Dear Mr. Knightley- book number 1 of my summer reading list

I finished my first book from my summer reading list. I read Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. It was a great way to start of my summer reading list. I really loved this book. I loved the storyline. It wasn't an easy story. There were very real life emotions and situations but it wasn't graphic and very happily had no language. It made me think and cry and smile. I loved Sam the main character. She is so flawed and has been through so much. I can't begin to explain how much I identified with her character. I felt like I was reading about myself a lot of the time. I loved her love of books and made me think about the things I use in my own life to protect myself. I loved watching her discover who she is and who she wants to be. It made me think harder about my relationships and about myself.
That being said I can only give it 4 out of 5 stars because it is an almost identical storyline to the book Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster published in 1912. The whole time I was reading the book I kept thinking of that book and wondering if this is a modern day retelling but from everything that I have seen it is not. If you haven't ever read that book then you have nothing to worry about. I loved both books and they do have differences but are essentially the same story. I would highly recommend this book and would love to have someone to talk about it with. The copy I read has book club questions at the end that also gave me a lot to think about. I wish that I was in a bookclub because I would love to hear the conversations about this book. It would give you a lot to talk about.
Here is a link to the book on goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17657649-dear-mr-knightley?from_search=true

 Now on to book number 2... not sure what it will be yet but I'll keep you posted!
Happy Reading!

Summer Reading List 2014

Hey all, I am a terrible blogger but I thought that i would post today a list of books that I am going to read and try to even review on my blog this summer. For anyone who still actually looks at this blog or who doesn't know me well, I am an avid reader. I love to get lost in a book, be it fiction or nonfiction alike. There is something so special about losing yourself in words written to bring you joy. Lately though I have been going through reader's block, somewhat akin to writer's block. So, I have done some research and have come up with 25 books that I would like to read this summer. Now once again, if you don't know me I am a member of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints so some of these books may be church related. I try to steer clear of books with terrible language and nasty sex scenes. That being said I haven't read any of these books so I have no idea what content they hold. I will let you know the content on general terms as I read. I am a book lover and as such I never stick to one genre. I usually am reading two or three books at the same time. This list is a compilation of fiction, nonfiction, YA, LDS, and even a middle grade fiction book. I have a couple of books on here that are in series and need to be read in order. Anyhow after this long winded intro here is my list.
  Summer Reading List 2014
 1. The Gifts Of Imperfection By Brene Brown 
 Each day we face a barrage of images and messages from society and the media telling us who, what, and how we should be. We are led to believe that if we could only look perfect and lead perfect lives, we'd no longer feel inadequate. So most of us perform, please, and perfect, all the while thinking, What if I can't keep all of these balls in the air? Why isn't everyone else working harder and living up to my expectations? What will people think if I fail or give up? When can I stop proving myself? In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown, Ph.D., a leading expert on shame, authenticity and belonging, shares what she's learned from a decade of research on the power of Wholehearted Living a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness. In her ten guideposts, Brown engages our minds, hearts, and spirits as she explores how we can cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough, And to go to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am sometimes afraid, but I am also brave. And, yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable, but that doesn't change the truth that I am worthy of love and belonging.

 2. The False Princess By Ellis O'Neal
Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court.  But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection.  Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her new found niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks.  But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

3.And The Mountains Echoes By Khaled Hosseini
In this tale revolving around not just parents and children but brothers and sisters, cousins and caretakers, Hosseini explores the many ways in which families nurture, wound, betray, honor, and sacrifice for one another; and how often we are surprised by the actions of those closest to us, at the times that matter most.

Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page

4. The Other Story By Tatiana De Rosnay
Vacationing at a luxurious Tuscan island resort, Nicolas Duhamel is hopeful that the ghosts of his past have finally been put to rest… Now a bestselling author, when he was twenty-four years old, he stumbled upon a troubling secret about his family – a secret that was carefully concealed. In shock, Nicholas embarked on a journey to uncover the truth that took him from the Basque coast to St. Petersburg – but the answers wouldn’t come easily.

In the process of digging into his past, something else happened. Nicolas began writing a novel that was met with phenomenal success, skyrocketing him to literary fame whether he was ready for it or not – and convincing him that he had put his family’s history firmly behind him. But now, years later, Nicolas must reexamine everything he thought he knew, as he learns that, however deeply buried, the secrets of the past always find a way out.

5. Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore By Robin Sloan
The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon away from life as a San Francisco web-design drone and into the aisles of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after a few days on the job, Clay discovers that the store is more curious than either its name or its gnomic owner might suggest. The customers are few, and they never seem to buy anything—instead, they “check out” large, obscure volumes from strange corners of the store. Suspicious, Clay engineers an analysis of the clientele’s behavior, seeking help from his variously talented friends. But when they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, they discover the bookstore’s secrets extend far beyond its walls. Rendered with irresistible brio and dazzling intelligence, Robin Sloan's Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is exactly what it sounds like: an establishment you have to enter and will never want to leave.

6. I Capture The Castle By Dodie Smith
I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"--and the heart of the reader--in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

7. Seraphina By Rachel Hartman
A new vision of knights, dragons, and the fair maiden caught in between . . .

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered. While a sinister plot to destroy the peace is uncovered, Seraphina struggles to protect the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance will make a magical, indelible impression on its readers.

8. The Boys In The Boat By Daniel James Brown
Daniel James Brown’s robust book tells the story of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. The sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the boys defeated elite rivals first from eastern and British universities and finally the German crew rowing for Adolf Hitler in the Olympic games in Berlin, 1936.

9. Murder On The Orient Express
Just after midnight, a snowstorm stops the Orient Express dead in its tracks in the middle of Yugoslavia. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for this time of year. But by morning there is one passenger less. A 'respectable American gentleman' lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside . . . Hercule Poirot is also aboard, having arrived in the nick of time to claim a second-class compartment -- and the most astounding case of his illustrious career.

10. Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand 
On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

11. Rivals In The City (The Agency #4) By Y.S. Lee
This is the fourth colourful and action-packed Victorian detective novel about the exploits of agent Mary Quinn. Mary Quinn and James Easton have set up as private detectives and are also unofficially engaged to be married. But when the Agency asks Mary to take on a special final case, she can't resist, and agrees. Convicted fraudster Henry Thorold (from book one, A Spy in the House) is dying in prison. His daughter, Angelica, is coming to see him one last time. Mary's brief is to monitor these visits in case Mrs Thorold, last heard of as a fugitive in France, decides to pay him one last visit. But Mrs Thorold's return would place James in grave personal danger. Thanks to the complications of love and family loyalties, the stakes for everyone involved are higher than ever. This is the final book in the Mary Quinn Mystery series. 

12. Princess Ben By Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Benevolence is not your typical princess.
With her parents lost to assassins, Princess Ben ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia. Starved and miserable, locked in the castle’s highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So begins her secret education in the magical arts: mastering an obstinate flying broomstick, furtively emptying the castle pantries, setting her hair on fire . . . But Ben’s private adventures are soon overwhelmed by a mortal threat to her kingdom. Can Ben save the country and herself from foul tyranny

13. A Quiet Heart By Patricia Holland
Of all the needs of the human heart, surely none is greater than the need for peace.

So writes Patricia Holland in A Quiet Heart, and her words resonate with all who find themselves in turmoil. The truth is, no one escapes this life without plenty of trials; even in times of prosperity and happiness, we can get mired in the busy-ness of living and lose track of the soul-centering principles of the gospel.A Quiet Heart can help us find our way back. Its gentle, faith-filled tone immediately soothes the troubled mind and invites the reader to seek solutions and comfort from their one true Source. As Sister Holland assures us, "God will not fail nor forsake us."

14. A Tale Of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
The story is set in the late 18th century against the background of the French Revolution. Although Dickens borrowed from Thomas Carlyle's history, The French Revolution, for his sprawling tale of London and revolutionary Paris, the novel offers more drama than accuracy. The scenes of large-scale mob violence are especially vivid, if superficial in historical understanding. The complex plot involves Sydney Carton's sacrifice of his own life on behalf of his friends Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette. While political events drive the story, Dickens takes a decidedly antipolitical tone, lambasting both aristocratic tyranny and revolutionary excess--the latter memorably caricatured in Madame Defarge, who knits beside the guillotine. The book is perhaps best known for its opening lines, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," and for Carton's last speech, in which he says of his replacing Darnay in a prison cell, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.

