Monday's Heroes

Today I am going to write about heroes I know little about except from hearsay. But what I hear is good and I am proud to be related to these heroes.

On Sept 2, is my husband's nephew, Brian Warne's birthday. He has been our family's hero since he was quite young and conquered cancer. We have watched him grow and become an outstanding young man. Happy Birthday Brian!

Brian's brother, Steven has also turned into quite the young man. I can't believe he is in college but he has been for several years! Their parents have done a good job in raising these young men. Hopefully I will soon have pictures of these guys.

The picture above is of the Bailey family - without Clyde. Garret is the tall young man in the left corner. He too is an amazing young man - his parents have also done an amazing job! So hats off to my husbands young nephews. They are my heroes today!

Tuesday Book Review

I have read more than these two books but because I am currently on the quest to read all of the Aunt Dimity books by Nancy Atherton and the books in the "Quilter's Apprentice" series by Jennifer Chiaverini - I will not bore anyone with my delight in the reading of several more in each of these series. They take me no time to read - so even when my day is full, I can still polish off one a day. I also read "Echoes" by Maeve Binchy and decided the reason I quit reading Maeve Binchy in the past was because I didn't like her. She is a downer and I don't have to read depressing books if I don't want to.

I was bored - waiting for Clyde to finish up his meeting a week ago Sunday. I was trying to find something to read on my Kindle when I ran across "The Crowning Glory of Calla Lilly Ponder" by Rebecca Wells. Since I thoroughly enjoyed the "Yaya Sisterhood" books - I thought I would download it. It is not a part of the Yaya sisterhood series. It takes place during my lifetime in Louisiana though - that being the only similarity. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It runs you through all the emotions from joy to tears.

"Cockatiels at Seven" by Donna Anderson was a book I downloaded out of boredom this last Sunday! I looked for books that if you liked Carolyn Hart novels what other authors were people reading and she popped up very consistently. This is way down in Nancy Anderson's series but like most of these mysteries the novel stands on its own. I am ordering her first books from the library and have found another series of books to read!

In the meantime I have been waiting for over a week for "The Well of Lost Plots" - the next in my Jasper Fforde series. I don't know if they are all checked out and I am on a waiting list or if my request got lost in cyber-space - even though I have requested it twice. If I have not heard about the book by tomorrow though, I am downloading it onto my Kindle. I cannot wait to find out what happened to Thursday Next, very much longer!

Happy Birthday Sam!

I am so lucky to have 9 grandchildren! But along the way I have acquired other grandchildren that are not of my blood but of my heart. Sam Carpenter is one of those. His parents came into our lives a little over 9 years ago and we have been blessed with their presence ever since. We were as delighted about Sam as we were about any of our grandchildren. He is a special young man and we love him dearly. Happy Birthday, Sam and may the Lord continue to bless you!

(I am sorry that I don't have picture of him but just go to Carianne's blog - she has a picture almost identical to the only one I could find but I couldn't get the computer to pull it up.)

Book Review Tuesday

The best books/stories that I read this week, were by Pam and Heidi. Both read smoothly and kept you engaged. Heidi left you hanging (she hasn't finished hers yet) but hopefully soon you will all be able to enjoy "Metta and the Moon-Witch" with me by Pam.

I read "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven" by Fannie Flagg. This was a fun read but it reminded me that life is right now - don't waste it. We can fret over what others are thinking or we can live life the best way we know how.

I read "Silver Wedding" by Maeve Binchy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book but had forgotten that Maeve Binchy writes quite serious books. I haven't read a Maeve Binchy book for probably 10 years or more. She was one of my mother's favorite authors and whenever Mom got her new Book of the Month Club order - I would read it. Heaven only knows when the last time was that she ordered Maeve Binchy since she died almost 9 years ago.

I also read the next in the Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series, "Lost in a Good Book." I found out something interesting out Fforde's books. The books that were released for the US audience do not have the foul language that the British books have. I know I have been reading the British copies because there are no explanations of what the British call their inter-state system, and other little things. I was looking at Harry Potter. When they do something as simple as vacuum a floor - that is how it is described - vacuuming. In this book they are 'hoovering' which is the British word for vacuuming. There is no explanation that is the word for vacuuming - the assumption is there that you know that. I ran into someone other than my daughter that had read the books and they confirmed that I must have been reading the British versions. I have been getting my copies from the Rhode Island Library system. Oh, and this book is as good as the first and I can't wait to read the third book in the series.

