What have you read lately? The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor

A few weeks ago (well, probably a couple of months ago, if I am being honest...) I was contacted by a publisher and asked to review a newly released book.  It has been a while since I have done a book review so I thought, "Hey, no problem!" and apparently that thought alerted the folks over at Murphy's that I was in need of a revisit from his "Law".  So, I received the book and lots of great information about the author, Mary Ellen Taylor, and then it seemed I got crazy busy and life was trying to drown me (I do believe that!)

When I finally got around to reading the book, which was titled The Union Street Bakery, I was totally drawn in!  The main Character, Daisy McCrae, just grabbed me with her continual almost ready to hyperventilate season of life because, in all honesty, I think I was in the same state....though for much different reasons!

I love the interplay between Daisy, her sisters (she is actually an adopted sister) and her parents.  It is funny, irritating,  and at times painful but wonderful, and anyone who has ever lived in a family can relate!  This book does have many issues that will hit close to home with adoptees and adoptive families but I think it also brings about a clarity concerning the bond that comes between a true parent and their child (regardless of whether that relationship is born out of a physical birth or an emotional one.)  Daisy finds herself in a season filled with unexpected loss, fear, and insecurity that opens up her heart to how much she truly has and gives her a peace about who she is that has always alluded her.  The Union Street Bakery, is a wonderful read filled with memorable characters, history and left me always craving a cupcake!  I look forward to reading more from Mary Ellen Taylor and would love to learn more about the characters in The Union Street bakery in subsequent novels!

Georgia Southern University, Class of 2013

Just a short 13 days after getting engaged, my DD graduated from Georgia Southern University with her Bachelor of Science Degree with a major in Public Relations, Cum Laude!  To say it has been a busy few weeks would be an understatement!

I am so proud of this sweet girl and really overwhelmed that we are at this fork in the road.  She is really grown up now.  How did it go so fast?

Here is where my blog post is going to veer to "Mama Bragging" so be warned!  My sweet girl managed to get her degree in only 3 years, with honors, all the while being active in Phi Mu, other campus activities and working!  The schedule she keeps always amazes me and how she thrived at GSU was such a huge blessing.  I want to be her when I grow up!!!!

It has been so much fun being able to "extend" my sorority experience through her!

This week, we are busy getting ready to move her to Atlanta to start her 1st "big girl" job in June.  She is so excited about all the opportunities and memories that are to be made in the coming season and I couldn't be happier for her!

She Said, "Yes!"

So, I decide to start blogging again and then all of the sudden there seems to be a whole lot of things going on!  Now, it isn't that I don't have anything to write about, rather it seems I am having a hard time finding time to write about them!

On Sunday, April 28th, my daughter's young man took her to the beach for dinner and proposed!  It was a sweet proposal at the top of a Ferris Wheel and she was completely surprised!  Here is a link to her blog and her account of the day I said Yes! They have been dating a year and a half.  I am so happy for them and can't wait to start planning a wedding because she has dreamed about this her entire life.

We were blessed that our soon to be son-in-love invited us to hide out until after he popped the question so we could take photos! 

Playing Catch Up - Easter 2013

Since I did not blog about Easter, I wanted to share some photos from the day.  Notice my sweet girl is absent from the photos as she was away visiting her now fiancee's family.

   

 

 

Back to the Blog...

It has been a long while since I have blogged. I have been struggling with some changes in my life and just became pretty much overwhelmed with them for several months so I had to pull back on the blog. But I figured I had better jump back in or so much will have passed that I won’t have a clue where to start.

First off, the main struggle I have faced is we are moving…yes, again.  It was only 3 years ago when we made our last move and we truly hoped it would be the last one.  Well, not so.  My DH began working for a company based out of Edenton, NC last August and I stayed here in SC for the school year.  Although logically the move was something I understood, somewhere after Christmas I just locked down and got pretty depressed about it.  My boys aren’t happy about the move either, which has made it even harder. Our oldest son is in high school, and a move during high school is so hard.  He truly loves it here and loves his school and, of course, his friends. We have even discussed trying to continue splitting our time between SC and NC until he graduated but that would mean we would have to do it for 3 years (including this current year) and that is a long time not to be together except on weekends.  It would mean DH would have to miss out on everything (pretty much) that the boys are involved in and I would be single parenting 2 boys.  I will say that this move has been the hardest of all of the moves we have made.  I am totally in love with our home and this town and the idea of leaving it all has really been a challenge.  But, I suppose I have finally come to some level of acceptance and am ready to just get it over with

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Recently we went to our last Phi Mu Parents weekend at Georgia Southern University!  It was really bitter sweet because our daughter is graduating this week!  I have enjoyed so much sharing her sorority time and seeing her enjoy so many of the same things I enjoyed during my college sorority time.  I am so proud of her.  She has already accepted a job in the Atlanta area which is perfect for her and she is ready to move into a cute little apartment at the end of the month.

Me and my sweet girl

 Also, in other big news... DD got engaged on April 28^th to her boyfriend of a year and a half!  They haven’t set a date yet as he is going to be starting Pharmacy School this summer and then they will figure out the timing of the wedding.  I am so happy and will blog about their engagement soon!

DD & DS2

Phi Mu at GSU

          

So, this mouth is full of bitter sweet things as we have graduations, new jobs, end of school activities and lots of good byes that are going to be so hard to do...not to mention a house on the market (another post as well!) I hope to be blogging semi-regularly in the coming weeks as I have so much to catch up on and lots to share from our little corner of the world.