Stay-at-Home Mom Review Parenting Tip of the Week

Have mommy friends.

Being a mother is hard, confusing and just down right complexing. But having mommy friends can help especially when you are a new mother. I suggest joining a local mommy group in your area. Try to find one that has your similar interest.

For example, I like making things from scratch, using cloth diapers and trying not be wasteful. So I join the Natural Mamas (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Natural_Mamas/) of the area where I live.

I love it. We get together for playgroups, share parenting tips and just talk about anything and everything. Joining the group has really helped me be a better parent to the little Peanut God blessed me with. I’m always watching the mothers of my group and how they parent their children. I soak in the info and then apply it to my child. Some things have worked and something haven’t. One thing really great about my group is we seem to really care about helping each other. The other mamas are interested in my hopes and dreams as I am in theirs.

A long time ago, in a near by land, families used to live very close together and young mothers would learn how to parent with their near by mother. Can you imagine how much easier it must have been? It’s hard to replicate that mother, daughter, baby parenting line, but I think my group comes very close.

Here is a list of what I consider to be the benefits of my group.

1. companionship

2. parenting tips

3. friends for your child

4. hand me downs

5. and the most important the knowledge that others have the same thoughts, fears and struggles as you in your similar parenting journeys.

The question, though, how do you find such groups? That is a hard one. I kind of lucked out because a friend from grad school started the one I’m in and then she invited me to join.

Suggestions, look on the internet. Google playgroups in your area and see what you find. Look on cafemom and see if there is a group in your area.

Call a local parenting board, perhaps chamber of congress in your area.

Ask around especially other mamas with children in the same age range as yours.

If there isn’t one in your area, Then Start One. Mommies are anxious for mommy friends because being a stay-at-home mom can be so isolating. It probably wouldn’t take long before mothers are knocking down your door begging for a playgroup.

Priviledge Chapter 2 p A

Chapter II

Keith opened the side door to the sorority without knocking with Brandon following a step behind. He when he saw Becca nibbling on a bagel at the counter.

“Hey Becca. You look nice today.” He scanned her body.

Becca rolled her eyes and looked back at the chemistry book she was studying.

“Go get Angel,” he said.

Becca stood up and crossed her arms. “You could ask.”

Keith smirked at her.

“Whatever,” she said and left. Angle came into the room couple minutes later.

“Hey.” Angel stopped in the middle of the kitchen, planting her hands on her hips.

“Hey pretty thing.” He walked up to her.

His words brought a smile to her face, and she blushed when he placed his hands on her hips and leaned her against the counter; his body pressing lightly against hers. “It was exciting seeing you last night.” He kissed her cheek.

“What do you want?” she said when he moved his lips to her ear.

“What’s that girl’s name? The one you were sitting next.”

“I’m not telling you,” she said through a laugh.

“Tell me, Angel.” His lips trailed to her neck and down her shoulder.

“Why, so you can seduce her?”

“She won’t be able to hold anything over you.”

Angel tried to push him away, but he held his ground.

“Come on, Angel, you’re screwing other people to.”

“But…”

He lowered his forehead to hers and looked straight into her eyes. “Besides you know, you’re the one I’m going to settle down with.”

Angel blushed when he ran his thumb across her cheek and kissed her eyes. He felt her melt against him and knew he had her.

“Her name is Katie, Katie Morris. I’ll go get you her number.” Keith stepped back and watched her leave. He turned to Brandon who had a smirk on his face. “The best thing I ever did was make that girl fall in love with me.”

Brandon laughed. “I wish I could trick girls like that.”

Angel returned a few minutes later, and handed Keith a piece of paper. “I included her dorm number.” He folded it and put it in his dress shirt pocket. “Thank you.” He took her hand. Angel smiled, pulled her hand from his and left.

Keith and Brandon walked out the door and Keith flipped his phone open as they strolled to his car. He ordered three-dozen roses and had them sent to Katie’s dorm room. When the woman at the shop asked if he wanted to include a message he said, “write, sorry for being a drunken fool last night. Keith. And put my number on it.”

