Victoria - Daisy Goodwin

Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
Genre:  Historical Fiction; Royalty
Pages:  352
Publishing Date:  November 22, 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:
In 1837, less than a month after her eighteenth birthday, Alexandrina Victoria – sheltered, small in stature, and female – became Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Many thought it was preposterous: Alexandrina — Drina to her family — had always been tightly controlled by her mother and her household, and was surely too unprepossessing to hold the throne. Yet from the moment William IV died, the young Queen startled everyone: abandoning her hated first name in favor of Victoria; insisting, for the first time in her life, on sleeping in a room apart from her mother; resolute about meeting with her ministers alone.

One of those ministers, Lord Melbourne, became Victoria’s private secretary. Perhaps he might have become more than that, except everyone argued she was destined to marry her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. But Victoria had met Albert as a child and found him stiff and critical: surely the last man she would want for a husband.


My Thoughts:

I received an email about this book from NetGalley.  The cover was gorgeous, and I pretty much love anything to do with royalty – historical, contemporary, whatever.  The fact that the author has also written the screenplay for the PBS series coming January 2017…well, that’s just a bonus.

Despite living in England for a few of my middle grade years, I don’t have as strong a grasp on British history as I would like.  And I went into this book not knowing a lot about Queen Victoria…although I could picture the older her in my head.  So I didn’t have a lot of historical expectations in my head.  Just story expectations.  Daisy Goodwin did not disappoint. 

She can tell a great story.  I was drawn in from page one.  This book was infinitely readable.  I read it on my Kindle as we were traveling over the holidays.  I’ve started feeling carsick when reading on a device in the car.  But that didn’t matter.  I read this book straight through the nausea and headache. 

Goodwin paints young Victoria as an impetuous, headstrong girl.  Which is completely understandable giving her cloistered upbringing.  This book covers Queen Victoria’s 18^th and 19^th years.  Her learning of her position and role in the British government; navigating social expectations and hierarchy; and, really, still becoming herself.  Those figures around her were also interesting and complex.

I think the story covered these years of Victoria in adequate detail.  It didn’t bog down yet also didn’t go so quickly I ever felt lost. 

It is said that Goodwin pulled from Victoria’s own diaries for some of her material.  As I said before, I’m not a history expert.  So if there are historical discrepancies, I didn’t catch them.  But it seemed as if the author’s research was more than adequate to me.

A great read, and I’m looking forward to the coming PBS series.  Oh, and I’m going to go add all of Daisy Goodwin’s other books to my To Be Read list.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

The Best of Us - Sarah Pekkanen

The Best of Us by Sarah Pekkanen

Genre:  Women’s Fiction

Pages:  335

Publishing Date:  January 1, 2013



Synopsis from Goodreads:

Following a once-in-a-lifetime invitation, a group of old college friends leap at the chance to bring their husbands for a week’s vacation at a private villa in Jamaica to celebrate a former classmates' thirty-fifth birthday.
All four women are desperate for a break and this seems like a perfect opportunity. Tina is drowning under the demands of mothering four young children. Allie needs to escape from the shattering news about an illness that runs in her family. Savannah is carrying the secret of her husband’s infidelity. And, finally, there’s Pauline, who spares no expense to throw her husband an unforgettable birthday celebration, hoping it will gloss over the cracks that have already formed in their new marriage.
The week begins idyllically, filled with languorous days and late nights of drinking and laughter. But as a hurricane approaches the island, turmoil builds, forcing each woman to re-evaluate everything she’s known about the others—and herself.


My Thoughts:
My book club book for November. 

I had read a previous book by Pekkanen (The Best of Me) that I recall enjoying.  So I was looking forward to this read, and the story certainly was engaging. 

This is a book of friendships and secrets and love.  While these friends are away on a dream vacation, both the best and the worst are revealed.  None of the secrets were especially shattering, most were predictable.  Still, the characters were engaging even though there wasn’t a lot of character change through the book.  I related to Tina and her life, although I only have two young kiddos at home. I can understand the all-demanding nature of being at home with them.  So it was nice to see her get a break. 

I will say that Savannah as a character completely annoyed me.  I could have done entirely without her and her drama.  And the fact that her actions never had consequences…annoying as well.

I liked most of the story although there was a scene or two towards the end that I felt was over the top and impractical.  But I definitely kept turning the pages throughout to confirm where it was all going. 

There was a lot of drinking, some swearing, and some sexual innuendo.  All of those things knock the book down a star in my estimation.

