Rain Dance

Warning: today's post is a bit...dirty!

Ya know the saying When it rains, it pours? Well it's pouring cats and dogs here! The blizzard hit with full force today canceling school so both Tyler and Mia have a terrible case of cabin fever. He doesn't have snow pants and she doesn't have boots, so I can't let them play outside, especially with the bitterly cold wind. And that's all they've wanted since they woke up this morning: can we play outside? They've been watching movies and playing on the Wii all day and are starting to get on each other's (and my) nerves. Not that they are being bad or anything, just cooped up in the house.

Jesse was frustrated that he had to stay home from work because of the weather. He'll have to work Christmas Eve to make up the hours. I don't understand businesses staying open when all of the police departments, sheriff's offices, and state patrol say Stay Home! It puts their life at risk, plus the emergency crews that have to rescue and race to the hospital after accidents.

Then to top it all off, our septic system backed up into the basement. I'm trying real hard to count the blessings of it happening today #1 Jesse was home to handle it #2 Yeah, I can't come up with a number 2, but there's plenty of it on the floor. Ugh, I know!

And to top it all off, poor Cooper has never seen snow before and is so terrified of the white scary stuff that he hasn't gone to the bathroom outside once today...and you know what that means for me. Yep, cleaning up more #2!

I'm working on counting my blessings to focus on the good stuff today: kids are healthy, everyone is home safe, we have electricity (some in the area don't), the house is warm, and the eBay auctions are going pretty well today. In the grand scheme of things, this is just a minor hiccup, a smelly and nasty one, but a hiccup none the less.

Rain Dance by Joy DeKok is a moving look at the power of friendship and faith. Jonica is in her fertility specialist's office to end treatment in acceptance of her barrenness as part of God's plan when she meets Stacie who is there to schedule an abortion for a child who doesn't fit into the plan of her busy life. That fateful meeting will leave both women both permanently changed. Stacie's marriage falls apart in the wake of the abortion, and she turns her anger on Jonica who instead embraces her and the women find a way to bridge the gap between them. DeKok uses Jonica to tell of her own struggle with infertility and she offers up a valuable lesson for anyone who judges couples who are childless. Jonica's faith carrier her through every storm and intrigues Stacie into checking it out for herself. The book is a wonderful read about friendship and how to love those who may be so different from us. The only trouble I had with it was discovering 2/3 of the way through that Jonica is only 24. Based on her career, lifestyle, and attitude, I assumed that she was closer to thirty or even in her mid-thirties. Despite that small issue, it's a great read that should encourage readers on both sides of the abortion debate.

Thank you to Virtual Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

You still have time to sign up to win one of two copies of Donna VanLiere's The Christmas Secret. Just leave a comment on my blog or send me an email before 10 pm on Dec. 10th.

Today's picture has nothing to do with my post, I just wanted a bit of cuteness.