15. The Spark By Kristine Barnett
The extraordinary memoir of a mother's love, commitment and nurturing, which allowed her son, originally diagnosed with severe autism, to flourish into a universally recognized genius--and how any parent can help their child find their spark.

Today, at 13, Jacob is a paid researcher in quantum physics, working on extending Einstein's theory of relativity. Diagnosed at 1 with severe autism, at 3 he was assigned to life-skills classes and his parents were told to adjust their expectations. The goal: tying his own shoes at 16. Kristine's belief in the power of hope and the dazzling possibilities that can occur when we keep our minds open and learn to fuel a child's true potential changed everything.

16. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn By Betty Smith
The American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century.

17. A Train In Winter By Caroline Moorehead
On January 24, 1943, 230 women were placed in four cattle trucks on a train in Compiegne, in northeastern France, and the doors bolted shut for the journey to Auschwitz. They were members of the French Resistance, ranging in age from teenagers to the elderly, women who before the war had been doctors, farmers’ wives, secretaries, biochemists, schoolgirls. With immense courage they had taken up arms against a brutal occupying force; now their friendship would give them strength as they experienced unimaginable horrors. Only forty-nine of the Convoi des 31000 would return from the camps in the east; within ten years, a third of these survivors would be dead too, broken by what they had lived through. In this vitally important book, Caroline Moorehead tells the whole story of the 230 women on the train, for the first time. Based on interviews with the few remaining survivors, together with extensive research in French and Polish archives, A Train in Winter is an essential historical document told with the clarity and impact of a great novel. 

18. Supersonic Saints By John Bytheway
Riveting and faith-promoting, Supersonic Saints is a collection of more than 15 true stories of LDS pilots who felt the hand of the Lord in their lives when they needed it most. Many of these pilots are still active in the United States Armed Forces. All of them are alive and active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

19. The Book Of Life ( All Souls Trilogy #3) By Deborah Harkness
After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

20. Dear Mr. Knightley By Katherine Reay

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

21. The Headmistress of Rosemere By Sarah E. Ladd
Patience Creighton has devoted her
life to running her father’s boarding school. But when the enigmatic master of
the estate appears at her door, battered and unconscious, the young headmistress
suddenly finds her livelihood—and her heart —in the hands of one dangerously
handsome gentleman.

22. The Life List By Lori Nelson Spielman
Brett Bohlinger seems to have it all: a plum job, a spacious loft, an irresistibly handsome boyfriend. All in all, a charmed life. That is, until her beloved mother passes away, leaving behind a will with one big stipulation: In order to receive her inheritance, Brett must first complete the life list of goals she’d written when she was a naïve girl of fourteen. Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision—her childhood dreams don’t resemble her ambitions at age thirty-four in the slightest. Some seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other goals (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. As Brett reluctantly embarks on a perplexing journey in search of her adolescent dreams, one thing becomes clear. Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.

23. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy By Douglas Adams
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and his best friend has just announced that he’s an alien. At this moment, they’re hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the big, friendly words: DON’T PANIC. The weekend has only just begun…

24. Daughters Of God By S. Michael Wilcox

Explore the lives of the great women in the scriptures

Why was Deborah called upon to save her people? How did Priscilla and Claudia help with spreading the gospel? The scriptures are filled with the stories of women, spiritual giants who played vital roles in sacred events, and everyday women who quietly helped to change their world for the better. Because the record of their lives is often sketchy, we may not realize how important they are. This book shares the inspiring stories of the women who have played key roles in spiritual and historical events – Eve, Rebekah, Ether, Mary, Dorcas, Sariah, Emma Smith – and many others.

25. Northanger Abbey By Jane Austen
Jane Austen's classic novel. Northanger Abbey follows seventeen-year-old Gothic novel aficionado Catherine Morland and family friends Mr. and Mrs. Allen as they visit Bath, England. Catherine is in Bath for the first time. There she meets her friends such as Isabella Thorpe, and goes to balls. Catherine finds herself pursued by Isabella's brother, the rather rough-mannered, slovenly John Thorpe, and by her real love interest, Henry Tilney. She also becomes friends with Eleanor Tilney, Henry's younger sister. Henry captivates her with his view on novels and his knowledge of history and the world. General Tilney (Henry and Eleanor's father) invites Catherine to visit their estate, Northanger Abbey, which, from her reading of Ann Radcliffe's gothic novel The Mysteries of Udolpho, she expects to be dark, ancient and full of Gothic horrors and fantastical mystery.

