The Unintended Self Help Book Part I

To continue with my self directed, self attended online book club, the next book I am going to post about is

                                        

Okay, so I know all we chicks have seen the Movie with the absolutely lovely Julia Roberts



And I am not denying that the movie is wonderful, warm, gooey, lovey with the right balance of independent and thought provoking.

But have you ever read the book?????

It is 10 times more wonderful, warm, gooey, lovey with even MORE independence and soul stirring.

Thought provoking, Absolutely!

Its almost like a really good unintended self help book.

This book came into my life at just the right time.

For those of you who have seen the movie, just scroll down a bit.

This is the story of a writer. Elizabeth Gilbert, who goes through a bitter divorce and takes a year dedicated to herself to renew her energy and find the positive in life again. She studies the art of pleasure in Italy, the art of devotion in India and the art of the balancing both pleasure and devotion in Bali. Her journey is also about letting go of her sadness, rediscovering who exactly she is and bringing her soul to God.

Now, I'll admit, the reason this book touched me so much is because of her last reason.

As a Latter Day Saint I am constantly trying to renew my relationship with our Heavenly Father and stay close to him. I need his help and the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to make it through every day of this crazy thing we call life. 

And why I believe that ours is the only true and full church here on this Earth, I am more than happy, yes even willing, to listen and learn from any one regardless of race, ethnicity, location or religion if they have good sound advice about bringing me closer to God.

I am going to be honest and open, because this novel and the experience of the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, going through her self discovery affected me and really gave me some life long habits to form.

I find that while being thrust into the new role of Mother, I sometimes find it hard to stay close to Heavenly Father. I am always so grateful for the calming spirit that always rushes into my heart when I feel like I am going to loose it with Bronson. I am always tearfully grateful for the strength that Heavenly Father gives me when its been a long night and I have to go to work tomorrow. I am overwhelmed when the Spirit whispers advice to me when I just don't know what to do to calm my baby boy down or occupy his time.

I have no doubt that all these experiences are God acknowledging that I am a Mother doing my best.

But with all the business in life, and the nature man rearing his ugly head, I find I often give into my exhaustion and feelings and tend to be Un-Christ in my actions, feelings and deeds.

I then sink deeper into my sadness. Then hate work, hate life. It's a horrible cyclic process.

This, coupled with my fight to control post partium depression, makes me feel sometimes like I drowning in the waters of life.

While Church, Scriptures, Husband, Family are all buoys to keep me afloat and out of my downward spiral, this book was another aid to keep my head above water.

She is so sound and wise.

Here are some of my favorite experiences

"When I tried this moring, after an hour or so of unhappy thinking, to dip back into my meditation, I took a new idea with me: compassion. I asked my heart if it coud please infuse my soul with more generous perspective on my mind's working. Instead of thinking that I was a failure, could I perhaps accept that I am only a human being - and a normal one, at that?"

"Of course God already knows what I need. The question is - do I know? Prayer is a

relationship; half the job is mine. If i want transformation, but can't even be bothered to articulate what, exactly, I'm aiming for, how will it ever occur? Half the benefit ofprayer is in the asking itself, in the offering of a clearly posed and well considered intention. If you don't have this, all your pleas and desires are boneless, floppy inert; they swirl at your feet in a cold fog and never lift."

Taking Flight

My mom sent me this picture today while I was at work and I HAD to post it!

Look at him!

  

    

Can you believe that?

That's my little 9 month old that looks like a toddler!

He is starting to pull himself up and stand all by himself.

He will be walking anytime now.

Much to my relief.....

I don't want to walk behind him anymore.

Much to my dismay.......

How will I contain him?

Imitating this and that and having such a good time

We've hit the magical land mark of imitation.

Baby boy has started to imitate things that he thinks are funny.

My father-in-law stuck his tongue out at him the other day and then a tongue war ensued. Bron Bron looked like a little lizard with his tongue flicking in and out!

Uncle Chase taught him how to make this wonderful little face and now he does it ALL the time!

Of course we can't capture the true face because as soon as the camera whips out he is more interested in the camera than keeping his awesome face up.

Hence the blurred pic.

Our funny little boy.

The Talented Mr. B

How can one little man look so cute doing everything? This boy really is the sunshine in our lives. Mike is constantly watching him do something, then he will turn to me and say,

"He is just so cute. Don't you think he is just so cute?"

What I think is more cute is that Mike loves his little man so much. Mike is a great Daddy and every day I am thankful for the wonderful care that he gives him. He gets him up, gets him ready, drives him to where he needs to be, picks him up. He has him all alone on Wednesday and Fridays. Have you ever heard of a more committed Dad? I am very lucky and very thankful.

Mike was very worried that he would miss out on a lot of Bron Bron's childhood by starting Medical School. When I was young I never actively thought that my Dad was absent, but if you ask him, he missed WAY too much of our childhood because he was in Medical School and then in residency.

This is something that has scared Mike for quite a while. But with the wonderful love and amount of time that Mike dedicates to Bron Bron, I don't think he needs to worry about our little man forgetting about him!

 Mr. B has learned how to drink out of a straw! It's his favorite to have his little cup while we are eating dinner. He will constantly reach out and slurp slurp slurp!

He isn't the best about swallowing with a closed mouth, ekk. He completely soaks himself. Hence, he is shirtless in the picture above.

 NaNa Iorg got Bron Bron a little hat for the hot Arizona weather!

Happy Easter

Snoozing in bed with Mom and Dad. We were watching TV the other night and looked down and he had made himself comfortable. He is one crazy sleeper. He already sleep talks and he will DEFINITELY sleep walk when he gets the opportunity!

My own book club.....if you want to call it that

I love to read.

Eat

Sleep

Be with Family

Dance

Read

Craft

It's definitely up there

I get the opportunity to read a lot because I take trax to work each day.

That's basically an hour and a half of reading every day.

I get super frustrated with myself. I read all these great books that I pick up at the library.

Warning: I pick books based on covers. Lying,crying I ain't shed a tear. I mean, sure I read the synopsis, but the cover is the go to factor.  It drives my husband nuts. Almost anytime I bring a book home he asks me, "So what about his cover made you get this book?"

I read so many that I forget their titles, who wrote them etc. I love recommending books to people and my mental slacking gets in the way of that. Plus, I am a totall re-reader. I will read a book I truly love over and over.

Perfect example:

:  

"Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls

I have read this book, probably about 100 times.

I had two frogs when I was young that I named Old Dan and Little Ann

If I am going to re-read, I need a list, right?

So.......

I am going to start keeping track of the books that I read.

Rephrase: I am going to TRY to keep track of the books that I read and like.

The one I finished last night

It is a wonderful story that jumps back and forth between World War II Germany and El Paso Texas in 2007. It follows the story of two young women, whose lives intertwine and make them family. Elsie Schmidt is the 17 year old daughter of a baker who has to face the hardships of war, the cruelty of the Nazi's, and her own self discovery about what she believes, no matter what it costs her family.

Many years later she befriends Reba, a journalist in El Paso, who needs some self discovery of her own.

Through Elsie's love, German accent and baked goods, Reba faces the demons that have haunted her for so long and finds where she belongs.

I really enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. I am always entranced by WWII stories and this was no exception. Plus, it has German bread and pastry recipes in the back of the book!

Loved it, Loved it, absolutely Loved it!