Back in the Saddle Again

It's almost funny how many times I sat down to write something, then abandoned the effort before finishing. I have written at least 4 full-length blog posts (whatever that means), then stopped before actually posting them. Maybe someday I'll dust them off and use them as a retrospective, but right now I can't.

When something really matters and is really important to me, it takes me forever to have the words. My entire vocabulary deserts me and I'm left with a gaping mouth and, often, tears. Since Christmas, it's been hard times in my family. Hard, devastating, tragic, savage times. And I just don't have the words. I don't have anything to pull it all nicely together, except to say that life goes on and that God is who He says he is. Beyond that, I've got nothing. So, even though I've spent two ridiculously emo, rambling paragraphs on it, that's not what this blog is about. Because some pretty amazing and wonderfully life-changing events have also occurred.

Internet, please meet my niece, the incomparable Jaycie Raine:


But do not even get me started on the injustice of her living halfway across the country from me. Just don't go there. But seriously, she's so great. I can't wait to watch her grow up. It's going to be amazing. She has been, by far, the best news of this year.

If you've met me in person, or known me for any real length of time, you'll already know that I like to read. But saying that I like to read is sort of like saying that Jesus was a good guy. Seriously, I truly believe that reading has kept me sane on more than one occasion. I love it. See: this is me on Christmas morning (please kindly ignore the fact that I'm not looking my best while simultaneously taking in the glee on my face - that glee is largely due to the stack of books in front of me. . . and the polka dot scarf):

So offering me a free book is sort of like offering a drug addict some cocaine base (crack) - sorry, occupational hazard. Anyway, I found out about this thing called Book Sneeze, where bloggers get a free book just for writing a review of a Thomas Nelson (which is a Christian publishing company) book. I read about it and signed up for it in less than 5 minutes, I kid you not. Now, fiction is my favorite, and sometimes those are available, but not this time. So, look for my review of a biography on Winston Churchill, coming soon. It's good times. It's a free book, and all I have to do is review it in 200 words or less. Suddenly, life is beautiful.

But don't tell any person who has ever helped me move. For some reason, they do not love the library I am amassing. I say, what's not to love?