I also read "The Quilter's Apprentice" and "The Round Robin Quilt". I am not quite sure why but it has been over 5 years since I read the books and I thought I would read through the series again. I loved them as much the second time as I did the first.

In the Aunt Dimity series I read "Aunt Dimity's Good Deed" and "Aunt Dimity Digs In." Both were fun and I can't wait to go on with that series.

I have lost my list of the books I read at the beginning of the week. I really need to write this as I finish the books - but then that would be organized and on top of things - something I have never been. In fact I am anything but!

Monday's Heroes

In the last two weeks we finally have Elder Robert and Sister Dixie Wood home. They will be the new Boston Temple President and Temple Matron in November. It is nice to have them back - even if it is for just a visit. But it will be so wonderful to have them be in the Temple. It will be good to be enveloped with their love every time we walk in the door.

We almost lost them. They literally had a fiery car crash on the way here and if it hadn't been for good Samaritans - we wouldn't have the Woods in our midst. We are very lucky.

Elder and Sister Wood have an uncanny ability to pick up a conversation with from where you left off, whether it was yesterday or 8 months ago. They meet hundreds of people in the months of travel and yet as I was getting out of the car the other day I was having a hard time because I had been sitting for quite a while. Elder Wood walked over and then inquired how my knees were doing. How could he possibly remember about my knees and surgery!? He is amazing. Sister Wood is equally as amazing with her memory and love. We are so blessed to have them back and so lucky to have them in our lives. They are truly people to emulate - always.

Book Review Tuesday.

Could the pictures have gotten any more hap-hazard!? These are a few of the books I have read this week that I will write about.

I decided to re-read the 'Aunt Dimity' series. I have read all of the 'Cat who.." books and now I will read the 'Aunt Dimity' books up to the current one. That series of books starts with "Aunt Dimity's Death". You wouldn't think a series would start with a death but this one does and it is delightful. I read "Aunt Dimity's Death" and "Aunt Dimity and the Duke". I highly recommend both of them for pure fun. They are of course my favorite genre - light mystery.

I am now caught up with my 'knitting mysteries' by reading "Fleece Navidad". It was a fun read and I look forward to the next Maggie Sefton book. None of these have to be read in order - (including the Aunt Dimity Books) - they are great books on their own but they all have a continuous storyline that runs through them so it is fun to read them and know the background story as well as the current story.

My truly least favorite book this week was "The Water and the Blood". It is another Nancy E. Turner book. I was very disappointed in how dark and heavy this one was. With "These is My Words", she was able to take what could have been such a heavy subject and keep humor and lightness in it. This one just got heavier and heavier. It takes place in WWII in Eastern Texas - to begin with. The protagonist, 'Frosty' watches as some friends burn down a 'Negro Church'. The thing is - this is a place where she has found sanctuary all the time she has lived in this community and she stood by as they burned it down. It haunted her for the rest of the book and for good reason. Maybe it wouldn't affect others the way it affected me. The book was well written and I will be the first to admit it. As with Nancy Turner's other books , I could not put it down. I was just terribly depressed when I finished it. I hurried and downloaded what I thought was going to be an upbeat book (because our library was closed because of state holiday weekend). It turns out it is just as dismal as the "Water and the Blood" so far!

On a much happier note. Pam suggested that I read "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde. The only negative I could find in the book was some language - which is really used in a tongue in cheek type of fashion. The f-word pops up several times but all on one page - like a quota was needed so Fforde got rid of it all at once. The thing is - and this is bad - it doesn't really detract from the book. When you read the book - you will understand what I mean. What happens is that walls of literature and the real world are so thin - people can pass through them. So people from the real word try and change literature for ransom. There are Special Agents that are just there to protect literature and that is what Thursday Next - our heroine does for a living. The night I finished to book - dinner wasn't on the table until almost 8:00 because I just lost track of time. Why Clyde didn't say something - I don't know - but we survived and I finished a great book. I look forward to the next one!

Monday's Hero

I should have done this hero last week because it was closer to his birthday, but I felt very strongly that I needed to do Sara - so she won out.

My hero this week is Frank Joe Dittmar, III. He is my sister's husband. I remember when he came to ask my parents if he could marry Marianne (or as my mother kept telling everyone, to tell them he was marrying Marianne) and how much Omi liked him. Omi said, "He knows what he wants and goes for it." I was trying not to make a snap decision - after all my first impressions have gotten me into worlds of trouble and I knew I needed to care about this person for eternity. I am glad I was more reserved. I have always like Frank and he is the perfect husband for my sister. They are parents to the 4 most amazing daughters (other than ours) on the face of the earth. Frank is an honorable man. He is a wonderful husband and father and more than that he is honorable priesthood holder. He is fulfilled every calling I have ever seen him receive to the best of his ability - giving it truly everything he has. His testimony defines who he is as well as his family. Frank is constantly growing and changing for the better. He makes this a conscious decision. He is an amazing man and he is my hero today.

