Relax and Dream!

As part of my adrenal recovery, I am supposed to relax. I am supposed to take time out throughout the day to put my feet up, read, calm down and rest. You can imagine how hard that is to do (especially this time of year which is chock full of end of year parties, activities, field days, baseball playoffs, swim lessons and meets and two of the peanuts b-days quickly approaching). Nonetheless, I am trying to really take it easy. Plus, I am exhausted.

So I thought I'd share some of my favorite books and TV shows (next post) of late. I would love to hear your recommendations in the comments. I always run out of things to read.

Books

The Help by Kathryn Stockett~ LOVED this book. I have yet to meet a person who did not. This is truly one of the BEST books I have read in years. I missed the characters when I was finished reading it.

One reviewer succinctly describes the plot:

The Help is about a young white woman in the early 1960s in Mississippi who becomes interested in the plight of the black ladies' maids that every family has working for them. She writes their stories about mistreatment, abuse and heartbreaks of working in white families' homes, all just before the Civil Rights revolution. That is the story in a nutshell - but it is so much more than just stories.

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See I just finished this last night. I really liked this book a lot. I learned a lot about a historical and sad time in our country and how the people of China were treated. I thought the character development was very good but the novel ended very abruptly. I would definitely recommend this book. Amazon describes it...

For readers of the phenomenal bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Peony in Love--a stunning new novel from Lisa See about two sisters who leave Shanghai to find new lives in 1930s Los Angeles.

May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.

But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)--where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months--they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.

A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova ~ I really, really liked this book. It is about an accomplished psychology professor at Harvard who discovers she has early onset Alzheimer's. It is so well written. I suggested this for book club and almost everyone really loved it.

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan ~ Loved this book. Love Kelly Corrigan. I want to be her real life friend. This book is non-fiction (but it reads like good fiction) and it chronicles Kelly's journey through her own breast cancer with two very young children and a wonderfully supportive husband. At the same time, her beloved father is battling cancer. This is a story about family, life, hope, and joy. I just LOVED it. In fact, I plan to go buy myself Lift (her newest book) today as an early Mother's Day gift to myself:)

Here is a little video of Kelly's that I really love. Watch it. I am telling you. It is a message that most women in our stage of life really need to hear. I know I did.

I have a couple of friends who are pursuing their dreams and I'd like to introduce them to you.

My real life friend, Cathy and her friend started a really cool website called A Day's Outing. A Day's Outing helps you find fun attractions and activities in your own neighborhood or when you are traveling. It is a really great website (you have done a great job, Cathy!) Go have a look.

Another real life friend, Nickie also started a neat website called Hip Moms Go Green. My friend is definitely a hip Mom and she and her contributors offer great suggestions for living and eating green. This site is full of great tidbits.

Finally, a dear friend of mine, Daleea is fulfilling her dream of adopting another child. It has not always been easy. Daleea confided her wish to adopt again to me three years ago when we first met. But she had quite a few obstacles to overcome. Well, she prayed, worked hard and had faith and her dream is finally coming true. It has been amazing to watch her hopeful tenacity. She has never given up.

Daleea has worked SO SO hard to raise funds for her adoption expenses. I have blogged about her bracelets before. Now she is selling adorable stationary to raise the rest of the money they need to complete their adoption. Please go check out Bella Blush Designs or the bracelet site to help Daleea and her family bring home their daughter. A little bit from you can go a long way to help a family adopt.

I am so proud of my friends for daring to chase their dreams. They inspire me.

What are you dreaming of?