Potato Peel Sakes Alive!

When I found myself in the Edmonton, Alberta airport last month, surrounded by snow and folks wearing parkas, I decided on a book purchase instead of a trip out of doors.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love Edmonton.  Three of my favorite people were born there.  But there was snow.  My flimsy nylon traveling sweat suit kept me behind the thick windows.  Never have I purchased a book in an airport…. I didn’t have high hopes.  But my brain needed stimulation and there were four blank hours staring me in the face.  At the overpriced shop, I came upon this gem:

On first perusal of the contents, I realized that the entire book was written in letters.  I reminisced with heartwarming thoughts of one of my favorite children’s books The Jolly Postman and Other People’s Letters.

Oh was I in for a treat.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ended up being historical (my FAV!) set in France and England just after WWII.  The story involves a writer and all of the unique and utterly unbelievable people with whom she corresponds.  I cuddled with every jot and tittle.  Now I yearn to travel to Guernsey to see the steep shores and the stone houses and the green countryside.  The creativity dreamed up for these folks in horrible times was amusing and very well written.  My interest was held until the last page was turned.

Then tonight, my heart skipped a beat or two when I discovered this:

2013… NEXT YEAR the movie will appear on the big screen for me to love all over again.  Mom, we’ll have to go on opening day just like we did for The Help!

Another Year Older… Another Year Wiser…

My birthday was shared with Jesus’ resurrection day this year.  Awesome!  Another year of my life has come to an end, but I certainly do feel wiser in the health department after my 45th year. I have figured out a few things (that’s the wiser part) that should contribute to living another 46 years (at least!)  Hey, I obeyed my parents and the Bible promises a long life for obedience.  :o)  That’s what I keep telling my kids anyway!  Six small meals a day really does keep the doctor away.  I know I switched that up a bit from the original prose, but it works for me. 

Allow me to share the joy in a photo essay…. then and now.  This coming Sunday I will have been eating six small meals per day for A YEAR!  A whole stinkin’ year!  I can’t hardly believe it either!  Here is my 45th birthday picture….. please refrain from snorting coffee through your nose when you behold my loveliness seventy-seven pounds ago. At least I was sporting a cool jacket and coordinating jewelry.

Here is this year’s birthday picture…. and “the difference?” you ask.  I ate the cake last year… I didn’t this year.  My mom made a darling peeps cake that was reported to be delicious.  I didn’t feel deprived.  It was a major victory in the weight-loss journey I’m traveling.  Next year, I’ll taste the cake, but for right now I didn’t need to.  My new mantra is “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial.”  So true.

So as my next year begins, my plans include finishing writing a book of our adoption journey, getting into a regular fitness routine and daily praying diligently and intentionally for each of my children.  Not that I haven’t prayed for them up until now, but I got the book The Power of a Praying Parent and realized that I needed to up the ante.  Fighting in the heavenlies is where the action is.  I’m all over it!  Feel free to join me!