Cheryl Seagraves's Blog

Today is an amazing day. I won't say anything too cheesy about it being the first empty page of your 365 page book or anything, but I will say this; It is fresh, the first day of the year 2014. It has a great ring to it, and I feel optimistic about the days ahead. I haven't written any resolutions, because I don't want it to be like that... Like starting off the first bright new day of this year with regrets or things I wish to do differently, I don't want to smudge it!
Instead I want to offer some thoughts, tidbits of advice, or my own little experiments if you will, that might make someone you know smile.
The first thing is be more impulsive. Whether it's throwing your arms around your hunny's neck and hugging them tight for no reason or sparking up conversation with the bank teller. Just smile and connect more with people around you.
Sincerely be more in the moment.
My husband brought home a Monster and a Slim Jim and I was all "Awwwwwwe." So seriously just a small I'm thinking of you action can go a long way to make somebody feel like somebody special.
Another thing that I try to do is, get excited more about the simple things. My four year old reminds me daily how easy it is to be proud of oneself for every accomplishment. She has been potty trained for a couple of years, but when she yells "Mmomma! I peeeeeeed!"  I smile and get excited right along with her while she quietly waits for me to yell back "Wooo Hoo, baby!" Just think how happy we would all be if we got super excited about making it to work on time or even just not beating ourselves up for forgetting to buy the laundry detergent.
Kiss 'em more! Kiss your spouse before they leave and kiss your kids all the time. This one is hard for me because my husband leaves for work at 3:30 am, but I do it. I might have only one eye opened and I might give him a big sugar smack on the nose or forehead, but I kiss him before he leaves for work every day, even when we fuss!
I want to be less judgmental with folks too. I mean I feel like Scarlet O'Hara, you know how it is she wanted so much to be a great lady, but in her heart of hearts she was just Not. I've been trying to curb nasty thoughts. If someone doesn't know what to do at the four way by my house instead of my usual grumblings I'm going to say a little prayer for them that God will watch over them and keep them safe then maybe it will be a little harder to be thinking that they are beep, beepity, beep bops.
 Do more things that kind of scare you. 2013 was my year for that. I mean I really put myself out there, I talked to everyone in person and online and you know what? I've met so many amazing people and grown so much because of it. I used to be very self conscious, but now it's like I'm just me sharing my work with people and saying whatever comes to mind and connecting with people from all walks of life. I'm just enjoying people for who they are and offering my thoughts on things. Anytime I think about someone, I just take the time and message them. Even if I haven't talked to them in years. sometimes it's like just what they or I needed to feel like a kid again in home room. A little change up from the regular day to day.
When my little girl gets ahold of my phone she always messages one of my best friends by sending smiley faces, thumbs up, and cat stickers. I apologized once and when she said "That's ok I like getting random smiley faces and thumbs ups", a light went off and now I just like to send random little messages and texts to people. I can always blame it on Lily if it gets annoying, on my end it's really is fun and a little sneaky!
I guess what I'm trying to say is for this year, I'm challenging us all to not sweat the small stuff and keep in mind how important all our accomplishments are big and small. Most importantly each day of this year I hope to grow closer with my family and friends and make sure that I let everyone know how much they mean to me a little more every day and I hope you will too.
 What do you want to accomplish this year? I'm all ears...