***

Katie scrutinized her history book while chewing on her pencil. She heard a knock at the door. She got up and the door. The color red filled her vision, and it took her a few seconds before she realized there was someone behind the mass of roses in front of her face.

“Ma’am, are you Katie Morris?” the delivery person asked.

“Yeah.”

“Here, these are for you,” the woman said as she handed Katie the roses.

“Thank you.” She looked around the roses but the woman had already left.

Katie brought the roses into her room and placed them on her desk. She ran her fingers over the petals until they found their way to a white card. She picked it up, opened it, and read the message from Keith. She crumpled and threw it against the wall. She placed her hands on her hips trying to figure out how he found out her name. Angel would have never given it to him.

She picked them up to throw them in the dumpster, but thought that it would be a shame to trash something so beautiful. She called Angel and they took the flowers to a hospital.

***

Katie felt nervous. She didn’t really want to go, but Angel had insisted it would be fun. After arriving, she looked around and breathed a sigh of relief when she didn’t see Keith amongst the small crowd of people, talking or dancing to the music. Angel took her hand dragged her to a group of girls she wanted her to meet. They talked for several minutes until Katie heard a voice behind her that she didn’t recognize. She took a deep breath, praying it wasn’t Keith.

“Hello.”

Katie turned to the voice behind her and smiled at the young man with deep brown eyes that were animated as he talked.

“Katie,” Angel said. “This is Allen, a friend of mine.”

“Nice to meet you,” Katie held out her hand and gently shook Allen’s. She liked how gently he held her hand. He was not as handsome as Keith; nor as captivating, but he was pleasant to look.

“How are you liking Yale?” He smiled showing her a perfect row of teeth.

Katie blushed as his eyes focused on her. “Oh, I go to Saint Mary, but I…”

“Keith just walked in,” Angel said interrupting her flow of thought. She glanced at the group of girls who looked beyond her with fascination in their eyes.

“I wonder what he’s up to tonight,” one girl said.

“Seeking another victim.” Angel focused her attention on Katie. She had a sneer on her face.

Katie turned to see Keith walk to a cooler filled with beer. Brandon was with him and they each grabbed one. At that moment, Keith lifted his eyes and she knew he saw her. He dropped his gaze and walked away.

“I guess he finally gave up,” said Angel. She had lost the sneer.

“He’s so annoying,” said Katie.

“You know Keith?” Allen said.

She focused her attention on Allen. “Yeah, he tried to hit on me, but I just ignored him.”

“Good, Keith is someone to ignore.”

***

Keith tried not to think of Katie, but his eyes kept drifting to her. She looked so sweet so simple in the black knee length skirt, making her seem so innocent compared to the girls in tights dresses she stood with. The whole week he had waited phone logic, but this girl defied his logic and would pay him not attention. He noticed her and Angel leave the group and walk towards the bathroom. Katie leaned sideways on the wall. He set his beer down on a table, and watched until he knew he had to talk to her. She didn’t notice him as he walked up to her.

“Hey, pretty thing.” He placed a hand on her hip and leaned against the wall.

“Hello, Keith.” She took a step from him making his hand drop. She turned to face him.

“I just wanted to know if you got the flowers I sent you.”

“Yeah, and I donated them to a hospital. I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

Keith’s smile disappeared. “That was good of you.”

He bit down on the side of his lip as she glared at him. What was up with this girl? Perhaps, he couldn’t play by the same rules.

“You know, you would find out I’m a pretty nice guy, if you just got to know me. Won’t you let me take you to dinner?”

Katie took a deep breath. “No.”

For the first time in his life, Keith felt his heart drop. He took a step closer to her and stared down into her eyes. He knew he could make a girl melt with them. “Why don’t you like me?” It was a rather blunt question he knew, but he had to know. Perhaps, she had heard rumors about him. But the rumors never kept girls away before.

She looked to the side as a slight blush covered her cheeks. “I’m just not interested.”

Was he getting to her? “Tell me and I’ll leave you alone.”

The blush deepened. “Look, you’re just not my type. I’m not into rich boys.”

