together

for many years to come.

Love ya, girl!

*********************************************

If you are interested in purchasing your own copy of Sweet Moon Baby, may I suggest  that you enter Amazon through my friend Robin's Amazon link. (Please click on that link to be taken there directly.) She's a fellow Living Hope momma and is sewing her way fast and furious to a darling little girl named Gabi Grace. Her partnership with Amazon benefits their adoption to this sweetie pie.

If you would like to connect with the author of Sweet Moon Baby and keep up on the success of this charming little book, you can "Like" their F@cebook page. Consider letting the author know what you think of the book once you've purchased it.

Sweet Give-Away!

In celebration of the last day of National Adoption Month, I am thrilled to share this review with you and to offer a sweet little give-away to go with it.

Sweet Moon Baby by Karen Henry Clark is a charming and imaginative tale of adoption. It weaves the fantastical story of a sweet little baby girl's journey to her waiting parents. And it does so in a lovely, captivating way that my girly-girls both instantly connected to when they read it - and read it they do! Even when LadyBug is not available to read the words to her, Li'l Empress pores over the pages and tries to re-tell the story on her own. She does a pretty good job of it, as I listen in on her narrative. While I'm certain that there are more "realistic" stories out there about the journey that both children and parents travel to be united through adoption, I'm equally certain that few are as tender and creative as this one. When I flip through the pages, reading of the rivers and roads the parents traverse to their Sweet Moon Baby, I can clearly identify with the imagery that those words evoke. There is great symbolism as I read of twisting waters and soaring hills. I would imagine, as Li'l Empress grows in the awareness of her own journey to our home, she will also come to see the metaphor this tale carries. As a lover of children's literature, the weaving of that metaphor alone would make me love this book. Books that make me and my children dig and connect beyond the surface of the words on the page are very important to me.

The beauty of the words and the depths of meaning that they carry are only one reason I love this book. As a bit of back-story, it's probably helpful to know that while I love meaningful children's lit, I don't often buy a book unless the art work in the book is just that: ART.  In fact, I have a whole collection of children's books that I have purchased over the years simply because the art within the pages moved me so much. I was first introduced to this book at an adoptive parents seminar last spring. At the intermission, I wandered up and down the product tables and kept coming back to this book. Each time I opened it up, I was delighted by the pictures and the expressions on the faces of each of the characters. I bought it immediately. Truthfully, I bought it before I even read it all the way through.

This book's amazing art work almost makes me want to buy a paperback copy just to be able to take the book apart and frame its pages. Really.

Except that I don't know if I could possibly buy a book just to dismantle it. As I used to tell the boys when they were little and in "destructo" stage: "Books are our friends. You need to treat them with respect. Be gentle with their pages and covers."  I know. I know. That's a little weird. Even for me.

Each page is sprinkled with lovely images that remind me of the children's books that my Grandma had stashed on the veranda for my cousins and I. They have an air of innocence and a sweetness to them that fits perfectly with the gentle rhythm of the story. The baby girl's face, in each of the different parts of her slumbering adventure radiates such peace. The settings are serene but still carry a touch of urgency. The parents are so earnest in their quest. It captures it all. And it does so with great beauty. Patrice Barton is a gifted artist, to have captured it all in the simple and stunning illustrations of this book.

I do really love this story. When the author contacted me and offered to send me a copy for my own library, I was more than happy to tell her that I already owned it. That we already loved it. When I suggested to her that instead I use her offered copy as a give-away in celebration of National Adoption Month, she graciously agreed and I'm so excited to share the beauty of this tale with one of you.

Here's how you can win

your very own signed copy of

Sweet Moon Baby by Karen Henry Clark:

1. A first entry can be earned by leaving a comment here on the blog about your favorite children's adoption book. If you don't yet have a favorite adoption book, please share a favorite childhood book with us instead.
2. Earn a second entry by sharing this post on your own blog. Please enter a separate comment back here and include the link to your blog post when you do so.
3. Earn a third entry by sharing this post on your F@cebook account. Please enter a separate comment back here and include the link in that comment. (Click on the time stamp of your shared link and copy the url to paste here in your comment.)  Please consider "liking" and then "tagging" Sweet Moon Baby's FB page when you do share, so that the author can see how folks are responding to her work. It's certainly not a requirement for this third entry but who doesn't love that kind of encouragement?
4. Comments will only be accepted till midnight on Wednesday, December 7th. FYI: Comments are set to blog-owner moderation (to protect from spammers), so yours might not appear immediately upon entering.