However, the characters and fantasy plot made for a fun read overall.

Shakespeare Update

Will this year never end?!?!  Shakespeare is a beast. 

I have to average a work every 5 days in order to finish up all of Shakespeare's works by December 31st. 

The last couple have been fairly enjoyable.  I'm reading Cymbeline now and liking it more than I've enjoyed many that I've read.  I'm thinking I'm not a tragedy person for sure.  I have a more comedic leaning when it comes to Shakespeare.

However, I continue to be amazed at how prevalent Shakespeare is in our culture as far as references, words lifted from his works, etc.  He is absolutely all over the place.  And on Jeopardy a lot too. 

A Portrait of Emily Price - Katherine Reay

A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay

Genre:  Fiction; Contemporary; Chick Lit

Pages:  368

Publishing Date:  November 1, 2016

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Emily Price—fix-it girl extraordinaire and would-be artist—dreams of having a gallery show of her own. There is no time for distractions, especially not the ultimate distraction of falling in love.
But Chef Benito Vassallo’s relentless pursuit proves hard to resist. Visiting from Italy, Ben works to breathe new life into his aunt and uncle’s faded restaurant, Piccollo. Soon after their first meeting, he works to win Emily as well—inviting her into his world and into his heart.
Emily astonishes everyone when she accepts Ben’s proposal and follows him home. But instead of allowing the land, culture, and people of Monterello to transform her, Emily interferes with everyone and everything around her, alienating Ben’s tightly knit family. Only Ben’s father, Lucio, gives Emily the understanding she needs to lay down her guard. Soon, Emily’s life and art begin to blossom, and Italy’s beauty and rhythm take hold of her spirit.
Yet when she unearths long-buried family secrets, Emily wonders if she really fits into Ben’s world. Will the joys of Italy become just a memory, or will Emily share in the freedom and grace that her life with Ben has shown her are possible?



My Thoughts:
I have read and enjoyed Katherine Reay’s previous books, so I made sure I requested an ARC from NetGalley. 

This book was different from Reay’s previous books in that it departed from literary ties and delved more into the art world.  I think that is the main reason it took me awhile to engage in the books and with the characters.  The art world is not something I am familiar with.  Or Italian, for that matter; and there was quite a bit of Italian sprinkled throughout. 

I appreciated the characters.  Emily and Ben share a connection.  While their whirlwind love story is quite fairytale, it is sweet.  I actually would like to see a follow-on book about Ben’s brother.  He was a dynamic supporting character who captured my attention.  I would like to see how his story continues.   

The story was fairly predictable, but I think that’s what a reader respects from this genre.  It’s what keeps us coming back. 

There is a deeper theme exploring the layers people have and restoration – of family, relationships, and self.  It wasn’t preachy though. 

I really have no content warnings.  There was quite a bit of wine drinking.  However, I chalked that up to Italian culture since so much of the book revolves around food and customs of Italy. 

It was a good book.  Not my favorite of hers, but I don’t regret the hours (and one late night) I spent turning the virtual pages. 

A Royal Christmas Wedding - Rachel Hauck

A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck
(Royal Wedding Series #4)

Genre:  Christian fiction, romance

Pages:  240 pages

Publishing Date:  October 18, 2015

Synopsis from Goodreads:
It’s been five years since Avery Truitt and Prince Colin of Brighton Kingdom fell in love. But he broke her heart with no explanation.
Fast forward to present day, and Colin is Brighton’s most eligible bachelor now that cousin Stephen has married. When Avery’s father dies of a heart attack, she puts her life on hold and returns home to St. Simons Island, Georgia, to help Mama with the family restaurant. But Mama misses Avery’s sister Susanna, who lives four thousand miles away in Brighton Kingdom—and is expecting her first child. So Mama insists she and Avery spend the Christmas season in Brighton.
Colin and Avery are going to see each other a lot while she’s visiting. But she can’t forget the way he hurt her, and he didn’t expect his feelings to still be so strong.
Avery is torn between considering a future in Brighton and taking a coaching job in Georgia, and Colin is finally pushed to pursue what he really wants. Is it too late to convince Avery that she is his true love? And even if he does, will she make it to the chapel on Christmas Day to give him her heart?


My Thoughts:

I have read the previous three books in Rachel Hauck’s Royal Wedding Series.  I’ll admit, I’m fairly obsessed with royalty and the idea of fairy tale perfect matches.  So when I learned she had a new book in the series, I requested an ARC from NetGalley.