He didn’t believe her. Her eyes looked too uncertain. There was something else. “That some classism, you’ve got going on.”

“It’s how I feel.”

“Well, Katie Morris, I hope you don’t meet some guy who breaks your heart. I’d hate to see such a spirit crushed.” Keith mockingly bowed and then walked away knowing he would kill anyone who hurt her. He would have to find some way to get her in his arms. She belonged with him.

***

Katie leaned her head against the side of the wall again, wishing her cheeks would cool down. She knew she must be blushing. His eyes were too captivating and she realized he was just trying to use them against her. The door opened and Angel walked out.

Angel bent her head to the side. “What’s up with you?”

Katie placed a hand on her cheek, feeling the heat. “Nothing, it’s just hot in here.”

“Yea whatever.”

They walked back to the group. She stopped next to Allen and closed her eyes as she caught a whiff of his cologne.

He bent to her ear and she felt herself tremble as he whispered, “Let’s go get some ice cream.”

“I don’t know you,” she mumbled. She wanted to date him, but she knew she should only date Christian guys. She looked up at Angel, who eyes where fixed on her. She noticed the sneer on her face again. What could Angel be thinking?

***

The next morning Angel sat in the kitchen of the sorority house drinking some coffee when she heard a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened and Allen walked in.

“Angel,” said Allen as he walked up to her. Angel kept her eyes fixed on her cup of coffee. She lifted them when she saw two hundred dollars placed in front of her face.

“What do you want?”

“Convince Katie Morris, I’m a good guy, so she’ll go out with me.”

Angel laughed at what he said. “Why would I do that?”

“Because, it’ll drive Keith insane.”

Angel quickly turned around so she could stare into his face. “Will you sleep with her and ruin her?”

“Of course, but why such a sudden hate?” His smile became crooked.

“I can’t stand the way Keith fawns over her. Becca told me how they talked at the party. She didn’t even mention it. I bet she’s conniving for him.”

Allen laughed. “Jealous. Well dear, do your part and I will willingly do mine.”

She took the money from his hand and said, “I’ll tell her you’re a good mission boy.”

“Thanks.” Allen patted her on the shoulder and left.

Angel picked up her phone, and called Katie.

When Katie answered, Angel said, “you made an impression on Allen last night.”

“I did?”

“He’s a cool guy. I hope you don’t mind, but I gave him your number.”

“You think he’s a cool guy?”

“I know he is. Allen and I are good friends. You should go out with him when he calls.”

She thought about it before she said, “OK.”

I'm skipping my regular scheduled book review to post this.

Last week Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman lost a daughter (Maria) in a home accident. I’ve never lost a child in such a way, but I can only imagine its must be a profound lost.

But that is not what I want to talk about. At the risk of sounding completely insensitive I’m going to approach a subject, that few even recognize.

Chapman’s daughter was adopted from China. She had another family, but I didn’t run across one story that even mentioned that lost. In other words, there is another mother and possible father, grieving a lost.

Very few Americans recognize this loss because we have never look at the bigger picture when it comes to international adoption. We see happy families and there is nothing wrong with that.

But what we don’t see is the grieving Chinese mother, wondering how her daughter is fairing in this world.

Now, before you say, “The Chinese mother as no right to mourn or be recognized she abandoned her daughter,” please take a second and consider the culture this mother lives in.

In China there is a one child policy and many poor families need a son to take care of them. A lot of time mothers, of no choice of their own, are forced to abandon their newborn girls. Ever wonder why so many of these little girls are found in places where someone is likely to find them quickly. Another thing is a lot of these little girls were never abandoned but where stolen and sold to orphanages. There are people making money off these little girls.

Back to Maria’s Chinese mother. I’ve decided to recognize her and the loss she felt in the hope of educating some of my fellow Americans.

Dear Marie’s original mother,

Last week, you suffered a loss that you may never know about and I’m so sorry for that. I will keep you in my prayers as you navigate gate through life without the child you labored to bring in this world. I know you have lost and suffered a pain, that is deep, and soul crushing and one that I have learned never goes away. But I can’t imagine what this new loss will be like.

