Jaime's Friday Favorites

I am a reader. I love to read. I love to get swept away in a book. I love to imagine that the characters are my real-life best friends. Yes, this is true. This winter, we happened to all get sick, very, very unfortunate situation....except that I used those 6 days of my life and my families life to read the Hunger Games Trilogy. Yes, this stay-at-home mom and business owner spent 6 days doing nothing but wiping up butts, cleaning up puke and meandering my ways through the Hunger Games. I was by Katniss' side each step of the way, in and out of buildings near the Capitol, up and down trees in the arena. One morning I woke up and realized that I had dreamt that Anna and Elsa from Frozen were in the Hunger Games arena with Katniss and Peeta. No joke! This is a true story. At that moment I realized I had a problem! I hadn't read a series like that since prior to having children! The good news was, since everyone was sick they didn't really notice that I had checked out for 6 days straight! 

Here is a short list of some of my other favorite books. And yes, the Hunger Games falls on the list!  I have downloaded the Divergent series to the ipad, but I'm just waiting for my backdrop to look like this to start: 

"Not a Fan" by Kyle Idleman (I read this book and listened to the audio version twice!)

"Forgotten God" by Francis Chan (this man is brilliant. He lives, breathes and acts on his convictions. I have listened to his sermons and he is gifted.)

"Praying for your husband from Head to Toe" by Sharon Jaynes 

Ok, so my other passions are music and running. All these things are outside of God, family and photography! 

Right now, I am listening to this amazing band - Rend Collective - check them out here: 

http://rendcollective.com

The words from this song struck a cord with me after Samuel was born: 

"My Lighthouse"

In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

In the silence, You won't let go
In my questions, Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

My Lighthouse, my lighthouse
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You
My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse
I will trust the promise, 
You will carry me safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore

I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea

Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms

I also LOVE going to concerts, although these days the concerts we have been attending are more along the lines of the Fresh Beat Band. "Go bananas. Go, go bananas." Come on, I know you are singing this song in your car as well! 

Hands down the 2 most amazing concerts that I have attended were Garth Brooks circa sometime in the 1990's and Billy Joel, a little more recently. And I have been to my fair share of concerts! 

Since this post seems long enough, I'll devote an entire post to my passion of running some other time :) 

And I will leave you with this picture of my girls from our favorite place on the planet...this is our happy place. Vacation is 28 days away, but seriously who is counting......oh yah, this girl is!