Sweet Caroline

This weekend Mia is going to Madison with Jesse's mom and dad to spend a couple of days with his brother, Eric's, family. Eric has two daughters: Nora, age 10, and Hana, age 6, so Mia's really looking forward to the trip. I'm excited for her, but apprehensive as well. Mia's never been away from me for that long before, and when she was away from me, it was less than ten miles away. Apparently Jesse told her that if she gets scared, he'll come down and pick her up. Yeah, that's a 2 am phone call I'm looking forward to: Daddy, I wanna come home! Honestly, I think she'll be just fine. Hana and Mia are both fans of Hannah Montana and High School Musical, so hopefully they will find plenty to talk about and keep busy.

This part of the post is for Tricia. Go here to read her story and understand my wishes for her. Here's a link to other mom's wishes for her too.

Tricia, I can't wait for you to:

- lie in bed with your husband with your baby between you, and then realize that as you two curve around her small body, you make a heart, and she is at its center

- discover that no matter how many onesies you have, it's not enough because baby poop defies gravity

- get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and when you come back discover that a little one has taken your place in bed with her foot across your husband's stomach and her hand across his face, and they breathe in unison with the beating of your heart

- you sing in the car to your favorite song and realize that she's singing along

- she flashes her underwear to the entire church when singing with the children's choir

- see her face the first time you place her in her bath

- smell her hair after that first bath

If you'd like to put up some wishes for Tricia, make sure you post a link to the blog above.

Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck is chick lit with a serious twist. Caroline Sweeney has lived her entire life for other people. She's never left her home town, because there has always been someone who needs her. Just when she has a chance at a dream job, interning in Barcelona, Spain for a Trump-like mogul, the owner of the small town cafe where she works dies and leaves her the business. Throw into the mix, Caroline's old flame Mitch, a big-time country star, who's returned home to find what he's lost, and Caroline can't decide which way to go. Hauck is a writer who manages to write chick lit with depth and true heart. Caroline is completely believable, and definitely someone to befriend. She can't help wanting the best for everyone around her, even at the expense of herself. The dialogue is fantastic, and the relationship between Mitch and Caroline natural and sweet. Hauck turns chick lit on its ear with her ending with a reminder that a man isn't the be-all and end-all of a woman's worth. Great lessons about faith and stepping out of your comfort zone in trusting the Lord.

There is still time to enter my contest to win one of two copies of David Gregory's The Next Level. Just drop an email to clockstein at centurytel.net before midnight tomorrow night to enter.