The First Bear by Felicity Hansen

Genre: Children's Picture Book
Source: I purchased a copy

This is a cute story about how the first teddy bear came to be. The great bear in the sky watched over the children on earth below and saw how lonely they were. He took a cloud and fashioned it into a bear. he held it next to him to bring it to life and sent it to earth to become a companion to a child. The small bear was told when the child grew up it was to return to him to become a star. The little bear didn't listen. What was the great bear so afraid of?

This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves bears. It is beautifully illustrated and the story telling is superb. This will make a great gift for a child.

Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King

Genre: Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: I purchased a copy

This was a great and complex book.  Maisey Addington has little confidence in herself. As a single mother she believes that is the only thing she has ever done right. She receives a call about her mother being in a coma. They suspect her father had something to do with it since they found him sitting on the bed with her.  He had failed to call for help. He claims she wanted to die. They all realize there is something else going on with him.  Maisey had a strained relationship with her mother. She has no way to prove her mother wished to die because her mother’s papers were destroyed by her father. It had been quite some time since she had seen her mother.  He destroyed the paper telling her last wishes while he was trying to protect a long-held secret. Maisey discovers she has a twin sister named Marley. At her daughter’s urging she sets out to find her twin. What she learns is that her sister has known about her all along and their lives went in completely different directions.  Both of them have misconceived ideas about how things happened. Maisey remembers the trauma. This interaction gives both girls the opportunity to stand up to an abusive person in their lives.

This book was a great and realistic look at how an abusive situation can affect someone not only long term, but also generation after generation. The author took a sensitive topic and wove hope into all of it.  This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone.

Welcoming in 2019

2019 is going to be a great year. There was so much heartache and so many changes in 2018 that I choose to believe that 2019 is going to be great.

I will be hitting the Paleo way of eating beginning January 1, 2019. I felt better, my health was better and a great side affect was that I lost weight. One change taking place in 2019 is that I am finally saying goodbye to most of my teeth. For years we have battled periodontal problems.  The situation in my mouth is now posing eating issues. I am unable to chew food properly. This means I either begin to choke or it gets stuck and I hiccup for  10-20 minutes. The opening to my stomach has suffered.  That will soon take care of itself.

My reading goal for this next year is 100 books. I already have the book picked out. You will have to check back to find out what it is. Our local park, only 3 blocks away, has added some workout equipment. Now parents can take their children to the park and while they are playing inside the fenced in  area, the adults can workout on the new equipment. My husband and I also plan on taking advantage of the walking trail there.

My writing must take more of a forefront for me. I felt like a desert this year. I would start writing and then something would happen and it would have to be put aside. My mom was excited that I picked up my notebook and began writing as soon as school was out. That was short lived as her health deteriorated. I found I was so stressed I couldn't read or write. Writing has always been a way for me to get rid of stress. I did write two poems for my mom while she was in the rehab facility. I couldn't even focus on preparing for school for the next year.

This next year, unless we are near progress reports or report cards I will no longer bring work home to grade. Home is time for my husband and I.  We are just beginning to learn how to be a couple again. A lot of his bee removals are done at night. As I lose more weight and purchase a bee suit that will fit me I plan on getting involved with his bee business. I have overcome most of my fear. I can remain calm and remove a bee when they get into the house. I haven't been able to put honey on my finger and pick them up like that yet, but I have hope. I often will video him at his hive if they are calm, even if I have no suit. Looking forward to doing and learning more about the bees.

Most importantly I am no longer going to stress about those things I can't control. So much is out of our hands. As long as I keep God in control then things will work out the way he sees best.

Wishing all of you the happiest of New Years.