Unfortunately, I didn’t fall in love with this book.  It was, probably, my least favorite of the series – a couple of which I enjoyed.  I gave it 2 stars (“It was okay.”) on Goodreads but is more of a 1.5 in my evaluation. 

Avery and Colin have a past.  In a whirlwind courtship when Avery was 17, they fell deeply and madly in love.  Then Colin cancelled on attending her prom and ceased all communication…for five years.  Then the holiday season suddenly throws them back together in daily contact via their respective families.  The whole premise is if they rekindle their love.  Which, of course they do.  It’s a Christian romance book.  So it’s more a question of how they do. 

I enjoyed revisiting with Susanna from a previous book.  A few other characters make mentions or brief appearances.  But this book definitely has Avery and Colin as the focus – which is how it should be in this genre.  And they drove me crazy.  How adamant Avery was that she was over him when speaking to others but kept talking to herself about how much she was still in love with him.  How they (Colin mostly) continued to get into the same situations to cause doubt and angst. 

My angst with the book was how quickly all of it happened.  Granted, Colin and Avery had a relationship five years previous.  However, five years have passed.  Haven’t they both changed?  Don’t they want to at least sort of get to know who they each are now – especially since everything that goes wrong Avery assumes Colin is just the same as he’d been.    I would have liked a slower pace for the romance (re)development. 

I did struggle some, too, with knowing who was talking.  Many times, I didn’t know who had which lines of dialogue.  That was frustrating.  Perhaps it is an issue just with the ebook copy I had.    There were also some discrepancies in the text.  Minor things, but there nonetheless.

All that being said, this book is still a good read for those in a mood for ooey gooey emotional romance free of sex.  While it didn’t keep me up at night turning pages, it was still a sweet story most enjoyed by those who like some fluff in their reading.  So probably just perfect for a Christmas book. 

The Wife, the Maid, & the Mistress - Ariel Lawhon

The Wife, the Maid & the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon

Genre:  historical fiction, mystery

Pages:  304

Publishing Date:  January 14, 2014

Synopsis from Goodreads:

One summer night in 1930, Judge Joseph Crater steps into a New York City cab and is never heard from again. Behind this great man are three women, each with her own tale to tell: Stella, his fashionable wife, the picture of propriety; Maria, their steadfast maid, indebted to the judge; and Ritzi, his showgirl mistress, willing to seize any chance to break out of the chorus line.
As the twisted truth emerges, Ariel Lawhon’s wickedly entertaining debut mystery transports us into the smoky jazz clubs, the seedy backstage dressing rooms, and the shadowy streets beneath the Art Deco skyline.

My Thoughts:

This was the book my book club chose for October.  I don’t remember who suggested it or any compelling arguments for it.  We just compile a list and take votes.  It’s very democratic like that.  I had heard of the author and her website SheReads.org though.  And I think have even listened to her on a podcast.

Anyway, starting the book I was not convinced that I was going to like it. There was a lot going on and I wasn’t finding the characters initially engaging.  But then…

About a quarter of the way in I was hooked.  I didn’t want to put the book down.  My workouts at the Y shifted from classes to walking the treadmill so I could read more. 

Stella…Maria…Ritzi – oh my!   Those three ladies drew me in.  Maria probably more than the other two.  I could feel her.  I think they were each very well-drawn and nuanced.

And just the era – I learned a thing or two.  There was definitely a lot of corruption and a seedier side to life represented. 

The twists and revelations were the best part though.  I didn’t see a lot of it coming – something I really love in a book because it tends to be rare.  Looking back, I can see the hints…sort of.

There are some trigger warnings.  We’re talking showgirls and mistresses and drinking – a lot of drinking.  Violence – but more alluded to than graphically described. 

I’m glad I stuck it out and got past the beginning.  The last 4 pages make it so worth the read.  I also appreciated the author’s note at the end that detailed some true information about the people involved in the story versus the parts she created. 

All the Missing Girls - Megan Miranda

Synopsis from Goodreads:
It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.
The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.
Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.
Like nothing you’ve ever read before, All the Missing Girls delivers in all the right ways. With twists and turns that lead down dark alleys and dead ends, you may think you’re walking a familiar path, but then Megan Miranda turns it all upside down and inside out and leaves us wondering just how far we would be willing to go to protect those we love.

