Life Is Good: Day 6: Books

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Day 6: Books

Day 6

Books

I love books! Books are great! Here is just a mere glimpse at the books that I love, like, am reading, would like to read or just represent what I like.

The first two: DIY books for building backyard kids' things. Yes. I've thumbed through them many a times. I love DIY projects. I love outdoors stuff and I love doing/making things for my kids. If finances (and time) weren't an issue I'd have a big "bodacious" backyard with an awesome space for my kids. I'd also have a house full of DIY projects and furniture and projects and decorations and...and...and... Oh how exciting!
Book 3: A Woman's Guide to Spiritual Warfare. It's the book I'm currently reading. The ladies at our church our doing a study using this book. I'm not joining the study because of responsibilities at home but I'm reading the book. So far I am very impressed.
Book 4: Dare to Discipline. I'm reading this one off and on. It's good but it requires a little more attention than some others. I am constantly reading and hoping to learn how to be a better parent and this book represents that desire. I like self-help books although they are often difficult reads for me. I find myself reading and re-reading only to get to the end and wish I had time to read it again so I could really "get" it. I really hope I can get this book read soon and begin implementing its wisdom. As a parent I sure do need as much help as possible.
Book 5: The Christian Atheist. It's a great read, written by the pastor of Life Church. It's one that will make you think. I think I need to read it again.
Book 6: Les Miserables. LOVE it! You must read this one. Just make sure you get the revised edition written in "today's" language. The message represented in this fictional work is definitely one you won't want to miss.
Book 7: To Live Is Christ. A good one by Beth Moore.
Book 8: All Cracked Up. This book was given to me during one of my hospitalizations. It was a fun, light-hearted read that made me laugh and smile. It's kind of special for that reason I guess.
Book 9: What Difference Do It Make? I honestly haven't read all of this book, but it's predecessor, Same Kind Of Different As Me, is AMAZING. You must read it. It's the true story of a homeless man and his life-changing encounter with a very well-to-do couple. It's a tear-jerker (grab a tissue) and one that will really make you think about things and if you'll let it, change your life. I didn't have this book to photograph because I loaned it out.
Book 10: Bringing Up Boys. Another one of those parenting self-help books. I figure since I'm raising boys this one might be a good one. Actually, it was recommended. I'll get to this one soon I hope.
Book 11: Captivating. Excellent book. It's all about how you, a woman, are captivating to God and, as a woman, must find who you are in Christ.
Book 12: Let's Roll. Another good true story.
Book 13: The Shack. A GREAT book. It's a fictional story of one man's encounter with God. It sure makes you hope that things might really be that way.
Book 14: Experiencing God. I've read the book and I've done the Bible Study. It's one that always changes my life.
Book 15: Love and War. I'm hoping to get to this one soon. It came recommended. In fact I think this book is borrowed.
Book 16: Wild At Heart. Somewhat of a companion book to Captivating, it's the "how God sees men and how men were created" book. I hope I can keep my boys "wild at heart"!
Book 17: Gathering Blue. It's a good one! A fictional story that is an easy read and has some interesting twists.
Book 18: The Giver. It's an EXCELLENT book. I've read it several times and I'm ready to read it again. I've even read it (along with Les Miserables) to Ryan when he was an infant. It's a fictional story that will really make you think. It's completely unexpected.
Book 19: So Long Insecurity. Another great one by Beth Moore. I read this while I was on hospital bedrest with Evan. It's one I need to read again.
Book 20: Holy Bible. It's the GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD! I love my Bible. Everything in it is God-breathed and is as applicable today as it was 2000 years ago. It is truth.

Wow! Books are great! This is just a glimpse. I could go on and on and on about some great books. I'm so thankful for books.

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Brandy Danielle

Brandy is our firstborn, our precious angel baby girl. Her entry into this world wasn't without excitement. At 26 weeks I started preterm labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. With 10 weeks of strict bedrest, most of which were in the hospital, she made it to 36 weeks.
Brandy was diagnosed with "possible/probable" heart defect around 28-30 weeks gestation. After her birth she was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring and after a few days her defect was formally diagnosed and labeled...atrial septal defect and a cleft mitral valve.
Brandy, upon indications of failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension, underwent her first of 2 open-heart surgeries at 4 months of age. A week after her surgery on the day of her anticipated discharge home Brandy coded for 13 minutes...a stoke.
From that point on Brandy's life was full of doctor's visits, endless crying, pain and suffering. She underwent another heart surgery, fundoplication and g-tube surgery, treatment for infantile spasms, and a mountain of tests and procedures. Her brain damage was extensive.
Upon counseling of our wonderful, most amazing heart surgeon, Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, and many hours of prayer, we finally called in hospice and called off all of the extensive medical interventions and surgery needs that would prolong her suffering while possibly prolonging her life. Brandy, our precious baby girl...our angel...passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Saviour, Jesus at the tender age of 17 months.

Ryan Andrew

Ryan, our micro-preemie miracle, is a ball of life. After nearly a year of trying to conceive imagine our delight when we finally knew he was on the way. My pregnancy with Ryan was uneventful at first. It seemed perfect and with all of the precautions for preterm labor being taken and monitored we entered this pregnancy with cautious anticipation covered over by a whole love of naive excitement.
At 20 weeks we discovered our "Baby Peanut" was going to be a little boy. We began to make plans and began dreaming about the day we would meet our son.
Almost 2 weeks later everything changed in our lives. It wa a whirlwind of fear and emtions as I began to bleed, was sent for monitoring in L&D and eventually had an appointment with my OB only to find out that it was serious. I had incompetent cervix with hourglassing membranes. The doctor admitted me to the hospital immediately and an emergency cerclage was placed. The statistics were grim, but the hope was to keep our son inside for at least 10 more weeks. We only made it 10 more days.
Early in the evening of February 11, 2007 our son, Ryan, came into this world in emergency fashion at only 23 weeks 5 days gestation. He weighed 1 pound 8 ounces and was 12 ½ inches long. He was so tiny. All I could think of was “oh my goodness is he really that tiny? And is there any way he could actually make it?” I tried to hold on to hope, but in all honesty I had never met anyone with a baby born that early and that small that ever made it.
Ryan did make it! It was a long, hard road, but in the end he spent 90 days in the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 2 months. Finally on one fine glorious day in May we bundled up our 4 pound 4 ounce baby boy and went home...May 11, 2007.
Ryan is now a spunky, lively, strong-willed little boy. His laughter is contagious and his spirit is compelling. He is our miracle. There are no words strong enough to share our delight and joy that God has blessed us with this little boy.

Evan Alexander