I encourage you, even if you own this story already, to enter and try to win. This book makes a lovely gift for any of the children in your life who have been touched by adoption. A winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on Friday, December 7th.

You can read a personal, stirring

guest post by Karen Henry Clark

on Shawn Smucker's blog for more

about Karen's own Sweet Moon Baby.

********************************************************

As November's National Adoption Awareness campaign draws to a close, I would ask you to prayerfully consider how you can continue the efforts of increasing awareness by supporting adoptive families in your circle of friends and family. It might not be financially, but there are many other ways you can participate and honor the building of a family through adoption. I hope my posts throughout the month gave you a glimpse inside the life of this adoptive family. And that if you have particular questions about being an adoptive family, the process of adoption, or other conversations surrounding adoption, you know by now that I'd love to hear from you. If I don't know the answer to your questions, you can bet that I'll be digging up a resource for us both to investigate!

Hop, Hop, Hop!

Just in case any of you are interested in connecting with other adoption-related blogs, there are two fun blog hops going on right now.

Several of my favorite local peeps have already linked up to both of the hops featured here. I'm looking forward to making the time to discover new friends and new resources that blog hopping always offers.

I haven't had time to do a ton of blog hopping lately, but I try not to miss many of those local gals excellent (and regular!) posts. And I thought linking up might lead to some more good reads for those cold winter days ahead. Ya know, when I'm not obssessing over the next set of adoption acronyms to show up in my inbox!

Check it out and see what ya think. Who knows? You might meet your new BFF while you are hop, hop, hopping around ;)

A Book Review {Daddy, Come & Get Me}

Several months ago, I connected via the wide, wide world of F@cebook, with another adoptive parent, this time a dad. Since I am not a dad, but I am married to one, I am always intrigued by another dad's point of view on all things parenting. Especially adoption parenting. Mostly cuz it's still kind of new to The Boss and I. In our various interactions on FB, we'd had some good conversations. As a result, I was further intrigued to know that this adoptive dad is also an author. How cool is that? An author.

For those of you counting, and that know my weird tendency toward obsessions and crushes, that makes four real life authors that I have "met" via the big world of adoption.

Ooooooh, I'm giddy thinking that out loud.

You'll remember a long, long while back, this gal stopped by my blog a couple times and commented on my travel posts while we were in China for Li'l Empress.  I was tickled to death.

This gal and I have "bonded" over our desire to see EVERY child find a forever home. If you aren't reading her blog, really, you should be. I am regularly amazed at the selfish and consumer-minded patterns in which I indulge in my own life when I read her thoughts.

And then, more recently, this lovely lady became a "real life" friend and huge supporter of our adoption journey to Brynna Rose.

So having this guy in my circle of adoption-minded friends was an added bonus. I feel so well-rounded in the assortment of authorship represented here. I'm so tickled to say that I know FOUR real, live, published authors. I know, I know. It's a strange little tic I have. Just keep reading and ignore my crazed fan-groupie behavior. Please. I'll be okay in a minute.

So this book. The point of this review. Yeah. I'm on it.

Daddy, Come & Get Me by Gil Michelini is billed as "a dad's adventure through Guatemalan adoption." And it's really worth your time. It's worth purchasing for the adoptive dads in your life. No matter the country, no matter the journey, Mr. Michelini writes his story in a real and vulnerable manner that completely grabbed my attention and held it, in the midst of some of the hardest days I've experienced in a very long time. It often feels like peeking into his personal journal in its conversational tone and heart-felt pleas for God's interventions and answers.

I happened to pick up the book as a diversion that would also be productive, since I'd promised months ago to do a review for Mr. Michelini. I needed the diversion that particular week because we were running full steam ahead with this online yard sale project and I was beat. Weary to the bone.

