White Christmas Pie

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
White Christmas Pie
Barbour Publishing, Inc (September 1, 2008)
by
Wanda E. Brunstetter

White Christmas Pie is the story of Will, an English boy raised by Amish parents. When Will was six years old his father left him with Regina and Mark, an Amish couple unable to have children of their own. A year after Will is left with them, they move from Pennsylvania to Indiana. Will grows up in the Amish community and joins the Amish church. He adopts their culture as his own and is engaged to marry Karen. His real daed (Pennsylvania-Dutch for dad), Frank, meanwhile becomes a Christian with his new family in Pennsylvania. This book tells of the joureny of Will in the Amish community and of his father in the English community and their journey back to one another.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Fascinated by the Amish people during the years of visiting her husband's family in Pennsylvania, WANDA E. BRUNSTETTER combined her interest with her writing and now has eleven novels about the Amish in print, along with numerous other stories and ministry booklets. She lives in Washington State, where her husband is a pastor, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish settlements throughout the states.

This year Wanda also publishedA Sister's Hope

If you would like to read the first chapter of White Christmas Pie, go HERE

Watch the book trailer:

Sweet Doodlebug

I called my parents tonight and Doodlebug was still at their house. Mom asked if she wanted to talk to me and she said "No, thank you," which is super-sweet, but I told mom that I wanted to ask Doodlebug what she wanted for Christmas. She then took the phone from mom and this is the conversation that took place:

Carrie: Hey Doodlebug! How are you?

Doodlebug: I'm good. How are you?

C: Good. What do you want for Christmas this year?

D: Hugs and Kisses from you.

C: That is so sweet! I can give you bunches of those.

D: Thousands. I want thousands of hugs and kisses from you.

D: Bye.

I love my niece. I love her child-like innocence and how she still sees the good in the tangible things we can give to each other without spending a dime. It doesn't mean she won't be getting one of these though. It will be a total surprise for her.

Granny Got Groove

My iPod mix will never be the same after hearing this.

29 Things about Shanle

1. She's a friend from God. Only He could grant me such a blessing.
2. She calls me "Kari"
3. She loves Salsarita's over Moe's
4. She's going to be a nurse practitioner
5. Then she's going to Italy for 3 weeks!
6. She married the oh-so-marvelous Shay.
7. Her wedding had the most amazing punch ever.
8. She keeps (kept) a Cracker Barrel map in her glove box.
9. We ordered Cracker Barrel to go on our way to Memphis
10. She always "pokes" me on FaceBook
11. She's the only one I "poke" back
12. She's real. In the purest of ways. The way a friend should be.
13. She's a great listener.
14. She wasn't afraid to leave her husband for the night to come to the mountains to celebrate my birthday with me 2 years ago.
15. Fried okra is one of her comfort foods.
16. She had me email Kerri to find out about how she does
her hair so she could copy it.
17. I'm still waiting on a picture of that haircut (other than a
cellphone picture).
18. She lets me crash at her house when I come to town.
19. She calls me on her way home from work. It's our time to catch up.
20. We have phone dates when Shay goes out of town.
21. She had an email per day from me the last time she went to Kenya.
22. She doesn't judge me for my rants and past mistakes.
23. She bought Shay a life-size stuffed dog because he's
allergic to real dogs.
24. She loves surprises.
25. She prays for God to do God-sized things in her life.
26. She has an amazing Christmas tree.
27. She lets me dye her hair.
28. She is one of my most loyal blog-readers.
29. Today's her birthday!!!! Here's to another wonderful year friend.

I love you!!!!

Wordless Wednesday - The Happy Couple

Photos courtesy of A Captured Photo and acapturedphoto.blogspot.com

Book Review - Rain Song by Alice Walker

Nicole Michelin avoids airplanes, motorcycles, and most of all, Japan, where her parents once were missionaries. Something happened in Japan...something that sent Nicole and her father back to America alone...something of which Nicole knows only bits and pieces. But she is content with life in little Mount Olive, North Carolina, with her quirky relatives, tank of lively fish, and plenty of homemade pineapple chutney. Through her online column for the Pretty Fishy Web site, she meets Harrison Michaels, who, much to her dismay, lives in Japan. She attempts to avoid him, but his emails tug at her heart. Then Harrison reveals that he knew her as a child in Japan. In fact, he knows more about her childhood than she does.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Rain Song, go HERE

Going to the Chapel

And they're gonna get married! My bestie Arynda has accepted the proposal of a young (old?) doctor named Josh and they are gonna get hitched. As I slowly mark through the names on my list of single friends, I can't help but think of all the great guys I've met as they have married themselves off. So here's to adding another guy to the list of people I consider friends.
Congrats Arynda and Josh! May God bless you both above and beyond your wildest imagination.