Did a rush a pain wash over you as her soul left this earthly home? Did all your mother instincts kick in, making you want to find and protect your little bundle of pure beauty until you realized you wouldn’t be able to find her?

I bet you dream of her. Wondering, what she is up to. Does she have your mother’s eyes or your husband’s smile? I bet you hope she is getting a good education in America and that she will fall in love with a boy of her own choosing. I bet you pray that she never has to lose a little soul she has nourished with her own body that way you lost her.

Do you ever hear about the stories of children from Vietnam and China coming back to their native countries to try and find their original families? Does your heart spark with hope? Hoping that someday your child will come to find you. But she won’t. She is no more. I think the saddest thing is, if you do by some miracle find a way to search for her, you won’t find a smiling face with wide opened arms, you will find a grave and the pain you felt that day your baby was no longer in your arms will rush all over you again.

I’m sorry Maria’s original mother. I pray that God gives you peace, and the ability to make it through this world that doesn’t support the bond of a mother and child.

Readers as you pray for Chapman’s family loss, please also pray for the family in china. Or if you don't believe in pray as some of my friends do then please keep both families in mind.

Take care

Prviledge Chapter 1 Part B

That night Angel picked Katie up and took her to the party was. When Katie walked into the room, the first thing she noticed was the dimness of the lights, which cast only a gold shine and was smothered in smoke. The light kept the place just above dark. She looked around the room and saw people in small circles talking and listening to the music. Angel introduced her to many, and as she did she told Katie who their fathers were and sometimes but only on a rare occasion a mother. Most of the people at the party were somebody’s important child. The long list of senators’ and CEO’s children amazed her. Most of the them students at Yale.

They made their way to a couch, and Angel continued to point people out, and tell her why they were important.

A new song started playing over the mp3 player. Some of the young men formed a circle and started singing the words. Two of them shouted out, “Keith!” She saw a young man with dark brown hair that fell just over his forehead and was parted to the side. He held up a beer as he walked up to the crowd, shouting out a line from the song. For some reason, Katie watched the ends of his untucked blue dress shirt flop with his movements. He was attractive she thought.

“Who’s that?” she asked Angel.

Angel looked at the crowd. “That’s Keith Wilkerson, future senator of New York,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Katie chuckled.

“His father is the most powerful lawyer in New York, probably the country. But he’s a dog. I recommend staying away from him.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, he and his friend Brandon.” Angel pointed to another boy in the group with cropped short brown hair. “Once got a whole pledge class drunk and talked them into stripping in front of the house.”

Katie raised her eyebrows. “He’s going to have some youthful indiscretions to explain away.”

Katie looked at the young man, watching his full lips move to the words. She blinked when he looked at her and smiled. Her heart jumped a little when he walked over to them, taking sips from his beer. He was so handsome and well built with big board shoulders. However, Katie remembered her mother’s words: a pretty face doesn’t always mean a pretty soul. He stopped in front of them and held out his hand as he gave Angel the most captivating smile Katie had ever seen. “Come Angel.”

Angel’s eyes immediately lit up and her face brightened. She placed her hand in his and let him lead her back to the dance floor. Keith placed one hand on her hip, and stood as close to her as he could, holding the beer behind her shoulder and moving her hips in time with his as he continued to shout out the words.

Katie was confused. Angel looked up at Keith as if he was her groom. She shook her head. Apparently, Angel didn’t think she needed to stay away from him. She wanted to leave.

When the song ended, Keith turned back to the guys. Angel walked up to his side and placed her hand on his back, but he didn’t even acknowledge her as he talked to the group of men. He even stepped from her so her hand would drop. Katie wondered what kind of game he was playing.

A couple minutes later, he looked at her again and gave her a sensuous smile. She felt her stomach fall and her pulse quicken as he made a bee-line towards her. “Please, Lord give me strength,” she mumbled as Angel fled the room, wiping her cheeks. He had hurt her bad in the past, Katie realized. Suddenly she felt determined to ignore him.