About three or four chapters in to my reading of this story, The Boss informed me after dinner one night that his employment circumstances would be changing and that our lives were thus also changing in many, many ways. I admit, for the first 48 hours after The Boss's news, I was angry. I felt truthfully angrier than I had felt in a long, long time. I felt defeated. I kind of shut down and said not much of anything during those first two days. But I read. I holed up on the couch with my fleece blanket and read this book. So, in the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that this book became very, very personal for me.

The Michelini family feels like every-American-family. They had some cute kids, an active faith, and a fairly typical suburban life-style. They were plugged in to their community, to their church, and were doin' okay. But they weren't typical for long. Mr. Michelini's story of how diving in to the journey to finding their daughter and building their home as God called them to do was just what I needed at the very moments that I was reading it. He is searingly honest (in my opinion) and doesn't spare himself at all in his self-doubt or his steps of faith toward the daughter in his dreams. His vulnerability and soul searching connected with me. Pulled me in to his story and gave me a bird's eye view of the big picture. And not just of what he was recounting in his story. It made me look at our own story. From the big picture view.

There were many similarities between Mr. Michelini's trek to his daughter and my own life. He faced unemployment, failed referrals, agency hiccups, in-country stresses, uncertainty in the process, documentation problems, all of it. All the "stuff" that most adoptions, no matter where they are heading, face at one time or another. The thing that came through loudest and strongest for me was his focus on his mission: he had a daughter in Guatemala. God revealed it to him in a dream. God confirmed it to him and he was pushing on toward that goal, often in spite of great opposition. That resonated with me, given what we have recently been experiencing. I pored over the details that God wove into their story. Mr. Michelini's belief in that dream for his family came through loud and clear and he testifies to each detail as glory to God and His Master plan for them all. My faith was encouraged and built up with each event that pointed him to give glory to God.

I highly recommend this book to any adoptive parent. There are things in the story that ALL adoptive parents can connect with. But if you have an adoptive dad that wants to know that he is not alone, that God is in the details, and that those details MATTER in the big picture of our lives, then this book is a must. From where I'm sitting, several week out now from news that rocked my world for a couple days, I can hold this book up as just one more detail that God is using to weave OUR story for His glory and our good.

A Give-Away!

Who doesn't love a little bit of free these days?  Especially if you've been stuck in the house with cabin-fever washing over you in waves of icy wet, antsy, ickiness.

Not that I'm feeling any of that.

Ha!

Head over to my friend's blog. It's brand new, encouraging, uplifting, and a great read.

And today?

Today she's hosting a give-away.

I think you might really, really like this one.

Go on. You know you want to.  Really. Go.

No Pick Outs!

Last week, we made home-made pizza.  Five different pizzas, with five different combinations of toppings and flavors. Glorious, beautiful, messy hand-made pizzas.  Every time we make pizza, I do a "white" pizza. No sauce. I know, I know. The half-Sicilian in me should be scandalized. But I'm not. I just love going crazy with gourmet flair to "my" pizza. And make no mistake about it. It IS "my" pizza.  This time, it was deliciously smothered in two kinds of cheeses, lightly steamed broccoli, sliced onions, fresh tomatoes and the slightest touch of smoky bacon. A riot of colors and flavors, all waiting to be melted and melded together to create an explosion of flavor on my tongue.

When we sat down to eat, I noticed that LadyBug had taken a piece of "my" pizza.  Which is kinda fine. I mean, she's not a huge sauce lovin' chick either. But.  And it's a BIG but. About 10 minutes later, I noticed that she had divested that same pizza of all toppings except for cheese and a couple pieces of bacon.  Limp broccoli, onions and tomatoes sat forlornly on the side of her plate.  I was NOT a happy gourmet.

See, we have a little "rule" about meals like that.  When I make a dish with lots of flavors and textures, especially when it's a brand-new creation, I reserve the right to pronounce "No Pick Outs" when I set the meal on the table.  I've been known to be merciful and allow "One Pick Out" on occasion, mostly when there are peppers or tomatoes in a dish. I try to be accommodating, given that I usually KNOW in advance that I'm preparing a meal that might be more mature than my kids' palates can handle.  But in general, I stick to the "No Pick Outs" policy for the purposes of helping the gang "get" that the entree is meant to be experienced as a whole offering. That the ingredients are meant to be melded all together to create one flavor experience. A whole sensation of both nourishment AND pleasure in one bite.  In one dish.

