Book Bites: Stowaway

How it Works: Every Tuesday I’ll be sharing a “bite” of a book I’m currently reading. Just a two or three sentences from a page I’ve already read that I feel gives a little insight to the feel of the book or something I found interesting up to that point along with the page that it comes from and the total number of pages in the book. I’ll also share a quick preview opinion of it as a whole to that point. If you want to join in the fun and share your current reads please leave it in the comments or link to your site.



The Book: Stowaway by Karen Hesse

Book Bite: "SATURDAY 9th [New Continent--Lat. 34°44’S] We have come upon islands that the Captain calls the Cavelles. The natives here  did not come near at first, having heard from other natives of our guns. Tupia was able to calm their fears and spent a good time talking with them." (from pg. 143/300)

My Thoughts So Far: I love that it's based on the true story of a young boy who stowed away on Captain Cook's voyage. I think that the journaling style made it a little hard to get into at first and can be frustrating because she only speaks of places and things as the boy would have known them so it's not always clear where they are or what they're looking at. Still there are so many amazing things that took place on their voyage that make it easy to get caught up in the adventure. I think would be fun to base a unit study around this book and I can easily see my 10yr old loving the story. (currently on pg. 204/300)

Musings on Pregnancy and Labor

Hopefully I’ll be able to make sense out of a few of my thoughts with my current muddled baby brain. Just a little longer now before our new little bundle of joy will be here. I’ve been having to juggle between what needs to still be done and what I can actually do without setting myself up for an extra early delivery (something I’d really rather not do!)

There’s so much that I find interesting about pregnancy. The thing that’s been on my mind mostly lately is that I’m heading into that “lovely” time when it has to be preferable to go through the pain of labor and whatever may follow than dealing with the uncomfort of pregnancy any longer. I try not to complain because I know it has its purpose – after all who in their right mind would subject themselves to labor unless it was preferable to the alternative.

I think it was soon after Monkey was born and I was discussing it with someone else the idea that we have a very selective memory when it comes to pain, especially the pain of birth. I said if we didn’t that no one would have ever had more than one child. Although I never wanted to hurt anyone during labor and never yelled all those things that you hear about in labor stories (“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?!”) I do remember wanting to smack the nurses for being what I considered artificially supportive and sweet. They kept just telling me how well I was doing even though I was convinced of the very opposite. My mantra at the end was that despite the seeming impossibility of what my body was about it do that women had been doing this for thousands of years and I could too. I’m not sure how well I believed myself either.

As time passed a little I told myself that it wasn’t exactly selective memory because I realized I would never forget how painful it was just that all the pain was swallowed up in the joy and miracle of new life.  As the boys were each born I wondered over the miracle and what followed as well. Why was I willing to do this again? I knew that as amazingly perfect as these new little gifts were, pregnancy, labor, and motherhood were the greatest challenges I had ever experienced and would ever experience in life. Why would I do that to myself? Why would I want to add more to my already overflowing plate? Why was I still listening to those nurses telling me I was a superwoman when I was so full of pain and fear and was sure they were only saying what they said to each new momma to try sound supportive?

Then I realized it’s true, and even though they may say it to each woman who delivers, it doesn’t make it less true. We are super women. What we do is impossibly hard. I wonder now though if that isn’t part of it. No who we are though and no matter the challenge we face – when we have reached the other side we are stronger for it. We no longer have to wonder if we could be that strong, we can say that we were and that we are. Strength is only built or discovered as we face those hardest of hard things. We are designed to find fulfillment in the challenges of life.

So to that I say, it doesn’t matter that those stairs still seem like a mountain or that I can’t see my toes, this challenge too will pass into joy in its own time and its own way and whatever happens I will be the stronger and better for it. I just need to look for the blessings and continue to have faith in myself and the gifts I am given by He who has endured all and loves us all.

Book Bites: Diary of Anne Frank

How it Works: Every Tuesday I’ll be sharing a “bite” of a book I’m currently reading. Just a two or three sentences from a page I’ve already read that I feel gives a little insight to the feel of the book or something I found interesting up to that point along with the page that it comes from and the total number of pages in the book. I’ll also share a quick preview opinion of it as a whole to that point. If you want to join in the fun and share your current reads please leave it in the comments or link to your site.

 

The Book: The Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank (The Definitive Edition); edited by Otto Frank and Mirjam Pressler, translated by Susan Massotty

Book Bite: “Every night hundreds of planes pass over Holland on their way to German cities, to sew their bombs on German soil. Every hour hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of people are being killed in Russia and Africa. No one can keep out of the conflict, the entire world is at war, and even though the Allies are doing better, the end is nowhere in sight.” pg 80/338

My Thoughts So Far: I picked this up the other day after realizing that I had somehow never read it before. So far I’m only about nine months into the journal and it’s been interesting to see how going into hiding has affected the chatty 13 year old and her family and hearing her perspective on the Germans and war and life in general during that awful time. It’s hard to conceive of such hatred and sadness and what it would have been like to have to live in those conditions.

Lessons I've Learned from Watching Cars

My boys have both loved the Disney movie Cars. Bear was extremely upset when our copy broke a few months ago so we decided to get him a new copy for part of his Christmas presents. He played and had fun on Christmas with everyone but the day after Christmas he was wanting some time to just relax and asked us if he could watch it.

I have to admit that I have a love hate relationship with electronics in general and vegging out in front of the television especially. I realized though that even with entertainment there’s lots that we can be learning.

So in honor of Bear and Tiger here are some things that I’ve learned from watching Cars:

-       True success comes when we slow down to notice the people and things around us. By all the normal standards and appearances Lighting was successful and therefore should have been happy but he wasn’t. He didn’t really find true and lasting success until he took the time to see beyond himself and slow down and appreciate the simple gifts of life like good friends and a beautiful view.

-       One person serving others in simple ways can make a big difference. When Lightning’s attitude changed he didn’t just make a mental note of it and move on – he found ways to serve and help and boosted the spirit of everyone around him and not only helped them by supporting their businesses but really helped them.

-       If you’ve got extra of something make the most of it. The cars of Radiator Springs may have appeared to have been just sitting around but they spent that time helping each other and developing talents. (After all, who can change a tire as fast as Guido!)

-       The best forms of correction are connected with the wrong and involve thinking a step ahead. Sargent didn’t have to worry about Lightning driving off after he limited the gas that would allow him to do so. Doc didn’t have to race Lightning head on to show him that he had a lot to learn still and give him a little dose of needed humility.

-       Be willing to take advice from those older and wiser – even when it doesn’t seem to make sense. Even after Lightning knew who Doc was he still didn’t fully trust him at first when Doc offered some advice and remained frustrated until he decided to.

-       Don’t be afraid to accept help. One of Lightning’s downfalls that we see was his inability to accept help from others – he was so determined to prove it all on his own he didn’t realize just how much we all need each other. When he finally realized that life if a give and take of receiving and giving help he became the hero.

-       Relax and keep a sense of humor. Mater was the king of this – he never took himself too seriously and just was who he was and it’s why everyone loved him and why he was able to reach out to Lightning when no one else really had.

-       Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find yourself. I love the end song. It’s so true of life (and even scripturally based – whoda thunk!) Lightning McQueen had lost his inner direction, a course that lead to him also losing his physical sense of place and being lost in every sense of the word. Sometimes we find ourselves in similar situations where we just don’t know which way is up or what to do. In truth (although yes he’s a cartoon and no real, but people do the exact same thing) he probably never thought beyond the finish line. As he came to grips with being lost though he was finally able to address the problem and find his way and knew there was more than a trophy that he wanted from life.