She began to stand up, but she sat firmly down when she heard someone plop down beside her. She took a deep breath and turned to face Keith. He put his arm on the top of the couch, touching her shoulders. She watched as he took a sip of his beer; small beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, and collected on his brow.

“I’m Keith.” He held out his hand, still holding the beer, but with his three fingers stretched out.

She stared at him.

His lips curved up into a smirk. “What’s your name, babe?”

“I was having a better time alone.”

Keith laughed while looking up at the ceiling.

“What does your father do?” He gently touched a strand of her hair with his free hand and curled it around his finger.

Katie’s cheeks grew hot at the attention, and felt herself wanting to just sit there and bask in his mesmerizing dark blue eyes. She had never been so close to one as handsome as him. She studied his lips and wondered what it would be like to have them press firmly into hers.

“My father is a teacher, and my mother is a nurse,” she mumbled out. He’ll sleep with you and leave you, she reminded herself.

“So you got here on intelligence?”

“Yeah.”

She flinched a little when she felt Keith placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her towards him, leaning into to her. She fought the feeling of smallness and the dire need to let those arms embrace her. He was so close to her that she could smell the beer on his breath.

He quickly raised and lowered his eyebrows. “Can I show you mine?”

Katie immediately felt repulsed. “Your breath stinks.”

He reached his hand with the beer to her cheek and gently stroked it; she felt the cold bottle touch her burning skin. He leaned in more to her face, and she tried to scoot back a little as he said, “get closer and you won’t smell a thing.”

Her eyes opened wide as he leaned in to kiss her, but she smacked him on the cheek and pushed herself from his arms. She walked straight out the front door and looked for Angel, but she was nowhere around. She almost made it to the street when he caught up to her.

“Hey, where you going?” he said taking her arm.

She tugged her arm from him. “My dorm.”

“You’re going to walk?”

“Yeah.”

“Pretty things like you shouldn’t walk alone at night.”

“I don’t care.” She crossed the street with him by her side.

She stopped and faced him when she got to the other side. “Keith, if you think I’m going to sleep with you; give up.”

Keith bent his head to the side and dug his hands deep into his pocket. “I just want to walk you home.”

She shook her head as she took off towards her dorm room with him following her every step. He tried to talk to her, but she didn’t respond to anything he said. It was a gray, warm night. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground and her arms wrapped tightly around her chest. She couldn’t figure out why he didn’t take the hint and leave her alone. Was he desperate or something?

When she got to her dorm, she unlocked the front door. “Bye Keith.”

“No thanks?”

She walked through the door.

***

Through the window, Keith watched her walk up the stairs. She wasn’t worth it, he thought. He walked back with his hands dug into his pockets. Her eyes seemed so beautiful and innocent when he sat next to her. He could still smell her perfume. What a scent - fresh oranges that evoked images of the sun. Perhaps, I will try one more time, he thought. He didn’t go back to the party, but got in his car and went home - not even caring he left Brandon at the party.

When he got to his apartment, he went to his bathroom, grabbed a black bag and sat on his bed. He grabbed a needle and a small bottle out of the bag, and raised it to his eyes as he filled the needle halfway. He tied a rubber rope around his arms, and closed his eyes as he inserted the needle into a vein of his arm. When he felt himself calm down a bit, he lay down on the bed. “Sleep,” he told himself. His thoughts trailed to Katie. Why did he care that she blew him off?

***

Katie went straight to her room, and sat on her bed. She picked up her cell phone and dialed Angel’s number.

“Hello,” Angel said.

“I left the party,” Katie said, “That jerk came up to me and started hitting on me, so I left to get away from him.”

She heard Angel laugh even though she could hear a trace of sadness in her voice.

“Did he hurt you once?” Katie asked.

“No, why do you say that?”

Katie looked up at the ceiling as she lay down on her bed. She didn’t believe Angel. Whatever he did to her, was bad. “You just seemed hurt when he walked away from you.”

“I don’t care about Keith, but it’s wise to stay away from him. He has a habit of sleeping with girls and acting like he doesn’t know them the next day.”

“Why do girls keep sleeping with him?”

