Touched By a Vampire

I am so excited! Doogie is coming home tomorrow after his classes! We haven't seen him since the weekend of Homecoming, and it feels like an eternity. Jesse and I are getting the house ready for him and stocking up the fridge for his appetite. I also have to pick up some laundry detergent - he's already warned me that he hasn't done his in a month! While I know it's terribly stereotypical for him to bring home his dirty clothes, I can't help but smile at feeling needed.

Molly asked me to bring in to school a baby picture of her for a class, so I headed to the basement to sift through all of the piles of old pictures. I came across the pictures we had pulled out for Doogie's graduation, and I lost track of time flipping through them one at a time. Thank goodness he is coming home tomorrow! If I had stumbled across them a time when he wasn't, I'd be an emotional wreck. Is it always this hard when a child goes off to college? Is the ache going to double or treble exponentially when Molly goes off in a year and a half? I'd love to hear from anyone who has answers!

Touched by a Vampire by Beth Felker Jones is an indepth look at the messages in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. From marriage and children to self-worth and faith, there are plenty of messages to be found in the series of books, and Jones looks at them all through the light of Christianity. My daughter and I are both big fans of the Twilight series so I was intrigued by the idea of digging deeper into what Meyer has to say about the big issues of life, especially in view of her Mormon faith, and Jones covers every issue thoroughly. Looking at the Cullen family as a metaphor for the Mormon ideal was eye-opening. Some readers may be angered by Jones occasional criticism of the way Meyer portrays a loving relationship through Bella and Edward, but she makes some excellent points about how Bella's complete lack of self-worth and Edward's protectiveness make an romantic fairy tale, in real life they could lead to a destructive, abusive relationship. This book is definitely NOT for those who have not read the series. In deconstructing the books, Jones gives lots of spoilers that would ruin it for those who haven't read it yet. For those who have read them, it's important to keep an open mind and try not to get angry with Jones for exposing flaws within the psychology of the books. Her points are valid and thought-provoking and will give readers a completely different point of view regarding the series and may even inspire a re-read!

I'm drawing the winner's name tonight for Tracey Bateman's Thirsty. There's still time to enter; just leave a comment here or send me an email before 10 pm tonight!