Christy and Todd: The Baby Years series

At last! The Baby Years are here for Christy and Todd. The author, Robin Jones Gunn, has written about Christy, Todd and their friends for almost 30 years. I loved forward to seeing Christy and Todd as they grow their family and relate to them as new parents and laugh and nod as they go through the challenges faced as new parents and learning to be a couple with the demands of life.

Sandy Toes is the first book in the series. It begins where One More Wish ended, Christy has found out she is pregnant. She’s at the doctor to confirm the pregnancy and right off the bat, new trials come her way. Her father is facing early retirement, her aunt is thinking of selling her house and she must help Todd with his struggles as he comes to terms with his mother’s lack of involvement in his life. Todd is presented with a new job opportunity which could be the stabilizing factor in their life as they prepare to welcome their baby. Will God open the door for Todd? The top question in the series, is she having a boy or a girl?

Salty Kisses is the second book in the series. The story opens 18 months after the birth of their baby. They are at the airport keeping up their friend, Katie, who is coming home for the funeral of her father. As they deal with their friend’s loss, Christy is desperate to connect with her friend again but the timing is never right. Soon Christy and Todd are leaving on their road trip to Glenbrooke, Oregon to see other friends. During the trip, Christy realizes how isolated and alone she feels without a friend who is also a mother is connect with back home. And as Todd opens the discussion for baby #2, Christy feels overwhelmed. Will she be able to connect with other mothers once they get home? Will there be another baby in their future?

Sunset Lullaby is the final book in the series. The story opens after the birth of their second child and the challenges that Christy and Todd faces as their lives get busier with the children, work and social commitments. Christy faces questions about the decisions she’s made in her life as she struggles to juggle the responsibilities of wife, mother, and friend. As she and her new friend and neighbor, Jennalyn, discuss the cultural and society expectations of women as career women, wives, and mothers, Christy learns a deep lesson that she cannot and doesn’t have to do it all. Where does their lives go from here? What else is in store for them as they build their lives together?

I loved this series as I have loved the original Christy Miller series and all the books which have branched off from the original series. I grew up with Christy. I started reading the series when I was a teenager and followed her as she struggled with every teenage drama and issues one can face as well as what it truly means to trust in God and follow him. I look forward to reading the series again as I can relate to Christy’s struggles as a mom, wife and woman in today’s society. I look forward to the day when my daughter is old enough to be introduced to the series and grow with Christy as I did. If you are fan of the series, you will enjoy seeing our beloved characters in the next stage of their lives.

The Food of Love: one family's crisis and the power of food

The Food of Love by Amanda Prowse is the emotional story of one family’s struggle as one of them battles anorexia. Freya Braithwaite is a freelance food writer and seemly has the perfect life. She is still desperately in love with her husband, Lockie, of 19 years. Her eldest daughter, Charlotte, is ready to take her exams and head to university. Her youngest daughter, Lexi, who despite her struggles with dyslexia, seems to be doing well. Until one day when Freya is called to Lexi’s school and the principal informs her that she suspects Lexi is anorexic. Soon the family is thrown into the battle for Lexi’s life where food is her enemy as well as her cure. Will Freya be able to help Lexi? Will Lexi be able to overcome the powerful hold that anorexia has taken over her life?

The Food of Love is a powerful and emotional story about the struggles and dangers of anorexia. The book explores the mental thought processes and the distorted thinking involved. The story also explores the impact the disease has on the loved ones and their lives. The Food of Love is an emotional, shocking and eye-opening story. My heart ached as I read Lexi’s tearful pleas and promises to stop and get help. I cried when the family was at a fork in the road and a difficult choice to make. I wept at the end. I highly, highly recommend it.

The Food of Love

is available on Amazon

in paperback, on the Kindle and Audiobook

as well as Barnes and Noble

in paperback and audiobook

How I struggle with the gluten free diet

Over the years I’ve seen many people question the gluten free diet and even make jokes. I did an internet search. I searched for sugar-free/diabetic jokes and gluten-free jokes. While I found pages and pages of jokes about gluten-free, I found very few about sugar-free/diabetic. I can tell you that the gluten free diet is not a joke. A growing number of people are being diagnosed with gluten intolerance or the more extreme form an autoimmune disease called celiac sprue. I have several family members who have been diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerance. I am on the gluten free diet. It is a day-to-day struggle. 

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley as well as any product made with these grains. Gluten intolerance is the villi of the small intestine’s inability to break down the protein. The person experiences a wide range of symptoms including nausea, vomiting, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation and bone or joint pain. Actually, there are 250 symptoms in which a sufferer can experience. This is makes it so hard to diagnose and often gets misdiagnosed as another disease or disorder.  

I’ve been struggling with this diet since 2008 when I began to experience more extreme symptoms and more often. I had the blood tests done in 2010 but when it came back negative, my doctor said, “Oh you don’t have it.” But I insisted that I have a biopsy done because it is the only way to definitively know if someone has celiac. When it came back negative, again my doctor said, “No, you don’t have it.” Then I started my own research and I learned that you don’t have to have celiac to be gluten intolerant. In fact, gluten intolerance can turn into celiac if it is not taken care of. Even though I do not have an official diagnosis, I went on the diet and I felt better. However, I struggle. Even though I know that my body functions better when I’m on the gluten free diet and I have my moments of weakness and I eat that cookie or that slice of pizza. The reaction is sometimes so severe where I’m miserable and I’m beating myself up for doing it yet again.

I began questioning why I have such a hard time following the diet when I know it is for the benefit of my health. I’ve come up with these reasons:

1. As a cook and baker as a hobby, I love food and sweets. Cakes, cookies, and doughnuts. Pizza, Chinese food, and green bean casserole. Even some candy bars are off limits like Twix, Kit Kats and Milky Ways. 

2. The gluten free diet is very expensive, takes extra planning and shopping. Every item is securitized for any possible gluten ingredient. Some are obvious like gravies and cookies while others are not so obvious like soy sauce, BBQ sauce, and salad dressings. 

3. Eating out can be difficult. I find going out to parties especially difficult because I don’t expect people to remember my diet restrictions or even to go out of their way to offer a food I can eat. A few years ago, I was laughed at by a waitress for requesting a gluten free items. Or I’ve gotten blank stares from people who don’t know how to answer. Thankfully, many restaurants are recognizing the gluten-free community. A few restaurants that now offer a gluten free menu:

BJ’s Restaurant and Brew house

            The Cheesecake Factory 

            Red Robin

P.F. Chang’s

It really irritates me when someone jokes about the gluten free diet because so many people are on the diet when they don’t need to be. This makes those individuals who do need to be on the diet like they are just following the trend. Living with a special diet that is life altering is a struggle. It’s a day-to-day decision to remind yourself that it’s for your health and your future. It’s a day-to-day struggle because it’s not as simple as don’t eat it especially when that food is intricate part of most, if not, all foods. It’s the day-to-day question “is this gluten free?” because you can’t take it for granted. Wheat flour, especially, can be in everything!!! So, if you know anyone who has a food restriction, whatever it may be, don’t make fun of them. It’s a daily struggle not being able to enjoy the food that you take for granted. Would you joke about the sugar-free diet of a diabetic? Probably not. Please don’t joke about the gluten free diet. It is very serious for a growing number of people.