I know, that's lofty. And often unrealistic. But it's my policy and I'm sticking with it. Hang in there. I'm going somewhere with this. Somewhere way deeper than pizza.

So later that night, after the left-over pizzas were neatly stashed away and The Gang was all tucked into their beds, I hopped on to Google Reader and caught up on some of my favorite blogs.  Several of the blogs that I read are adoption blogs. Some of them are special needs blogs. Many of them Christian adopters. Many are not professing believers. But I love reading them all. I don't always agree with them all. But I love learning and connecting over shared experiences. They challenge me and sharpen my mind and make me think about things. (I'm reading a book or two right now - on similar topics - that also are giving me quite the mental stretch and challenge.)

And as I read, I got to thinking.

That's always dangerous, I know.

Now, I'm not sure that I have all the answers to some of the questions I'm about to pose, but I've been thinking and praying. And though the adoption blogs that I read that weekend are the impetus to this extended metaphor, I know for certain that it applies to many, many areas of life. For anyone who reads the Word and tries to live it. MYSELF INCLUDED! You ready?! Don't say I didn't warn you. . .

What if God is looking at us, watching us pick apart His Word, and trying to make a meal out of just the little parts that we pick out?  What if He's sitting there, trying to put the whole thing before us and He wants to say to us "No Pick Outs!"?  What if He's watching how we take a principle of His Word, or a verse that is "pivotal" to us and is frustrated by the way that we camp on it and make our daily walk all about that one principle or that one verse?

When I cook, one of my primary agendas is to prepare multi-faceted, nutritional meals.  I am creating a well-rounded meal for my family and exposing them to different flavors and spices and textures because it's good for them. It's good for their bodies, it's good for their minds, and it's good for their spirits. I'm not just thinking about the food pyramid. I'm thinking about their sense of identity. I'm thinking about their future. I'm thinking about their social skills, their academic skills. A lot goes into preparing those meals. Dinner at our table isn't meant to just be healthy. It's meant to be NOURISHING of their body, mind, and spirit...  Sound familiar?

"God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what." ~ Heb. 4:12 and 13 

and

"Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him

with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!" ~ Deut. 6:5

and

"And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us." ~ I John 3:21-24

(all quotes from The Message; emphases mine for the point of this post)

When I read the Word, I'm trying to take it all in. Trying to make it count, desiring it to go in deeply and surely, and asking the Lord for it to nourish my whole being.  But when I take out one verse, one section of the Word, and camp my whole life on it, I'm starving myself in other areas.  When I pick out just one portion of the nourishment of His love letter to me, I am missing out on the balanced, well-rounded LIFE that He's calling me to build.

For some folks in Christian circles, I've seen it in parenting: they capitalize their parenting style on "Children obey your parents."  And they leave the rest of the messages about unconditional love, grace, compassion, and modeling ourselves after Christ by the side of the plate.  Or they go the opposite direction and make it ALL about grace and freedom, forgetting that boundaries and limits to freedom are not laws but loving guidelines meant for our safety and protection.

Ouch.

For other folks in Christian-dom, it shows up in what is popularly now becoming known as "adoption theology."  The foundations of their thoughts and discussions revolve around verses that call the believers to action regarding the orphans. Around the call to "rescue" and be about the 'mission" of enfolding the orphan into a family. Usually with regard to the plights of the orphans in destitute, poverty-stricken nations.

I don't disagree with them, inherently. How hypocritical that would be of me? I am the blessed mother of a beautiful girl adopted from a country that, inherent to its current circumstances, would never ever appreciate or even accept her simply because of her former status as orphan and her visible birth defect. I dare not disagree with the fact that on some levels: our journey to her was a mission of sorts, to get to her, to envelop her with the love of family and to see that she has everything that she needs to thrive and live joyfully as the beautiful image-bearer of Christ that she is. (And yes, I am biased!)