I once read "Love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life."Well let me be the first to say how true that sentence really is!This time last year I was up to my eyeballs in frozen pies, dairy products, seasonal displays, and too many frantic customers to count. I was a department manager of frozen and dairy during the busiest time of year known to the grocery industry. I was well on my way towards a promotion that I really wanted at one point in my ten year career in retail.
I made decent money. Got home by 4pm every day with the exception of the holidays, I was at a point where I only had to work one weekend day out of the month. I knew my job and did it well, but there wasn't one day that whole month that I could make it to work or home without crying like a big baby. It was really ridiculous.  I mean why was I so miserable, at least I was working right? And there are worse jobs out there I guess, at least I wasn't stuck cleaning dog anal glands and cat pooh all day for a living (both dirty jobs that somebody's gotta do, and I really commend those folks!), but it wasn't the job that had me crying it was so much more.
Not only did I go home feeling like my work was never done, but I always felt guilty as soon as I walked through my door. I'm not one of those people that thinks or says society "programmed" me into feeling this way either. I'm a mother that had a very real feeling of guilt and regret when I came home in a bad mood, or fell asleep as soon as I sat down on the couch, or snapped at everyone for no reason.
I remember last Black Friday. I got off work early that morning after a long night of dealing with the happy and excited to the miserable wish I didn't have to wait in these stupid long lines customers and I was exhausted. Wanting to eat my saved Thanksgiving plate, but too tired I went to bed and fell asleep with out even taking off my shoes.
I awoke a couple of hours later to the sound of my family laughing and joking in the living room. I thought to myself if I don't get up now I'm going to sleep all day and I have gotta work in the morning.
I looked down at my hands that hurt so bad I couldn't make a fist and I decided to stop wishing things were different and do something different. That was the last day I walked into a place where what I did made no difference to anyone.
Now my days are spent taking the kids to and from school where we talk about our days. Playing pretend with my three year old, scouring the internet to market my new found projects, my house is still a mess, I am on the PTO at all my kids schools, and I'm dating a great guy... my husband!
There's one thing I'm not doing. I am not stressing, which is really weird because I stress even less now that I don't have a regular paycheck coming in than I did this time a year ago. It's a good thing I don't measure personal success by how much money one has though because we have made some sacrifices in that area.
I'm content every time I get emails from women saying that my book has had a positive impact on their lives, or when I'm painting, or crafting with my mom. I won't ever trivialize what anyone else choses to do with their lives especially now that I've learned how that feels.  I am home. That's what will be remembered by the people who matter to me most. I can teach my kids to be happy with what they have, find what they love and just go for it. My kids will know what's really important is our relationships and giving unto others, even if it's just of your time. So when asked why I do all these things I have a real simple answer. It's all very selfish really. I wanted to be happy. Now I am.
 ~Cheryl Renee' Seagraves
  

Raising girls to be wonderful womenI have three girls and a boy. I am not perfect and I do not believe that I know all there is to know about raising children, they are only between the ages of three to fourteen for goodness sakes. However I am an opinionated person and this is my view on what you should avoid if you want your angel to grow up to be an amazing lady.  It strikes me as odd sometimes how often I'm tempted to say things to my girls that may temporarily heal hurt feelings, but I'm afraid might really damage their character if they hear it from me often enough.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about...

When my oldest (she's fourteen) got into the car after school the other day with tears in her eyes and a quietness unlike her, I knew something was wrong. She went on to tell me that another girl in her class was rude to her and in true mean girl fashion made a comment about my daughter's shirt being too small or something equally stupid in front of another group of girls. She meant to put my daughter down and get attention for herself, maybe her mother is equally rude and judgmental,  or maybe she's the school's top authority on fashion. Anyway it was really, and I mean REALLY hard for me not to say "Don't worry about it, she's just jealous."

I was able to cheer her up and realize that it didn't matter what anyone else thought, she really liked the shirt and felt pretty in it. So why let someone who is unkind and acts ugly have any effect on how she feels about herself? The mean girl was soon forgotten as Georgia giggled and explained how angry her bff had gotten in her defense, which she said she was really happy about. Thinking about it now I am so glad that I didn't utter those words she's just jealous and I'll tell you why...

I don't want my daughter growing up to be a woman who falls back on that phrase in every situation, even it it's true sometimes. I know a woman who is almost thirty five and if she detects any criticism (even if it is warranted) she still to this day soothes herself by saying so and so is just jealous, which to me is ridiculous! If I am in the wrong I'd like to think that I can handle myself accordingly, make it right and move on. Maybe even learn something from it. But to do that I've got to be able to listen to others and hear what they are saying even if it means taking an honest look at my own poor choices. I can't help thinking that if the lady weren't so coddled with those words as a child this woman wouldn't be so immature and incapable of  self reflection, she wouldn't be so shallow always chalking everything up to jealousy.

