I thought Love was a beautiful and inclusive ode to the many ways that we see love in our every day. What I loved most was how tactile everything felt in the story. De La Pena spun his words so I could see every image in my mind--besides what was on the page--and what's more I could feel the scent in the air, hear the music notes being played.
Join in as we discuss the second half of Wonder by R.J. Palacio. We also decide which wins this battle: the novel versus the film.
Tell us what YOUR precept would be, or your favorite one from the book! #ChooseKind
"It was a dark and stormy night.
In her attic bedroom Margaret Murry, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat on the foot of her bed an watched the trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind. Behind the tress clouds scudded frantically across the sky. Every few moments the moon ripped through them, creating wraith-like shadows that raced along the ground.
The house shook.
Wrapped in her quilt, Meg shook."
" A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
There have been two school shootings since I started reading this book. Two.
And Long Way Down is a quick and easy read. However....I put it down after the first school shooting which was by a 12-year-old. Someone pretty much the same age as my Mini Me.
And then there was an even bigger shooting, more lives lost senselessly.
In Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds tackles gun violence in a different way—from the point of view of a teenage boy who feels as if he has no other choice but to avenge his brother's senseless death. It makes sense....and it doesn't.
Join Dr. Bookworm in this EPIC Read-along of Wonder by R.J. Palacio.
Can I tell you the little things that I love about being a mom? Besides the fact that my girls are perfect (but not) and that they bring so much joy (overall) and they own every single piece of my heart.
I like helping with Valentine's Day cards. And Halloween treat bags. And when they were younger (or far more many times with Mini Me than Little Lion), with birthday treat bags for parties. It's fun. And it's a privilege. #ILoveBeingAMom
Confession: I have a bit of a book crush. No, not a crush on a boy in a book. But a book crush, or an author-illustrator crush because I'm absolutely, positively IN LOVE with all of Ben Clanton's books. Today I'll share just three of them.
Last year, I wrote about the many women physicians who have inspired me along my own journey, most importantly my mom. This year, I'd like to write about the many patients who inspire me.
There have been so many families who have let me into their lives. Too many to count, so many that share the little things that matter so much. I feel honored to be a part of that, a tiny part of helping out their kids. And too many details for me to write without invading privacy.
Thank your for the privilege and the trust you put into us as your child's doctor.
"Clay didn't think he was the right dragon for a Big Heroic Destiny.
Oh, he wanted to be. He wanted to be the great MudWing savior of the dragon world, glorious and brave. He wanted to do all the wonderful things expected of him. He wanted to look at the world, figure out what was broken, and fix it." ~ Tui T. Sutherland
I'm currently watching Catching Fire for the first time. Yes, even though I've owned the DVD since it was released (years ago), I've never watched it. Or Mockingjay 1 or 2. Why? Because I knew it would be tough to watch.
But since I did a recent re-read of the series--and may or may not be delving into the Gadge** ship--I've been trying to get myself to watch Catching Fire.
Pattan's Pumpkin tells a similar story as Noah's ark, though the setting is in a valley below the Sahyadri Mountains in Southern India. Pattan and his wife live in harmony with the animals and people around them, and Pattan shares his food with everyone in his village. When great rains start, he looks out to an ever-enlarging pumpkin in his field for a solution. As a community, the animals help to hollow out the pumpkin so they can use it to survive the flood.
"In caring for Molly, insurance only went so far-her friends and family helped make up the difference by raising money and making personal donations. The Molly Bear Foundation, named in loving memory of Molly Elizabeth, is a community devoted to taking care of one another. The goal of the foundation is to pay it forward by providing supplemental financial assistance to families raising children with Trisomy 18." ~ Erin Brown
Little Lion’s second grade teachers have started a new thing this year and I love it. I don’t know what they call it, but I’m officially calling it “Mix It Up”. Each month, they are placed at certain lunch tables on Wednesdays and that is their Wednesday lunch group. The teachers mix up the kids so they sit with that group on Wednesdays only. The rest of the week, they get to choose where to sit.
It’s a brilliant idea. Little Lion is making new friends and reconnecting with old ones.
"The Ruthie Lou Foundation was inspired by the love, care, and support that my daughter's team of health professionals showed my family. We were guided through our time with Ruthie Lou and it has made all the difference as we navigate our life without her. In creating this non-profit, I wanted to offer the same compassion to other families experiencing the loss of their beloved baby." ~Amie Lands
This quote is on one of the cards in our Macy calendar this month. I’ve been taking the quotes to heart this year, trying to find meaning in each one, just as I meant for my little family to do when we were making them together last year.
January is when I start to feel icky. And by 'icky', I mean restless and crawling out of my skin. It has only hit me in small bursts this year, but in the early morning hours of this Saturday morning, I'm feeling it. My family is asleep. Usually Mr. Bookworm is up writing by now. I'm wide awake because I woke before my alarm.
As a pediatrician, I talk about sleep habits every day. And I admit to my patient families that my girls weren't the best sleepers. Despite that, we still tried to establish a routine early on: after Mini Me started solids at six months of age, Mr. Bookworm would feed her a rice cereal snack and read her books.
One way to re-focus on bedtime is to have the last book of the night be something about bedtime. We have some all-time faves, including The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. And now, Laurie Berkner has teamed up with Camille Garoche to translate her "Pillowland" song into the picture book market.
For this week's Featured Friday non-profit organization, I am featuring a wonderful organization that supports education for young adults with Down Syndrome.
Ruby has Down Syndrome and her amazing spirit as well as her parents' desire NOT to limit their expectations for their child was the impetus for starting Ruby's Rainbow. Ruby's Rainbow funds scholarships to adults with Down Syndrome who are "who are seeking post-secondary education, enrichment or vocational classes".
Last year I wrote about my Lola's New Year's Day tradition--she would raffle off prizes or money to all her grandchildren. It was always a fun gathering, an extra day of bonding. I've always wanted to carry on her tradition and last year I figured out a way to do it remotely....with books, of course.