15 Most Influential Religious Books I Have Read

This gives me a chance to add more books to my list

1. Jesus the Christ
2. The Work and the Glory Series
3. The Prophet Joseph
4. Women's Voices
5. Go Forward With Faith (Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley)
6. Purity of Heart
7. Christ and the New Covenant
8. The Miracle of Forgiveness
9. Teach Ye Diligently
10. The Messiah Series by Bruce R. McConkie
11. The Majesty of Books
12. Mere Christianity
13. Screwtape Letters
14. Chronicles of Narnia
15. Mary Fielding Smith

15 Books That Stick With You

Heidi Tagged me to pick 15 books that have stuck with me. Since I read a book a day and I blog about some of them every Tuesday I decided to write down the first 15 that popped into my mind. I gave myself 5 minutes. Here are my results.

1. The Scriptures

2. Mrs. Mike

3. Enchanted April

4. Fiddler on the Roof

5. Auntie Mame (though I would not recommend it)

6. To Kill a Mockingbird

7. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

8. The Host by Stephanie Meyers

9. Twilight

10. The Quilter's Apprentice

11. Dewey - the Library Cat

12. Harry Potter - pick one

13. Mr. Popper's Penguins

14. These is My Words (Though the third book in the series was my favorite).

15. Number the Stars

I tag the Dittmar girls and Elise. This was so much fun I think tomorrow I will do the 15 books written by religious authors that have influenced my life.

Three Things Quiz

I was tagged by Heather on Facebook for the "Three Things Quiz" but somehow I never do the Facebook quizzes. Heidi did hers on her blog and I decided that was a good idea.

Three names I go by:
1. Grandma
2. GaGa
3. Mom

Three jobs I have had:
1. Working in the Frost Brothers Fabric Dept.
2. Working for Cloth World
3. Substitute Teacher

Three Places I have lived:
1. Frankfurt Germany
2. Silver Spring, Maryland
3. Heidelberg Germany

Three Favorite Drinks
1. Water
2. Raspberry Lemonade
3. Hot Chocolate

Three Favorite TV Shows
1. American Masters on PBS
2. Mystery on PBS
3. NCIS

Three Places I have Been
1. Oberammergau to see the Passion Play (It is performed every 10 years and will be performed this year).
2. Switzerland
3. Holland

Three people that call me regularly:
1. Pam
2. Heidi
3. Carianne

Three favorite foods:
1. Good Mexican Food
2. Chocolate
3. Bread

Three Pets I have had:
1. Courtney O'Reilly III (a black cocker spaniel) when I was about 5
2. Dolly (a beagle) when I was about 12
3. Ming and Ching (Siamese cats) my teenage years

Three Places I want to go before I die:
1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. Disney Land or Disney World

I tag whomever would like to do this but I would really like to see what Elise, Julianna, Annemarie, Sara and Christina's "Three's" are.

The Hand that is Dealt Us

I am fascinated with how people handle what life deals them. I know people that can't have children, have horribly complicated pregnancies, have lost children, have lost spouses, have faced death or even succumbed to death because of life threatening diseases. My mother fought dying like a trooper. For my whole like she had major health issues and we almost lost her many times before she finally passed away. Most people that knew her really didn't know just how sick she really was. That was not what she dwelled on. Other people I know - their illnesses are all they discuss. If the didn't have their health issues, they would not be able to carry on a conversation.

I know women that have quit attending Church because they were so mad at Heavenly Father they couldn't face another mother holding a baby. I even fit that one for a while (only for a few weeks). I would have a horrible time just after my miscarriages attending Church again because I was so jealous. That was what it really boiled down too. I was jealous of what they had. The day I was at peace with with the life Heavenly Father dealt me, I realized I was pregnant with Carianne. For 7 months of that pregnancy I was in bed - something I had said I would never do. But when it came down to it - if bed rest was what was going to keep me pregnant - then I would follow DR's orders. Apparently I had grown up enough to be a mother and I was rewarded with Carianne. No matter what we did - what type of birth control we used thereafter, the rest of the girls showed up on their own time table. We had no control over it. Then when Pam was born, EVERYONE told me that she was the last. But more importantly, Heavenly Father had told me that. I had never felt like our family was incomplete. With Pam - we were the family we were supposed to be.