My Thoughts:
I was confused through the first part of this book as it was written in such an interesting format.  At one point, the present jumps two weeks prior.  Then the author spends the rest of the book running the present day narrative backwards with flashbacks into a decade past.  It was an interesting format. 
I will say that I had good portions of the suspense figured out by the time they were revealed.  But not all. 
I did like exploring the deeper themes of who we are (or aspects of it at least) disappears over time as we grow and change. 
I think this would be a great book club book as it has a lot of fodder for discussion.

Next to Love - Ellen Feldman

Summary from Goodreads:

For fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, The Postmistress, and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, a story of love, war, loss, and the scars they leave set during the years of World War II and its aftermath.
  Set in a small town in Massachusetts, Next to Love follows three childhood friends, Babe, Millie, and Grace, whose lives are unmoored when their men are called to duty. And yet the changes that are thrust upon them move them in directions they never dreamed possible—while their husbands and boyfriends are enduring their own transformations. In the decades that follow, the three friends lose their innocence, struggle to raise their children, and find meaning and love in unexpected places. And as they change, so does America—from a country in which people know their place in the social hierarchy to a world in which feminism, the Civil Rights movement, and technological innovations present new possibilities—and uncertainties. And yet Babe, Millie, and Grace remain bonded by their past, even as their children grow up and away and a new society rises from the ashes of the war.
 Beautifully crafted and unforgettable, Next to Love depicts the enduring power of love and friendship, and illuminates a transformational moment in American history.

My Thoughts:

Okay, first of all, this book is *nothing* like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  I mean, other than they’re both set (sort of – Next to Love spans more years) in the same time frame.  But I think the similarities end there. 

Next to Love is the story of three friends as they go and grow through World War II and beyond into the 1960’s.  As they face love and loss and everything in between. 

It took me awhile to get into the book and the characters.  Even towards the end, they were doing things and things were happening that made me say “What?”  However, towards the middle and end I was more able to overlook those as I wanted to know where the story was taking the characters. 

Here are my caveats on why I maybe struggled with this book:

1.       I read it on my Kindle.  So I couldn’t easily flip back and forth to line things up as the timeline and story jumped around in and between characters.

2.       I read it in the midst of moving my family a few states away.  So chaos was in my head, and I perhaps transposed some of that to the book.

As I’ve said, I was thoroughly engaged with the characters as the book progressed.  All of the main characters were incredibly nuanced, which I appreciated. 

There are a lot of triggers in this book:  sex, drinking, violence, rape, some language.  So I’m not sure I would necessarily recommend it.  It was interesting but not my cup of tea. 

Also, I read the e-version from my library that had these great hyperlinks throughout.  You could click on one, and it would jump to the appendix and tell you more about Western Union or a particular location or whatever.  So that was a neat feature.  Although now that I think about it, that could have kept me from delving into the story sooner as well. 

Shakespeare Update

It's mid-August.  On my "Shakespeare in a Year" reading plan, I'm only at the beginning of July.  I've learned that Shakespeare apparently didn't have much use for women and was quite ribald.  I liked several of the histories, none of the tragedies, and most of the comedies thus far.  And I completely didn't get the sonnets.  I just trudged through them.

Shakespeare is definitely meant to be watched, not read.  So much more understandable and interesting that way. 

Here's hoping I get them all finished...

The Wedding Shop - Rachel Hauck

Synopsis:

Two women separated by decades. Both set out to help others find their dreams when their own have crumbled.
It’s the 1930s, and Cora is taking the reins at her family’s wedding shop in Heart’s Bend, Tennessee. Brides come from far away to be doted on by Cora and her family while they find the perfect wedding dress. Meanwhile, Cora has found her true love, Rufus, a riverboat captain. Cora counts the days until his return from the river, and she continues to wait for him as days turn into months and months turn into years. When he finally returns, she receives the shock of a lifetime: he is married to another. Nursing her heartbreak, she must find a way to continue pouring her heart into the hopes and dreams of the brides who visit her shop, all while wondering if she will ever find true love or if it has passed her by.
In present day, Haley has finished her time as a soldier, and suffering from PTSD, wants nothing to do with the heartbreak of this world. She sets off for Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, and in order to honor the memory of a fallen friend, she takes on the task of reopening an abandoned and long-forgotten wedding shop. Perhaps through helping others, she can forget the pain and disappointment in her own life.
Haley isn’t looking for love, but when her friend’s former fiancé becomes involved in the shop’s renovations, they both find that healing and restoration can perhaps happen in their lives too.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book.  The only reason it didn’t get 5 full stars (I’m going with 4.5) is that it felt rushed towards the end, and I wanted more explanation on some things.  But this book made me smile, chuckle, tear up, and even go “What?!?” once.