“Because he’s handsome, rich, and he has this way of always convincing girls, that they are the most precious woman in the world.”

“That’s funny. All I got was my breath doesn’t stink if you get close.’ I guess he didn’t think I was much of a challenge.”

Angel laughed. “I wouldn’t worry about Keith. He never works hard to get a girl in bed.”

“Good, I was a little anxious because he insisted on walking me home even though I ignored him.”

“He did!” Angel said as her voice rose.

“Yeah.” Angel’s words startled her. Obviously, Keith didn’t walk girls home, but why did he walk her home?

“Huh, I wonder why he did that.” Angel paused for a moment. “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow, Katie.”

“Sure.”

Katie hung up the phone, kicked her shoes off and dismissed Keith from her mind. She grabbed a picture of her next-door neighbor, a boy she’d had a crush on her whole life. She placed it against her chest and thought of him. Jeff wasn’t as handsome as Keith, but she knew his heart was pure.

All The Tea in China

All the Tea In China by Jane Orcutt had a great beginning but didn’t carry the reader to the very end.

Isabella Goodrich, is a pretty tom-boy all dressed up in lace who would rather be sword fighting then sipping tea. She has been called to be a missionary and will risk embarrassment to go against accepted behavior of society to accomplish her goal.

So how does she decide to this? She sneaks onto the ship of a man name Phineas Snowe after he repeatedly told her he would not take her to china. Thus begins her adventure to China where she falls in love with Snowe and, well, becomes a housewife. Not quite the missionary adventures the readers were hoping for.

Stop reading right now if you think I’m crazy and you want to read the book because I’m going to break reviewer rule number one and give away most of the ending to this book. Instead check out this cute baby. Isn't she beautiful. That is my favorite outfit I had for my daughter.

Still with me.

So what happens to Isabella in China? She marries Phineas and takes up shop at his house while he goes on an adventure into the heart of China searching for a special tea that he believes will give China its independence from Britain’s opium. The reader doesn’t get to read about his adventure or what happens. What we do get is Isabella trying to find her place at Phineas’ family home in China. The most adventure is the house gets robbed but Isabella with her excellent sword fighting skills defends them. So what do you think the reader would want to hear more about? Personally, I want to see Phineas’ adventures searching for tea. Not homemaking. I do that everyday of my life.

Getting back to the robbery, I found it unbelievable. Isabella had sword and martial arts training in England. Outlandish for an upperclass girl but not unbelievable. What is unbelievable is that she could single handedly defeat four to five martial artist by herself. And that is where the novel broke the fantasy for me. Once the illusion is broken the novel looses its effectives. This book does have its fun moments such as the interactions between Isabella and Phineas and up until the end the reader is captured in the story. It’s a good distraction from a busy schedule if you need something to entertain you for a while.

I would say the novel is low on passion. Isabella and Phineas love each other and speak to with dear affection and have sweet kisses. But not much more.

Theology wise, it’s solid. Nothing that would go against basic Christian doctrine.

My final verdict. Borrow it don’t buy it.

Hello Visitors

I've noticed that I have some visitors to my site.
So I decided to be nosy.
So say hello and tell me how you found me. If you have a blog leave a link.
thanks
tightwad mom

If you need to save money, one way is make your own cleaning products.

If you need to save money, one way is make your own cleaning products.

For example, mix viniger and oil together and you have a pretty nice polisher.

Combine a little dish soap, vinegar, lemon juice and borax and you have a pretty nice floor cleaner.

I could go on and on, but it would take up a huge list so I thought I would provide a link about natural cleaning recipes.

http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/natural-cleaning-products.htm

I recommend every mama keep borax in their kitchen. Borax is a natural product that easily replaces comet. All you have to do is read the back of a comet bottle to realize why you shouldn’t use it. I use borax for my shower and it gets rid of mildew quickly, and I don’t have to worry about what is being absorbed into my skin.

According to Clean with Norwex, “EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasionally, more than 100 times higher than outdoor levels. Cleaning products and other household products are among the many culprits. (Source: EPA)”

Check out http://www.cleanwithnorwex.ca/cleaning_chemicals.php for more information on why typical household products should be avoided.