It has been a lot of little lessons along the way for me to accept what Heavenly Father wants for me. There have been times when I have been hardheaded and hardhearted. I have paid for that dearly. I could dwell on that and wish I done better. In my 'old-age' I realize that does me no good. What I do realize is I have learned from these mistakes and now I listen when I pray and accept what is given me, no matter how good or grim. I realize that I am blessed. I have to look at each and every opportunity that presents itself as just that - an opportunity. I can either let it defeat me or I can conquer it! It has taken me a long time to get to this point.

Tuesday Book Review

I have read a bunch of books this week because Clyde was gone from Wednesday through Sunday. I don't sleep when he is not here so that leaves reading and playing games on the computer. Games lose their interest really quick. Here are a few.

I read "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it had been made into a movie with Colin Firth as Vermeer (which I could totally see!) but I have no idea who played Griete - the protagonist. I cannot find that a movie had ever been done so it must not have panned out. But the story was great. After having nightmares all week last week because of what I was reading, it was nice to read something that let me sleep easy.

I finished all of the 'Cat Who...' books. The last one was quite dark, Polly moved away and Qwill's house (barn) burned down. It was much darker than her other books. Lilian Jackson Braun is getting up there in years and so it just might be that she is finishing up the series. She is supposed to be publishing a new one this fall.

I read "The Quilter's Kitchen" by Jennifer Chiaverini. That took 30 minutes. It is mostly a short story with recipes running through it. Fun read if you need a quick pick me up.

When my grandson Nathanael was born, I was visiting. Carianne and Carl decided to take Nathanael and Carlye to their family reunion at Lake Buchanan and Pam and I were left alone for a few days. Pam's friend, Erica ran us over to Hastings to buy some books and I found several Carolyn Hart books for 50 cents each. I fell in love with her. (It was a good thing we had gone out when we had because we were flooded in for the next two days!). It was delightful to read in Carianne and Carl's house and just do as we pleased (they have a wonderful home). This last week I read the latest Carolyn Hart book in the Death on Demand series. The book was "Death Walked In". Heidi and I have read them all from the beginning now. This one was a little darker than the others but the reason was the 3 women that cause the comedy relief throughout the other books came in a cluster several times in this book. So instead of getting 'ditsy Laurel' threaded throughout or Henny who is so serious that she can't be real - you got them together with Emma (who is a mystery writer that thinks her protagonist Marigold is real) all at one time. This made the book much darker than most of Carolyn Hart's books. Annie and Max are quite serious people in their own right so without this comedy relief the book had a slightly different flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed it and still recommend Carolyn Hart to anyone but it was just a little darker. Carolyn Hart is still firmly entrenched in my 'fluffy mystery' genre. This book was nothing like John Grisham novel - it just wasn't quite as fluffy as the past novels. I have noticed that quite a few of my writers newest novels are a little darker this year. Must be a sign of the times.

Monday's Heroine

My heroine today is Sara Warne. This is my husband's youngest sister. Sara is one of those people that walks into a room and becomes the life of the party. No matter what life deals her - she always makes lemonade out of the lemons on hand. It does come at a cost, physically and emotionally but she will give and give before she ever thinks of herself. Sara has dealt with a lot of health issues as an adult and seems to have to deal with more all the time. But she faces them with a smile.

Sara is an amazing wife and mother. She has raised two wonderful sons, Steven and Brian. When Brian was very young he was struck down with cancer. Several other children died of the same type but that was not on Sara's agenda. She prayed and sang her way through his treatments and Brian lived to tell the tale. Brian's father and brother were there too - to support but Sara was there all the way. I still look at how that family gathered together and fought together for Brian's life and won. The rest of us fasted and prayed but the Warnes truly fought the fight as a united front. The Lord loved them and blessed them. In gratitude, Sara cut an album of hymns of thankfulness for her son's life. I make it sound like she dotes on Brian - No! She dotes on all three of her men!

Sara has the uncanny ability of helping people put the pieces of their lives back together - even when the other person is not aware that their life is in disarray. Sara keeps Christ centered in her life and that is what keeps her going. She has a wonderful husband with a marriage that is strong and true because they love each other and work hard to keep it going. This has been one of my most poorly phrased blogs because I just cannot put into words my awe of Sara. She is truly someone that I am proud to call my sister. (I have no pictures of Sara or her family on my computer or my sticks - weird, huh?!)