I enjoyed visiting a bit with the characters from The Wedding Dress and The Wedding Chapel too.  Those books (plus Hauck’s Royal Wedding Series) made me want to read this next book of hers.

I did read it as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), so there were several typos and a few inconsistencies.  However, my hope is that those were fixed for the final copy.

With the dual narrative of present and past, there were multiple main characters.  I feel like they were all fleshed out adequately.  Going back and forth in time and with perspective didn’t create any issues or challenges with the flow of the story.  Although there were times I wanted more of one story line instead of taking a break to transition to another.  I chalk that up as a hallmark of a good writer, keeping you wanting more.

For most of the book, I thought the pacing was great.  It was engaging, characters were growing, it didn’t drag.  Like mentioned previously, my complaint is that it wrapped up too quickly.  I would have liked to see more character and plot development in some of the main and secondary characters who were affected by revelations and events in the story.

The book focuses a lot on grace and forgiveness, something I believe we all could use regular reminders of.  The characters were well drawn and relatable. 

Another well written book.  I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Salt to the Sea - Ruta

Summary from Goodreads:

Winter, 1945. Four teenagers. Four secrets.

Each one born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies…and war.

As thousands of desperate refugees flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.

Yet not all promises can be kept.

Inspired by the single greatest tragedy in maritime history, bestselling and award-winning author Ruta Sepetys (Between Shades of Gray) lifts the veil on a shockingly little-known casualty of World War II. An illuminating and life-affirming tale of heart and hope.

My Thoughts:

LOVED this book!

First of all, why have I (nor anyone else in my book club or who I've talked to about it) heard of the sinking of this ship? It was a huge loss of life yet gets no coverage in any of the history classes I've taken. That is not okay.

Ruta Sepetys is such a gifted character builder. I was drawn in from the first. It did take a little bit to get into the rhythm of the multiple voices (switched each chapter), but I couldn't put this book down. Engaging. Compassionate. Beautifully written.

Gone with the Wind Book Flight

I first heard of a "Book Flight" via Modern Mrs. Darcy's blog a year or so ago.  Since then, I've wanted to give one a try. 

Basically, a book flight is a collection of books your read that follow a common theme.  They are different genres, different authors, etc. but have something tying them all together.

When I came across Ruth's Journey last fall, I decided to do a Gone with the Wind book flight consisting of the following:

• Ruth's Journey
• Rhett Butler's People
• Gone with the Wind
• Scarlett

I have previously read the last two (GWTW several times) but probably not either in the last decade or so.  Perfectly acceptable for a reread at this point. 

Since I began Ruth's Journey mid-April, I have expanded my flight list.  It now also includes (in no particular order)

• Road to Tara:  The Life of Margaret Mitchell
• Scarlett Rules:  When Life Gives You Green Velvet Curtains, Make a Green Velvet Dress
• Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind Letters
• Vivien Leigh:  A Biography
• Gone with the Wind as Book and Film
• Stars Over Sunset Boulevard

The flight is off to a rocky start.  I did not love Ruth's Journey.  I liked Rhett Butler's People even less.  (Reviews on those to come).  I already quit one biography that seemed promising but ended up being dry and confusing and slow reading.  But I'm determined to push through.  If nothing else, I have the original GWTW to look forward to.

Dad Is Fat - Jim Gaffigan

From Goodreads:  In Dad is Fat, stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan, who’s best known for his legendary riffs on Hot Pockets, bacon, manatees, and McDonald's, expresses all the joys and horrors of life with five young children—everything from cousins ("celebrities for little kids") to toddlers’ communication skills (“they always sound like they have traveled by horseback for hours to deliver important news”), to the eating habits of four year olds (“there is no difference between a four year old eating a taco and throwing a taco on the floor”). Reminiscent of Bill Cosby’s Fatherhood, Dad is Fat is sharply observed, explosively funny, and a cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.

My Review:
I started this books by Jim Gaffigan after reading about it on my library's blog. I had been looking for something unstraining to my intellect yet entertaining for reading during baby girl's middle fo the night feeding sessions. And this book (which I read as an ebook) initially fit the bill. It was so funny I recommended to my husband he get it on audio (his preferred "reading" method).
However, somewhere towards the middle and onward, the reading became redundant and no longer entertaining. I had to force myself to finish it.
I will say the husband thoroughly enjoyed the full audio.