Priviledge Chapter 1 part A

Chapter I

Years earlier…

Katie tapped her pencil against her desk as the professor walked across the room, handing out graded papers. It was her first college paper, and she wanted to start off well, at least with her classes. She had been at St. Mary, a small girls college just a few miles from Yale, for four weeks, and had yet to make a friend even though she frequently went to several Christian organizations trying to find a group to hang out with.

She bit hard on her bottom lip as her professor set her paper face down on her desk. She grabbed it, and turned the paper over.

A smile crossed her face when she saw the bleeding red A.

“Wow,” she heard Angel say, a girl in her class that she often shared notes with.

“What did you get?”

Angel slid her paper into her notebook. “Not what you got.” She returned her gaze to Katie. “You’re kind of pretty. And obviously smart. Why aren’t you in a sorority?”

Katie felt her cheek grow hot. “I don’t know.”

“Want to come see the house, and meet some of the girls of AKP?”

Katie smiled. “Sure.”

The two girls walked to a street that ran across the edge of campus. Katie listened as Angel explained to her the benefit of sisterhood, but wondered if sorority life was for her. As a Christian, it didn't feel right, but at least someone was talking to her. She kept thinking of how she didn’t really want to join a sorority. Her mother warned her about them before she went off to college. But someone was finally talking to her.

The first thing Katie noticed when she walked in the door was the bright white and light blue colors of the curtains and a cream color rug. The same letters that were written across Angel’s shirt, were nailed to the wall over the fireplace. She admired the leather furniture and the oak coffee table. The room was beautiful.

***

In the other room, Keith caressed the upper thigh of the bleached blond that sat next to him. She bit on her fingertips, giving him a coy smile.

“I’ve been wanting to see that movie,” she said.

I’ve got it at my apartment. You want to go watch it?”

The girl giggled. “Hum, do you really want to watch it?”

“Maybe,” he said, running his hand further up the girl’s leg.

Footsteps directed his attention to the mostly shut door just in time to catch a glimpse of a black and red color plaid skirt. He got up from the couch.

“What are you doing?” the blonde asked. Keith raised one finger to his lips. He opened the door a little more and saw a beautiful brunette talking to Angel. He stared at her legs, and contemplated how soft her thighs were under her skirt, then followed them up and smiled when he reached the curviness of her hips, but what held his eyes the most was how her light brown thick curls fell to the middle of her back. She turned just enough so he could see her pretty face as she smiled at something Angel said.

“Who’s this girl, Becca?”

The blonde walked to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked through the crack. “Probably a potential pledge.”

“I want to meet her.”

“What about me?” Becca crossed her arms. He didn’t answer her until Katie and Angel had left the room.

“I’m done with you.” He walked through the door.

He made for the door that Katie and Angel had gone through, but when he opened it, it was too late, the girls had gone upstairs. He knew it would present him in a bad light, if he followed them, so he waited for several minutes, but they never came back. He left and called another girl he had recently met.

***

Upstairs, Angel showed Katie around, and told her about pledging, and how good it was because it gave the girls a chance to bond. She informed Katie that she knew she was not as financially well off as the other girls, but the sorority took care of girls they liked. When she finished showing her the place, she said a lot of the girls would be at a party tonight that a friend is throwing and that it would be a great way to meet them. Katie agreed to go.

Redeeming Love

Redeeming Love

I really don’t know what to classify Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It’s very steamy, but very depressing at the same time. It’s definitely, something you don’t want to start reading while you’re busy, but if you’re having a really good day you might want to put it aside. The Prologue is pretty depressing as the reader encounters a young child being raped.

Set during the California during the gold, the novels centers on a pretty woman, Angel, who was sold into prostitution as a child and Michaels who wants to give her a new life. Angels is not happy with her life, but is too scared to trust Michael to not hurt her. Angel must overcome her pass in order to find the peace that God and Michael want to offer her.

There are some really steamy love scenes such as the first time Michael and Angel have sex. There isn’t really any detail, but the character undress and began to make love, while Michael demand Angel say his name over and over again before Rivers ends the scene.