Another thing that I find on the tip of my tongue, but won't say is "He's just mean to you because he likes you."

Um no, I just can't do it...

It's not like I actually think that just because little boys are mean to us when we're kids during recess and we go home and our parents gave us that he's mean because he likes you bull crap, that we are forever destined to choose jerks who do not know how to treat women with respect. I just want my girls (and son) to know that it is wrong for boys or anyone to act like butt heads, just because they want to be cool in front of their friends. I expect them to show them that it's not to be tolerated. Period. When the boys are mean, my girls know to put them in their place, and then go on ignoring them... forever if they have to! The mean boys don't get any attention from my girls and hopefully they get the point and learn to be nice. My girls know their self worth, and they think guys that are mean to them aren't worth the time of day and I hope they always remember that.

I don't nick name them princess...Don't get me wrong, they love to play dress up and pretend to be royalty. My six year old loves to play princess and is on the hunt for her prince charming, but that child has enough of my bratty genes that I'm sure she would be ruined and we would all be in trouble if I gave her a title! I just don't think I should raise a little girl to grow up to be an entitled woman. I don't want my daughters to cry as a means to get what they want. I have a cousin who is an amazing woman, mother, and friend, but I swear one time she cried like a baby when she couldn't go out with friends. She might've been seventeen at the time, it was storming outside, and my aunt was like no way. She cried real blubbering crocodile tears that turned her whole face red. I was shocked when my aunt gave in, she swiped her face dry, and was out the door in a flash... To this day I still can't believe it, I  probably won't ever let her live it down either! I really will freak out if my girls do that holding car keys in their hands and then I'm sending them to her house! I can see Cheyenne doing this. That girl will push my buttons I'm sure, but I know in this battle I will win because I refuse to raise a Bridezilla...I have hopes that they will grow up to be straightforward and out going, but I don't want to encourage them to be royal pains even when they are taller than me, so I tend to call them stink heads more and more these days!

I stopped saying the word skinny when my oldest daughter was in the seventh grade. I have stopped dieting just because I want to be "skinnier". I do not refer to myself as fat any more. When Georgia started putting herself down and verbalizing a poor self image, I started to emphasize exercise and  weight loss as a means to be healthier not thinner. It bothered me that she had started to compare herself to girls with totally different body types and she was referring to herself as fat far too often. When she started to talk about dieting I drew the line and realized that if I do the same at my age, constantly worry about what size I wear or somehow feeling less attractive because of weight gain I'm just reaffirming the negative self image she was seeing in herself. Which is completely wrong, because people are worth so much more than their pant size. She is so beautiful not only because she has shining brown eyes and long black hair, but because she is loving, kind, and funny! So the word skinny is banned from our house for like... ever.

One thing that I will always be sure to do as a mother of girls is to encourage them to be or do anything that they want in life. I will not limit their dreams to something that is normally considered a man's or guy's job. If they want to be scientists or professional football players I'm taking a page from my dad's book and I'm saying you can be anything that you want. I'm going to make sure that they realize how limiting it is if you skimp out on an education, and be supportive in their efforts to find what ever it is that they really love doing.

I'm sorry if this has turned into some kind of soap box, but these things are always kind of twirling around in the front of my brain. My girls are still growing and I've yet to see what kind of women they will turn out to be. I am still learning about what kind of woman I want to be. I hope that through my experiences and lessons learned I can help them to mature into kind women who care about those around them. I hope they learn to love themselves and know their worth. I was a fully grown woman before I learned to be comfortable in my own skin.