As I read on that particular night, I couldn't help thinking about the "lonely" (referencing Ps. 68:6) in that writer's community.  Or about the widows (James 1:27) on another writer's block. I find myself asking, "What have you done to meet those needs right in your own community?" - not out loud, not in earnest. Certainly not critically. For that too would be hypocritical of me - I am asking myself the same questions daily.

(At this point, let me state unequivocally that I am not, nor will I ever be, a theologian. I am just a mom making observations about myself and my world. And I do not have all the answers. I am making every attempt to not judge, but to process my observations and open up a dialog. Respectfully.)

And for each of those examples I gave above, I am certain that you, too, can come up with many instances where you have observed your own life or others and thought, "No Pick Outs!"  I know I do it still. I tend to have a myopic view of what tithing means. I am fairly stuck on some of these adoptions issues myself.  That being said, I fully admit that I am only seeing one facet of another writer's life, the one facet that they allow me to see when they share. I do that too - choosing carefully what I share and how I share it.  As one blogger said to me, when we were discussing the topic, speaking of some who may have a tendency to only blog about or discuss their theology of adoption:

So, while they continue in their homes and churches walking out a full, well-rounded Christian life, their on-line discussions don’t always show it. The good news about their adoption-soaked blogs is that they have led to connections between families from all over the country that are walking through the same issues, building each other up in very real ways.

So, do I think there are people that have taken up the call to care for orphans to such an extreme that they are neglecting the whole of scripture? Possibly. Mature Christians should know that when God begins to highlight another facet of scripture that has been too long ignored, what He is asking is that the “new” facet be folded into what is already being done, not replace it. I guess that’s another prayer point to take before the throne…

That says it far more maturely and graciously than I've been thinking about it. See what I mean about loving to read and be stretched by others who thoughtfully and intelligently write, even from a perspective with which I may not fully agree?  (If you aren't reading things that you might disagree with, I highly encourage you to do so. No matter the topic, you will be better for it! I'm grateful for parents who encouraged me to do so! Thanks, Dad and Mom!)

I must confess, though.  I'm still left wondering. Now mostly about myself. Am I living the Word wholly? Am I fulfilling all of the "Great Commission? (Matt. 28:18-20)  Am I living the FULL Gospel in all areas of my life? Am I out of balance myself? Does The Father feel the same frustration over that tendency in my life that I feel about my life? Or is He more circumspect and gracious than I, allowing for more factors like maturity, timing, and grace for this child on this journey?

I can't help but hope He is.

And while I have no answers to the questions,

(and I don't ask them to be flattered
or falsely built up by others' words)

I am eternally grateful that I can ask them.

And that He is patient and merciful in the answering.

‎"If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it’s not the gospel you believe, but yourself " -Augustine of Hippo

Wordless Wednesday

A very good aunt, an adorable niece, and my Li'l Empress

For more Wordless Wednesday fun,
click over to 5 Minutes for Moms.

Favorites Friday

I got to do a lot of reading over the Christmas holidays - snuggled into a deep couch with a glass of eggnog or hot coffee and a blanket. It's my favorite way to 'de-tox' and wind down. In addition to my great love for reading, I love to talk about books and authors and learn about others' thoughts and perspectives.

So, today's favorites are some of my favorite recent reads, old and new, or new to me. I certainly didn't read all of these just over the holidays, or I'd never have come up for air to be with those that I love. But I did make sure to quiet myself in a corner frequently - my own little Christmas break!

Some of My Favorite "Recent Reads":