It’s long, but reader don’t notice because Rivers pushes the plot forward with many twists such as a cruel brother-in-law who seeks to hurt Angel and suspense in the form of a new possible love for Michael.

Theology wise, I don’t know. Christians are clearly commanded not to marry non Christians but the novel is based off of the story of Hosea in the Bible. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute despite the fact Jews weren’t suppose to associate with them. Therefore, the reader should decide for themselves.

Priviledge Prologue

This is my attempt to bring readers into my blog. This is a novel I've written.

Privilege

Prologue

Katie pulled herself from Keith’s embrace and headed towards the bathroom. She knew the tears staining his cheeks were fake - he had no soul. She walked in the bathroom and closed the door behind her. Turning, she saw the small brown bag on the sink. In it, she found a pair of grey scissors he used to trim the end of his bangs in between haircuts. She leaned her back against the sink and closed her eyes, asking God to forgive her, but her eyes immediately opened when she felt the blade slice her skin. She screamed a little, losing her balance and slipping onto the floor; her head banged hard against the sink. Her vision immediately blurred. She heard a pounding sound, while wood fell on the floor. Her head was lifted until she could see Keith’s piercing blue eyes — his tears poured onto her face. “Katie,” she heard as his eyes faded from her vision, but she could still hear his voice, and feel his arms grasping her until all senses were gone.

A Passion most pure

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman falls into what I call “make sure you have a Saturday off” read. This book is too hard to put down. It’s filled with engaging, complex characters that have real emotions and challenges that the average Christian woman can identify with.

Set around WWI, Faith is a common Boston girl, who loves God, family and a quick escape to her local park. But she has one Achilles hill - Collin McGuire, the too hot for his own good bad boy seeking love in any young lady willing to give. He is the perfect contrast to Faith’s good girl nature. Faith’s been in love with him for a while but her feelings blossom beyond control when Collin affections turn from his snotty girlfriend (Faith’s younger sister) to her.

Faith must learn to master her feelings and find a way to maintain God’s command for purity and to avoid being unequally yoke to a non believer.

This book is hot, but not steamy. Meaning your heart will burn every time Collin demands Faith love him and drags her into his passionately kissing her- lips trailing down her neck. But you won’t start thinking about putting the kids to bed early for some hubby time.

My favorite scene is when Collin comes to Faith’s home after he has been drinking to see her sister. Faith tries to sober him up, lead him to the Lord, but somehow finds herself lost in kisses she is unwilling to return. The intense dialogue in the scene brings the readers into the scene and leaves them panting for air when Faith sister’s show up.

Theology wise, I would say the novel is very solid. The characters obviously believe in Salvation by faith, Faith’s father is the head of the household, but his wife is his partner not servant. That’s pretty much it.

A Passion Most Pure is a must have to any woman’s bookshelf.

Co

beginnings

Thought I’d start a literary review for the simple reason, I’m broke. I often joke with my friends that every week I come up with a gimmick to get me rich and out of debt. Well, this is this week’s gimmick, but perhaps, with the Lord’s blessing it will work. I love to read what I consider clean romance novels. Novels with lots of passion and steamy scenes but missing the all out sex scenes that just disgust me. These are usually called inspirational romance novels, but I think my terms fits better. A quick stop at Barns & Nobles, shows a wide range of selection of books that can make someone feel overwhelm. Many people ask themselves, which of these shiny new novels will help me waste a couple hours on a Saturday while I let the T.V. baby sit my children. That is where I hope to help. I’m going to tell you what’s hot, what’s not and what is better left on the bookshelf.

Right now this blog is in the experimental stage, but I hope to develop a system over time that will give readers that info they want.

I’m no New York Times reviewer, just a simple cloth diapering stay-at-home mom who loves to read while my husband watches every news show on MSNBC.

So let me invite you to read my blog. Don’t expect perfect grammatically correct sentences, thought provoking commentaries on society and sophisticated literary reviews. This is just mom-to-mom insights on what I enjoy.