So that is my list. There is a little of everything. I hope that someone can make use of this. I don't know which order I am going to read these in but I'll let you know as I go. Happy Reading!

It's been too long!

Wow, it has been so long since I blogged. Life got in the way and business took over. I doubt anyone even looks at this anymore which works well for me. Life has been so tough as of late. It's funny how tough times make me need a place to express my feelings so I have chosen this as that place. Kyle has been sick now for over a year. It has been really bad as of late. Why is it so hard when someone you love is in pain. I wish that I could take all of the pain so that he doesn't hurt anymore. He has had some major tests and we are waiting (not so patiently on my part) for the results of those tests. We have been blessed to have some amazing friends back in Taber who helped us get Kyle the tests that he needs. Honestly my faith in the medical community has been seriously diminished, but thankfully good friends have helped me regain some of that faith. I think I have realized that I am very lonely and alone here. With the difficult times we have had in this ward I have never felt so alone and unwanted. I miss having support from good friends and ward members. Why is it that when you don't accept bad treatment from others it is always you that ends up alone. Anyone have any advice on how to move on when you have been hurt and ill treated over and over again? I know that turning the other cheek is the way to go but why is it so hard? These trials of the past year have definitely shaken my testimony along the way and that makes me sad. I always thought that I was very strong and stalwart but I have been surprised at how much they have affected me. I miss the confidence I used to have and seem to have lost along the way. It's hard to make what I know in my head match up what I am feeling in my heart. I know that I was aware of the trials that I would have along the way through this life but sometimes it feels like it is a little too much to handle. I would love to have a period of time that would go by quite smoothly, even just for a little while. I am very grateful for the small blessings in my life, I really do appreciate them more and more everyday. My kids are growing like crazy. They are turning into great little people who know how to keep us on our toes. Halle is almost 13 and enjoying middle school. She is very shy around people but has a very good heart. I am trying to find ways to teach her to open up, but she is so much like me at that age. I worry that she will not fit in with the girls in YW. She is so different that they are, hopefully they will see how shy she is and help her open up. She has been excelling in school and really enjoyed playing on the basketball team. She has also been working on her personal progress and is currently making a quilt for one of her 10 hour projects. Brady is 10 and turning into such a great young man. He is very sweet and kind. He is growing and now has feet the same size as mine. He loves school, especially math and science. He has been playing football and despite my reservations has chosen to play again this year. He is enjoying learning the new sport and developing new skills. It's been hard as the parent because he has always been on the small side but I keep telling him that on of these days he will have a growth spurt and catch up to everyone else. Brady loves anything electronic and anything Star Wars. Poor boy has such a nerdy mother that I have led him to my nerdy ways! He really wants to learn to play chase so I am in search of a chess set. Apparently I am going to have to learn to play chess as well. Adam is 6 and growing like a weed. He is loving grade 1 and despite a slow start his reading is growing by leaps and bounds. He loves to learn and is enjoying his teacher and grade 1 experience. He loves to play outside and is really looking forward to summer and all the fun that he can have outside. Adam is such a sweet and loving boy. He is definitely my most emotional child. He loves without reservation and always wants to help those around him. I love his hugs and cuddles. He always makes me smile. Mason is 5 and changing everyday. He cannot wait for kindergarten in the fall. He is starting to read and loves to learn. He loves to draw and write and play with numbers. He is taking swimming lessons right now and is turning into a little fish. I love the great little boy that he is turning into. These kids always manage to make me smile even when they are driving me crazy. It is amazing now much they teach me each and every day. Other than that life is moving on, getting older and hopefully wiser. I am really hoping that things with Kyle will get better and that he will be able to go back to work soon. I miss the routines and security. I am trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel. All these things must have a purpose so we will endure it and hopefully come out better for it in the end. Talk to you soon.