• Karen Kingsbury - I just read Between Sundays on the trip to and from my folks' house. While it is definitely different in its feel from her Baxter family series, it was no less impacting and powerful. Being in the adoption process, I was especially moved by the foster and adoption story line. A beautiful story by a consistent, gifted and convicting author!
• Harry Lee Kraus, Jr. - This guy is a surgeon-turned-author. And his medical suspense thrillers are amazing! I've been working my way through as many as I can get my hands on over the past several months. The topics are incredibly relevant (cloning, gene manipulation, abortion, etc.) and if even half of this stuff really happens in the medical community, I feel even more inclined to vote NO to universal health care than I already was feeling!!!!
• Ron Luce - I've heard about this guy for years, through the various ministries that he's associated with, but I started Battle Cry for a Generation recently. It's a tough read with lots of statistics and facts that can be hard to weed through. But his writing style is compelling and really pulled me in - I didn't even mind (so far!) all the numbers that he kept throwing my way.
• Liz Curtis Higgs - Recently I re-read her series of the Scottish clan McKie. It's meant to be a fictional re-telling of the story of Rachel and Leah. The settings, the descriptions, and the plot all came together beautifully to expose the hearts of each character and the depth of their need for redemption and forgiveness. I love this series, and I love that I felt like I was in the Highlands right there with them, peeking into their lives. She has that gift with many of her other books I've read!
• EveryDay with Rachael Ray - I know, it's not a book. But I've been devouring it nonetheless! My wonderful sister-in-law gave me a subscription for Christmas and I've really been enjoying the articles and the recipes. Some of the tips and the make-over ideas are great for spicing up the dinner table this winter. I'll let ya know when I try some of them . . . .
  

I'd love to hear your impressions of these authors or titles. Maybe you have some new ones to share? After all, it can't stay in the 50's and 60's in the middle of January forever can it? We really ought to be prepared with some good, uplifting and captivating reading for those cold, windy winter nights, shouldn't we?!

I'm Here . . .

I am here. I am still around. I've just been crazy busy! I feel as if I've been running behind my life, watching it wave through the rear window smiling mischievously at me as it speeds away. Not the best feeling in the world, when your four kids, your hubby, and your friends and other family are on board as this life hurtles down the road. So I've been devoting some time to catching up, tightening up the routine, and carving out time to breathe a little. Whether or not the weather wants to cooperate, I've had to devote some time to getting fall clothes out, re-stocking the pantry, planning some menus, getting my grocery lists in order, and sprucing up the house with seasonal candles and fall decor. I had to read a few good books. I had to do some research on homeschooling ideas. I had to crank up the homeschooling. And I had to buckle down and just ADJUST to the school-year routine, already.

I've got a couple posts brewing, including but certainly not limited to the following: bad haircuts and sermons, going back to what you know, and adoption updates. I've got a great poem to share, and some fun new recipes for fall. But tonight, I'll leave you with these book reviews. I haven't read for a long while, but with the football, baseball play-offs, and now the World Series, I've gotten the chance to sink my teeth into these treats. I think you'll like them!

• Sweeping Up The Heart, by Dr. Paul W. Nisly - this is the story of Dr. Nisly's daughter's death and his grief and healing in the years that followed. My friend "Pups N' Horses" found it at a local second hand shop and thought I'd be interested. I was. VERY. I remember Janelle's death, out on Route 15, when I was just a sophomore at Messiah. I remember the family's grief, the whole community's sorrow. The book is beautiful in its honoring of his daughter and an earnest attempt to be honest and open about the grief and pain of her loss. It was incredibly moving and beautifully written.
• The Color Of Water, by James McBride - a gorgeous tribute to the author's mother. I loved the way he unfolds what he learns about her and how he reconciles his perceptions with her life story along the way. It was, again, beautifully written and I found myself quite emotional during certain segments of the book. This is a book I could read a couple times and enjoy differently in each reading. And I may just search out additional books by the author.
• The Boo Series, by Renee Gutteridge - a zany, funny and light-hearted set of three books about a small town in Indiana. From the name of the town (Skary) to the prominent theme of cats (black ones!), it's my only ode to the "season." I found myself chuckling out loud and that was a great thing for me after the previous two books! Plus, after HOURS of bad football games and endless nights of baseball, I appreciated the pleasant diversion these books provided.

My only complaint is that I'm almost done the third book and the World Series JUST started! Oh No!! All my mending is caught up and the only thing left for me to do is send The Boss to the other tv with basic cable so I can watch Breast Cancer movies on Lifetime. Like I need that emotional intensity right now! NOT. But I am here. I've been here - I've just been not HERE but I'm back. I think ;)

I'm a Volunteer!