I will never be a mom comfortable with giving them gifts or toys that cost more than my phone, and I'm not willing to spend more than $150 bucks on one... at least not until they are old enough to earn the money and understand the value of that kind of cash. The tooth fairy will never leave more than two dollars under their pillows. I won't allow them to scream at the doctor's office no matter how anxious it makes them and I won't get angry at the nurses for pricking my baby. I don't make more than one meal. If they can say mommy they no longer need a paci or nini or baba or anything else sticking out out of their mouths. I will not embarrass or degrade them, but they will know when I'm disappointed. They will test me, embarrass me, teach me, and learn from me. They will never think this world owes them anything. Hopefully what they lack in "things" they will have in experiences and more make up for in character. They will see from my husband how a man should treat his wife. They will never be too proud to apologize and they will be willing to forgive, if they can learn from my mistakes.

There are several women in my life. Great ladies, that I pray my girls grow up to be like.  My mom, her sisters, and my Aunt Cheryl. Georgia is sweet,  she wears her heart on her sleeve, and loves her family something fierce like my mom. Cheyenne is tall, outgoing and loves anything that glitters like my Aunt Renee' and Aunt Theresa, she even slept in the first pair of heels I bought her. Lily is petite and motherly, but she's no push over she reminds me so much of my Aunt Cheryl. They all will tell you like it is and that's my Aunt Donna through and through. I'm sure that my grandmother was an amazing woman to raise eleven children to be such wonderful women and men. They all grew up putting people feelings first and knowing the importance of family. One time when my mom heard me getting on to my kids she stared at me in awe, but I felt like I was doing something right when she said "I've never heard anyone sound just like mother like that."

My kids will know that they can talk to me about anything and everything and I'll always be there and be honest. My mom never criticized me and that's something I so admire and appreciate about her. I want to teach my kids so much, but the most important lesson of all is they will know that they are daughter's of our heavenly father and in that knowledge they will find strength and guidance that will surpass any mistakes that I am sure to make and I will forever love them, even if they turn out like Nelly from " Little House on the Prairie" or like me sometimes despite my best efforts. No matter what they will know that I will always love them more than life itself.
 
P.S. I also want to say that if you have a little girl that you call princess, if you let your child have a pacifier until she turned ten, or anything else that I personally choose to do differently, that doesn't mean that you or I am doing anything wrong as a parent, it simply means we each know what's best for our own children. The lord knows I'm not perfect and every crow thinks hers are the blackest, the only difference in us is that I write about mine. Do you have girls or teenage girls for that matter? I'd love to hear how are you handling the difficulties raising them. Do think I'm way off base?  If you agree with me or even if you think I don't have a clue, I'd love to hear from you and honestly from the bottom of my heart thank you for reading!

Sincerely
~Cheryl Renee' Seagraves

Hi Friends,
I am pretty well known here in Monroe for my face painting services, but as a way to spread the word to Rockdale, Newton, and Gwinnett counties I’m hosting this Giveaway! So if you or someone you know lives here in Georgia and would like a chance to win an hour of face painting for free, share and enter to win!!!





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Hi Friends,
I wanted to take a moment to share some great news with you all I am proud and honored to announce that I have been invited to join an amazing team of writers on a faith based site called JoyfulHomeandLife! Everything from the conception to name to content has been pondered over with thoughtful prayer and you just can’t go wrong with that! So take a moment to read through the wonderful articles about family life and great ideas on everything from recipes to décor. You can find mine in the DIY/Crafts section on Saturdays and I am also going to be contributing on seasonal free and frugal family outing ideas. I am more than excited can ya tell? I hope you’ll leave a comment on the blog, share your thoughts/ideas, and share it with all your friends! http://www.joyfulhomeandlife.com/ 
 