2/5 stars (just okay)

Shakespeare Is Killing Me…And Most of His Characters

Some of the ladies in my book club and I have decided to read through all of Shakespeare’s works in 2016.  I guess full disclosure would include that this brilliant idea was mine.  And it is fitting we chose this year to do so; it’s the 400 year anniversary of WS’s death.

Two months into reading, and I can definitively say it’s been brutal – even though I’m currently three plays behind.

There is good reason (several) only a few of William’s plays are deemed acceptable for student consumption.  The Bard was bawdy…and violent.  Boy, was he violent.

This week I’m on familiar ground reading Romeo & Juliet, that freshman year of high school English class staple.

However, I started with Two Gentlemen of Verona.  Trust me on this – they were NO gentlemen.  And the women – yeesh! – insipid, flat characters.

Comedy of Errors was next.  I actually quite enjoyed that one.  The confusion and mayhem of it was entertaining.

Then came Titus Andronicus.  Ugh.  Death, rape, murder, deceit, plotting, wickedness.  And flesh pie.  Spoiler:  I’m fairly certain everyone died by the end.  Although I could have missed a lone survivor.  I was more than ready to be down with it by the time I turned the last page.

Next came two poems:  “Venus and Adonis” and “The Rape of Lucrece.”  I’m the first to admit a lot of poetry goes over my head.  So I didn’t enjoy these much at all (although better than Titus).  I found Venus long and drawn out.  A lot of imagery and nonsense.  Rape was easier to understand but the subject matter left much to be desired.

At this point (while I’m sure it would be sacrilege), I really wish Goodreads would allow *zero* stars for their ratings.  Yet I’ll soldier on and hopefully even get caught up soon.  Because…at the end of the year I’ll be able to say I’ve read everything of Shakespeare, even if I didn’t enjoy it. 

Two Is Better Than One

You know, I am so glad J and I ended up having two little people instead of just one. 

If you haven’t heard that story, it’s a funny one.  We went through some infertility processes to get pregnant with Little Boy (our now 2.5 year old).  Our fertility doctor (who was fabulous and we highly recommend) said if we wanted more kiddos, just to give her a call.  We said we’d discuss it once Little Boy turned one.  And so we did. 

One Friday night shortly after Little Boy turned one, we sat down to talk.  J was fully on board with trying for number two/four (two for us; four with his girls from a previous marriage).  I was more hesitant.  Little Boy flipped my whole world upside down.  His delivery and my recovery from it were not fabulous.  I wasn’t sure I was cut out to mother more than one.  Honestly, the mommy guilt oftentimes was (is) such that I didn’t feel I was doing a great job as it was.  But since I was on the fence, we decided to go ahead and look into the insurance piece before I called the doctor to get things rolling.

However, that Sunday I was as sick as I had been in a long time.  Couldn’t keep food down.  No energy.  Just awful.  I suffered through the day.  When getting ready for bed that night, I started shaking uncontrollably in my arms and legs.  It freaked me out.  You couldn’t see the shaking, but I could feel it.  Terrifying. 

So I did something I hadn’t done since probably middle school – headed to the ER.  Where, low and behold, we found out baby number two was already on her way…I was two weeks pregnant.  Still scared and nervous?  Yes!  But excited and knowing beyond a doubt that expanding our family to six was God’s plan?  Absolutely!

Anyway, so back to having two. 

I did wonder if I could handle two little ones – mentoring, loving, giving each the time and attention individually needed.  Having the energy to keep up with both.  Having the wisdom to balance it all.  (I know…you friends of mine who have 4…6…8 kids are laughing at me now.  That’s okay.). And sometimes I don’t do any of that well.  Sometimes Little Boy is screaming and wanting attention while I need to be feeding Baby Girl.  That’s also his prime time to get into whatever he knows he’s supposed to leave alone.  Sometimes Baby Girl wants held while Little Boy needs some Mommy time.  Sometimes Mommy counts the minutes until nap time or shuts herself in the bathroom for a few minutes to regroup.

But I LOVE it.  Yes, it’s more work (despite the fact my sister told me two is no more work than one).  However, it’s absolutely worth it.  They are such completely different personalities.  And to watch them interact is so much fun.  To see Little Boy “read” to his little sister.  Or to watch Baby Girl's eyes light up and a grin come to her face when brother enters the room. 

I wouldn’t trade it for the world.