Today was my orientation to be a library volunteer at our elementary school. I checked books in for the 4th grade class that was there learning how to use different library resources, and then learned how to check the books out. I know that without a doubt this classifies me as a total geek, but I LOVE libraries. Big ones, little ones, community libraries, school libraries, whatever their shape and size. I love them! All those books with their smooth, beautiful covers. The printed words in various shapes and fonts and colors. The smell of ink and bindings and paper. I love them! And I got to play with the bar code scanner machine to do the checking in and out. What more could a geek ask for?!

I had to bring Baby Blue Eyes with me. So he sat in the back at a reading table with a coloring book, books on tape, his new Webkin dog, and his big blue eyes watching all the kids swarming around him during their library treasure hunt. About half-way into our time there, I looked up to see him completely surrounded by 4th graders, looking at his bag, handling his Webkin and talking to him a mile a minute. He looked okay, not too overwhelmed, but holding his own quietly. Normally, I'd "rescue" him (he doesn't love crowds, nor does he love strangers touching his toys). But I wanted to see what he was going to do. After a minute or two, the librarian actually stepped in, hushed all the kids and asked Baby Blue Eyes if HE'D like to say anything. He solemnly shook his head, "no," and she scurried all the chatty patties off to finish their work. I asked him later if it was okay that they were all talking to him at once and he admitted that he didn't really like it. But the perk of "hanging out" with all the big kids and seeing his big sibs' library was enough to assuage that stress, I think. Plus, the other very nice librarian gave us our own library number and let him take out his first "school book" about Giant Animals of the World. Next time, I get to check out some parent resources. Yes! Our library has a shelf or two dedicated just to parents - parenting, home management, crafting, discipline, special needs issues and so on. Oooooh, I can hardly wait!

All in all, a very good morning for Mama Geek and Baby Geekling :)


Updated:

For clarification purposes, I must tell you all that "geek" has long been a term of endearment in our Gang - we're all very geeky about learning, education, and the like. For example, The Boss is our resident computer geek and it offends him NOT IN THE LEAST when we call him that! Just thought I'd let you all know, we aren't being mean here in the Gang house!

Great Reads

I am a voracious reader. I crave books much like The Boss craves time to work in his yard. Or my sister craves time to quilt. Or my brother-in-law craves his ice cream. (You know who you are!) I find myself sneaking away in chaotic moments to grab a couple quick pages, especially when the homework hour has begun or when the house settles down for a quiet night ahead.

So imagine my delight a couple years ago, when I hear from several friends about this great library at a local church that is open to the public once a week. Imagine my further delight when said library undergoes a move, an expansion and a transformation while the church is adding on to its building this spring. And all in warm, rich fall colors to boot! With a cute little cafe and flavored lattes for sale in the lobby. And a play area for Baby Blue Eyes to enjoy while I sip my iced vanilla chai latte. Bliss, I tell you. Pure bliss. But I digress . . .

In preparation for the coming hours of (anticipated) pool-side reading that I wish for you all, I've decided to share today a list of "great reads" that I have thoroughly enjoyed. While not all of them may be "your style," I encourage you to give them a try. Some are light-hearted, fun fiction; others are meatier life stories. I certainly don't agree with everything I've read, but I've learned a lot this past year. I thought you might like to see what's been going on in my head. Scary as that may be :)

• C. Hope Flinchbaugh - Daughter of China & Across the China Sky
• Michael English - The Prodigal Comes Home (jury is still out, I'm just starting it now but like it so far!)
• Ryan Dobson - Be Intolerant, 2 Die 4, & 2 Live 4 (excellent especially for those of us with teens or pre-teens)
• Robin McGraw - Inside My Heart
• Stephen Baldwin - The UnUsual Suspect
• Randy Alcorn - Safely Home
• Karen Kingsbury - Redemption series, FirstBorn series, Fame series (Let's just be honest here, anything that this woman writes is a favorite of mine. She's talented, compelling, convicting and has a unique way of sharing the heart of God for His people!)
  
• Helen Doss - The Family Nobody Wanted (the book that sparked the dream of adoption in my junior high heart - re-read this year for the first time in many years!)

I have many, many more "entertaining" reads that I could share with you, but this list represents the most compelling that I've worked through this year. I'd be happy to give you the gist of the individual books if you are interested. Now I'm off to grab a couple pages while the kids play football and we wait for the chicken to grill . . . Happy Reading!