Thanks I love you all
~Cheryl Renee’ Seagraves

Creative Fall Wreath



Festive Fall Wreath made by Cheryl Seagraves
I love the fall! There is something so cozy about the autumn leaves and warm colors of the ever changing fall season. The sun touches everything and a light breeze rustles the orange and red leaves that fall to the ground in my front yard. That is when I know it’s time to start preparing the house for the months ahead, when we all spend more time together in the comfort of our home. I wanted to make my home appear more inviting this year and for me the most inexpensive and crafty way to do that is by making a pretty welcome wreath for my front door.
The best thing about the cooler months is the prospect of waking up in a sunshiny room with just enough nip in the morning air to make you wanna wrap up in an old quilt with your little one and watch cartoons all morning. I made a wreath with those moments in mind that is creative, funky, and says this house is a home to you too, come on in!
I have four kids, so I don’t like to spend a lot of time shopping. Most of the stuff I used were things I already had around the house. I knew that we wouldn’t be swimming anymore for several months, so I got a pool noodle that’s just taking up space in the garage. My handy dandy glue gun and made my wreath form. Pssst... don’t tell anyone, but I saved myself a solid eight bucks by doing that ! The rest is easy peasy; all you need is assorted colored felt pieces which you can get in a bundle or for as low as twenty nine cents a piece , a bundle of yarn or two small bundles, a wooden letter for your last name, and some scissors.
After I wrapped the yarn around the pool noodle wreath form I drew out some leaf patterns, but you can find templates from a simple Google search. It takes a while to wrap the wreath, so the thicker the yarn the better. During an episode of Duck Dynasty I sat with the family and wrapped the yarn around the wreath until it was completely wrapped up and no red noodle was showing through.
I cut out the leaf shapes. To add a little detail I used some of my daughter’s embroidery thread to stitch some defining lines on the leaves and little flower.  Then I just started hot gluing the leaves onto the wreath. I wanted them to look scattered, and I made sure to layer each new leaf  going up along the side on top of the previously glued leaves.
I found a wooden S at the local craft store for less than a dollar and painted it a light blue with acrylic paint. After it was dry I glued it on the left side of the wreath and voila! For less than five bucks my door is properly decorated for the most festive time of year!

 

Creative Fall Wreath


 Festive Fall Wreath made by Cheryl Seagraves
I love the fall! There is something so cozy about the autumn leaves and warm colors of the ever changing fall season. The sun touches everything and a light breeze rustles the orange and red leaves that fall to the ground in my front yard. That is when I know it’s time to start preparing the house for the months ahead, when we all spend more time together in the comfort of our home. I wanted to make my home appear more inviting this year and for me the most inexpensive and crafty way to do that is by making a pretty welcome wreath for my front door.
The best thing about the cooler months is the prospect of waking up in a sunshiny room with just enough nip in the morning air to make you wanna wrap up in an old quilt with your little one and watch cartoons all morning. I made a wreath with those moments in mind that is creative, funky, and says this house is a home to you too, come on in!
I have four kids, so I don’t like to spend a lot of time shopping. Most of the stuff I used were things I already had around the house. I knew that we wouldn’t be swimming anymore for several months, so I got a pool noodle that’s just taking up space in the garage. My handy dandy glue gun and made my wreath form. Pssst... don’t tell anyone, but I saved myself a solid eight bucks by doing that ! The rest is easy peasy; all you need is assorted colored felt pieces which you can get in a bundle or for as low as twenty nine cents a piece , a bundle of yarn or two small bundles, a wooden letter for your last name, and some scissors.
After I wrapped the yarn around the pool noodle wreath form I drew out some leaf patterns, but you can find templates from a simple Google search. It takes a while to wrap the wreath, so the thicker the yarn the better. During an episode of Duck Dynasty I sat with the family and wrapped the yarn around the wreath until it was completely wrapped up and no red noodle was showing through.
I cut out the leaf shapes. To add a little detail I used some of my daughter’s embroidery thread to stitch some defining lines on the leaves and little flower.  Then I just started hot gluing the leaves onto the wreath. I wanted them to look scattered, and I made sure to layer each new leaf  going up along the side on top of the previously glued leaves.
I found a wooden S at the local craft store for less than a dollar and painted it a light blue with acrylic paint. After it was dry I glued it on the left side of the wreath and voila! For less than five bucks my door is properly decorated for the most festive time of year!