Here is a quote that I saw on facebook today. It is really great and makes the hard things seem more bearable. “Because Heavenly Father is merciful, a principle of compensation prevails.... The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude.” ~Joseph B. Wirthlin I really hope this is true because I have definitely shed many tears in my time.

Homesick

Well here goes my first real blog entry in forever. Luckily no one reads this anymore but I'm posting anyways. I am so homesick for Taber. It's been 18 months since we moved but I still miss it. I really came to think of it as home. It's the longest I've ever lived in one place and it really became home. Things here are getting to be more familiar and I feel like I have a couple of good friends here but it hasn't become home yet. I have never been a popular girl most of the time I have spent being the ever present wall flower that people either ignored or just didn't notice. I feel like that here unless people are noticing something that seems to prove to them that I'm obviously not good enough. I struggle with confidence in myself, I have my entire life. It's hard when even now I have people who will find out who my sister is and then say to me that it's impossible because she is too pretty. In Taber I was nowhere near the popular girl but I really felt like I belonged. My first real friend in Taber was my mom's age and one of the most amazing people I have ever met. The only person I will name on this blog is her. Heather Farrell is one in a million, I cannot even express what she has meant to me in the time we lived in Taber. I love having someone as a close friend from a different genereation who treated me as an equal. I will always be indebted to Heather for all that she did for me. All of my friends in Taber will never even begin to understand the impact they have had in my life. For the first time ever I felt accepted for who I was regardless of how I looked, how much money I had, what calling I held in the church. I really felt accepted there. I loved knowing so many people in the church but also in the community. I had so many friends of all faiths and that was really important to me. I was talking to a freind of mine on the phone who lives in Taber and it just made me smile to know that they were still there and still willing to take time out of their day to talk to me. It may not seem like much but to me it really means a lot. In no way do I think Taber is the most perfect place on the earth. In fact before we moved there I didn't want to go. I had lived in a small mormon community before and it was such a bad experience that I didn't want to go there agian. But I learned that Taber was different than what I had experienced before. I really loved it. So i guess this has turned into a sort of thank-you note to all those in Taber who had such a great influence on my life. You may not know it but I will always treasure my friends and my time spent there.
Things here are starting to become a new normal. The friends that I have made are great. I am slowly getting into my own groove here. I love the primary kids that I work with, they really are great. I love primary which is good because I am always serving there. It's nice to know that I am even marginally good at something. I have noticed that I have gone back to being the invisible girl again. For example, I went to a meeting at someone's home and later found out that most of the people there hadn't even noticed that I attended. I should be used to it by now, that is how it's been my whole life. I have battled shyness forever and apparently always will. I haven't really discovered a place in my ward. We have a new bishop and I'm sure he doesn't even know my name. Not that that is a bad thing. I struggle with feeling extremely judged by people in this ward but I am working on it.
I have realized that no matter where we are we just have to keep living the way we have chosen, regardless of what life throws at us. I feel like life has thrown me some really hard curveballs but I know that if I keep doing what I know is right that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
So after this long post I just want to say thank-you again to my Taber home. I am really missing you and hope that all is well. Thank-you to our frineds here in Sylvan Lake you have made this transition easier on me.

I saw this quote on Facebook today and it made me stop and think of how I view faith and trust. It ave me a lot to think about.

‎"It takes great faith and courage to pray to our Heavenly Father, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.” The faith to believe in the Lord and endure brings great strength. Some may say if we have enough faith, we can sometimes change the circumstances that are causing our trials and tribulations. Is our faith to change circumstances, or is it to endure them? Faithful prayers may be offered to change or moderate events in our life, but we must always remember that when concluding each prayer, there is an understanding: “Thy will be done”. Faith in the Lord includes trust in the Lord. The faith to endure well is faith based upon accepting the Lord’s will and the lessons learned in the events that transpire." - Robert D. Hales http://www.lds.org/ensign/1998/05/behold-we-count-them-happy-which-endure?lang=eng

I am really going to try to post more regularily on here. Talk to you soon.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved this book. It's a juvenile fiction and was written for 9-12 year-olds, but I still loved it. Ihad every intention of just reading the first chapter and then putting it down to read something else but it sucked me in. I would love to have a book club with my daughter and read books that I loved when I was young! What a fun read. I think my daughter will really like it too. I'm looking forward to the next book!



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