Wow! How time flies! Busy busy is the name of my life. Well maybe not, but I try to keep myself busy. I'm working at Deseret Book these days. I enjoy for the most part. No job is ever going to be perfect... I love the fact that I feel like I work at a place that people actually care. I feel like my co-workers are nice and most of them are genuinely interested in me. Its kind of a first. I love the books as well. I've been reading so much and it's been so delightful!
I've read a few books that have caught my eye. There is a library at work that we can borrow books from and read them. One of the first one's I read was Letters from the Jade Dragon Box . This one was very interesting. It's about a girl who lives with her uncle in the 1976 in Hong Kong. Her mother and grandfather live in Communist China during Chairman Mao's rule. When the chairman dies, she recieves a jade dragon box which has letters from her mother through the years. As she reads she gets a glimpse into her mother's life and why she was sent to live with her Uncle. I enjoyed this one. The reading was pretty simple and the plot easy to follow. It didn't challenge or change my thinking but I'd never heard of Chairman Mao, or what communist China was like then. It was fascinating to learn more about it. 7/10 Kayley stars
I also read two books about a lady who was burned in the 9/11 attacks. The first one Love, Greg and Lauren is a collection of daily emails from Greg updating family on Lauren and her fight. Very interesting. These are emails meant to be encouraging and to a group of various friends. They don't show a depth of emotion, but fascinating to hear about the day to day aspects of Lauren's recovery. I have so much respect for that woman. Then about ten years later Lauren put out her memoir Unmeasured Strength. I really enjoyed this book. She shared a little bit about her life before and events that prepared her for 9/11. Her parents were amazing. They gave her a drive to rise above trial, and to accept life and move on. She shared her fight and challenges and the battle. Once again, not a whole lot of emotion, but I get the feeling she's not an overly emotional person and private when she is. It was neat to see her take this and give it her all. Both books 8/10 Kayley Stars
After reading those two books about burns, Heaven Is Here by Stephanie Nielson was released. I talked the library into getting it so I didn't have to buy it. She is from the Provo area, but was living in New Mexico. She went on a plane ride with her husband one day when it crashed. She was burned over 80% of her body. In her book she shares about her life before the crash, what she remembers about the crash and her recovery. I have mixed feelings about this book. She shared alot about her life before the accident, which I'll be honest, I wasn't very patient with. I feel she is a type of person I would have a harder time getting along with. She is a very social person, and gets her self worth from interacting with people. I'm not so much, so some situations that were hard for her, I was kind of like get over it. But it was interesting to read about her recovery (when I finally got there). She shares some things that were difficult for her in a fairly honest way. I will admit I looked at it from a perspective of someday I will be treating someone like this, and its going to be challenging. One thing she really refused to do was look at herself in the mirror. She kept saying she would do it on her own terms when she was ready. I kind of agreed with the doctor that she needed to do it soon. As in by the end of the week at most. Until she looked at herself, I don't feel she could begin to accept herself. She would never be ready. So I asked myself how could I help her if I was there as a therapist. I'm still not sure. Its a good story of recovery and what she went through. I just think our personalities clashed. If I was burned, its not the social stigma and stares that would bother me, as much as the physical pain. I'm a wimp. Not being able to do the things that I want would and have to accept help would be incredibly hard for me. But its her perspective. Its a book worth reading...but read before you buy!
6/10 Kayley stars
My final book I'll review is Evolution of Thomas Hall. I actually loved this one. Its about a talented artist who is working for a museum, when his assignment is changed to highlight the works and theory of Charles Darwin. He is an agnostic, and is confronted by his new atheist boss to stop being non-committal (and of course embrace athiesim). At the same time, he also ends up painting a mural in a hospital about Christ's miracles. These two conflicting ideas provoke him to look at his life, and conversations with the people around him, challenge him to consider if he believes in God and does he care? I loved this book. It presents a rational argument and doesn't quick fix it. Sometimes I feel like authors sometimes take the easy way out, the guy will hit his head on a rock, go into a coma, have a vision of God and he's instantly converted. Or have some single statement that will just make sense to the person and have them completely change their life on that one statement. This felt more realistic, but challenging in a way. Loved it. Highly recommended. I'm actually getting this so if you want to borrow it....hit me up. 9/10 Kayley stars.
I've actually read a bunch of other books but none of the others felt worth reporting, most of them were mediocre. I'm getting critical these days... I want books that challenge me, or have depth to them. I want books that aren't fluff and predictable story lines. I want an author who doesn't romanticize everything or tries too hard to make readers happy. I want depth, and emotion. If you have anything that fits that... let me know!
We also said goodbye to Elder Downs today. He left for the MTC this morning to serve in the Louisville Kentucky Mission. Godspeed Elder! We'll miss him, but I'm so excited for him. This will be an amazing chance for him to serve the Lord and bless so many other lives. These next two years will be so defining for him. I can't wait to watch it.
My birthday is on Saturday. 25 years old! Can't believe it. I'm getting old! I'm really excited for my birthday present... Jeremy is taking me to Les Miserables on Tuesday! YES!!!!
I've also been spending alot of time writing how Jeremy and I met. Wow what a story. Its probably boring to everyone else, but so special for us. I wanted to write it down before we forgot more details than we already have. Its amazing how the Lord lead and prepared us for each other. I'm so blessed to have him!
Life is good and I'm happy. I couldn't ask for more!
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