 

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” —Virginia WoolfI have really gotten myself into something, something that now that I’ve started I don’t think I will ever be able to stop. I’ve been on this journey towards writing and publishing my novel for only a few months, but I’ve been preparing for it for years. I’ve written my thoughts every chance I had, and hidden them away. I have many poems, stories, quotes, and emotions written just so I could get the words out of my mind and find peace. I didn’t know where to begin I only knew I had work to do and if I really wanted to be an author I needed only to try. Along this journey I have learned so much about who I am as an author and a woman. So much about who I am as an individual. I have also had the privilege of meeting some wonderfully talented and unique people, but no one has inspired and helped me like this lady…

Her name is Rene D. Shultz. And I’m honored that she has taken the time to answer my nosey questions that I’m always curious about when I meet other authors. Her book “Bishop Street” is definitely one of the best I’ve read lately, but it was her sweet disposition that compelled me to feature her in today’s post.
 Enjoy …

Interview The Author Name: Rene D. Schultz
Location: Southern California

Question: what are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently marketing my book, “Bishop Street.” And finishing my edit on my new book, “Done Deal.”

Question: Did you publish with a traditional publishing house or did you go the indie route?
With my fiction books I’m going the Indie route. I did traditional publishing on my first book that was non-fiction “Searching4MrRight.com” back in 2008 and had a horrible experience. I had no control over the book cover, editing, or any help with publicizing. I was at the mercy of people who didn’t really let me have any say in anything. The most important reason to self-publish is because of technology. With the closure of traditional bookstores and the shift toward electronic reading devices, the wave of the future dictates the demise of paperbacks. With large online bookstores offering the Indie authors a place to showcase their books, it’s becoming a mecca of new authors who wouldn’t ordinarily have a chance to get their books into the marketplace.

Question: what advise do you have for other writer’s in your genre?
I think every author/writer needs to enter the genre they feel comfortable in. I write contemporary fiction that is sometimes considered mainstream fiction or women’s fiction. It’s a comfortable genre for me.

Question: most people don’t realize is that no matter which route you take whether you have an agent, publisher, or you are an independent author you still have to market your work to sell your books, what is the best marketing strategy that has paid off for you so far?
There are not a lot of places to market books. Libraries, book clubs, bloggers and independent small bookstores. The best place is Facebook or other social media venues where you can find reviewers, readers, book clubs, bloggers and other authors.

Question: how long have you been writing?
Twelve years

Question: who or what inspired you to start writing?
My son worked on major motion pictures. My adopted daughter (not really adopted-and not really my daughter, but someone who was raised around me!) is an executive in the television industry. After years of listening to my suggestions for a good plot, they literally put a pen and paper in my hand and suggested I create the stories. After reading for 25 years while I was raising my two sons, I decided to try writing my own.

Question: what other books or works have you published?
“Searching4MrRight.com” came out in 2008 and is a hilarious book on internet dating. It was written by accident. My girlfriends begged me to write it after all my experiences with online dating. My true is writing fiction.

Question: do you read the reviews of your work and how do they affect your writing?
As authors we do our best to entertain the readers. I can honestly say that great reviews give us the confidence to continue, and the bad ones make us pause in retrospect. Not one to back away from a challenge, I look at the criticism and learn from it. But I have learned on my own: We as authors all work very hard and struggle in our craft to bring forth the written word of our storytelling. Some of us educated in the field and others self-taught, but all of us have a passion for writing. Each genre is unique; each story is unique; each author is unique; but most importantly each one of us has our own voice. No two authors are the same!

       “There are no laws for the novel. There never have been, nor can there ever be.” —Doris Lessing

Question: what do you find most rewarding about being an author?
Hearing from a reader that they love my book. Reading the great reviews. Hanging with others who share the same passion. Learning from other authors.

Question: what do you hope to accomplish with the book you are currently working on?
That it will entertain the readers.
Question: what is your favorite book?
The Wizard of Oz. I usually have one tiny ‘bloop’ in each of my books to reference it. That just a little artsy-fartsy thing I do. (Smiling.)

