We’re all in need of a little break around here–physically, mentally, emotionally.  Things have been quite hectic lately.  It’s VBS week at our church which is wiping us all out every night.  Who would have thought that 2 and 3 year olds could do that to me?  Or maybe it’s doing story time four times in a row?  Either way, it’s been fun but I’m ready for nice long nap.

Plus the next few weeks hold much fun-to-be-done: weddings, some beach time, friends visiting…lots of excitement.  So I’ll be taking a little break from blogging land so that I can thoroughly enjoy the fruits of summer!

I’ll hopefully be refreshed with a few pics to show for it.  Be back soon.

I thought I’d start out this Monday morning with a list of books I read recently and my summer reading list since it’s almost summer.  

Good books I’ve read recently:

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.  Great nonfiction book about a friendship between a homeless man and an art dealer.  Wonderful and  inspiring message.  

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv  An interesting book that highlights various research that shows how spending time in nature affects kids positively and how most kids are spending too much time indoors.  I enjoyed some of the concepts in this book even though it is one of those intellectual books with lots of research and facts thrown at the reader.  A good reminder that our kids need to be outside!

Here if You Need Me by Kate Braestrup  A memoir about how she lost her husband and became a chaplain for the Maine State Game Wardens.  The book includes various stories about how she helped the wardens deal with search and rescue incidents and the inevitable finding-dead-people-in-the-woods stories.  I learned way too much about how people die in the forest, mostly because of drugs and alcohol.  It wasn’t my favorite memoir, but her writing was good even if I didn’t agree with her theology. 

My Summer Reading Series: 

• Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
• Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
• The Hole in the Gospel by Richard Stearns, president of World Vision
• Created for Commitment by A. Wetherell Johnson
• Redeemed Love by Francine Rivers
• Remembered by Tamera Alexander

I’ll be updating you on these books as I finish them.  And if a baby comes in the meantime the whole readiing thing will go to pot, but until then…

Happy Reading!

Mother’s Day Weekend Snapshots:

French Toast Stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese.  Utterly indulgent.

An evening at the Philharmonic listening to Carmina Burana.  I played excerpts from it in high school, which was where I learned to like such a moody, fascinating piece of music.  

Pictures in the park with one that hit the spot for Mother’s Day.  My sweet, dear girl.  Thanks for letting me be your mama.

The adoption blog is in progress, although taxes and life are slowing me down.  Look for it soon!

Also, don’t forget about signing up for regular delivery of this blog to your inbox using the link at the right.  Or if you prefer, join me on Twitter.  I need to start finding  tweeting “friends” who share their follies and frenzied lives as mommy twitterers, whatever a twitterer might be.

Just a reminder…

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, there is a great play called “I have before me a remarkable document given to me by a young lady from Rwanda.”  Yes, it is the longest title ever, but don’t let that stop you from coming.  

The play is on for this weekend only and will be performed at the Allen County Public Library Theatre.  You can get tickets by visiting all for One’s website.