“I do not over-intellectualize the production process. I try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.” —Tom Clancy

Question: what works best for you when writing? Meaning do you outline or write freely when you feel inspired to do so?
I never did an outline in my life! I sit in my writing room and as bazaar as it sounds, I let the characters chose their paths. I never know what twists and turns will befall each characters.

“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.” —Harper Lee

Question: for other authors who may be struggling what advice can you on handling rejection?
I have a hard time with rejection, myself. I think when you can find a small group of passionate authors you ‘click’ with-- the support keeps you going. Also, on the other end, occasionally you will find a few authors with tremendous egos who look to tear you down. If you like your book, then have the confidence to keep working hard to make it better. I was lucky, I found two amazing ‘reviewers’ Sue and Philomena the first week I went online to market my book. They don’t know it, but they are the ones who filled me with confidence in myself. And I will forever be grateful!

Thank You Rene,
For answering my questions with such thoughtful and helpful responses! It is my belief that we all can learn from one another. Take little bits of kindness shown to us and pass it on to others, in turn helping many people along the way, greatly touching and rewarding people in this world we live in! I personally know you have much to offer and that you help people in your own special way daily. Thanks again for giving us great insight into who you are as an author and for being a great example for new an aspiring authors like myself, who might need reminding every now and again how to remain humble and kind throughout our writing endeavors!

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Follow Rene @...
http://www.amazon.com/Bishop-Street-ebook/dp/B00DL3QBBK
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rene-D-Schultz-Author/422599027852832
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18271268-bishop-street

Review & Giveaway of Bishop Street by Rene D. Shultz
 Bishop Street is one that really grabs you. There's a bit of each one of these character's in everyone I think. Written with humor and compassion, you quickly fall for these four life long friends. They prove that while our past does bind us, it does not have to determine who or what we will become. That through love and kindness people have greatness within them. At the heart of it this book is a real three dimensional look at the characters that fill the pages, it is hard to put down, (which I had to do more than I wanted to as I have four children of my own) it builds, to an emotional crescendo that keeps you intrigued, and leaves you with a candid view of the human spirit. Any book that draws me in with such an emotional pull is a win for me. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to take a journey into another life for a short time. I think everyone should get to know these four friends that make up this extraordinary family. 

Geez I hate to be like everyone else, but I've got to give it five stars...  


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 I was in my car. I don't remember where I was going, I never made it  there. For once the reception was clear in my car radio. Clear enough for me to hear the horrific scene that was being described on every station, channel, and program.  The news confused and alarmed me so I turned the car off and went back inside. Everything on the radio and T.V., the journalists and broadcaster's all struggling to remain calm while reporting the day's terrible events, made my hands shake. I held my breath, grasped my hands as if in prayer, and pressed them hard against my lips. When I blinked the tears started to fall. I was too disturbed to wipe them away, too disbelieving to tear my eyes from the screen. I let my hands drop to my belly, as if I needed to protect the baby inside. For the first time in my entire life I was truly afraid. For myself. For everyone. I couldn't watch anymore. I sobbed as if those people dying before my eyes were dear friends, family even. The images of people falling like leaves in the fall from the burning towers were there every single time I closed my eyes, they were embedded into my brain. I was afraid to sleep, to even try to sleep. They were there, the faceless specks in my dreamless darkness, jumping to escape into inevitable death. I cried until it hurt to breathe. It was more than a month before I was able to get through a day with out wondering who those people were, whose families were missing them, whose families were still waiting to find them... refusing to believe they would never be coming into the house again.  I was afraid for my little girl, and unborn son. Ever since that day, the day my generation lost it's innocence, I have realized just how important it is to love who you love. I can't understand what or why things like that happen. I only know that every minute of every day, people in numbers greater than the stars, are thinking of someone they never got to see again; never got to say or hear "I love you" again one last time, never got to touch again. I know I'll never be the same as I was before that day. I pray that people suffering such loss can have at least one day where they feel the way they felt before that fateful day...9/11/2001