Molly is finally getting better today, thank the Lord! Her fever was over 103 on Sunday night, so first thing Monday morning I ran her to the doctor. Her UTI had traveled all the way up to her kidneys, and that's why she was so miserable. The doctor sent her home with antibiotics and a warning that if she wasn't better in 48 hours, she would have to be admitted to the hospital. Well, we're officially past 48 hours, and the fever is staying down, and she's acting more like her normal self. Yesterday she spent most of the day snuggled in bed next to me shivering and shaking with the fever and pain. But today she and Mia are fighting over their bedroom, so I can tell that the healing has begun. Doogie's especially thrilled; it means he won't have to do her chore of laundry any more!

Sisterchicks Go Brit by Robin Jones Gunn is the latest book in the fabulous Sisterchicks series. Liz has dreamed of going to England and meeting Big Ben since she was 15 years old. Kellie has long dreamed of opening her own interior design business. These two best friends have both of their dreams fulfilled through Opal, an elderly woman's, machinations. Opal wants to return to her native England to visit her twin sister Rose and after being thrilled with Kellie and Liz's renovation on her apartment, gifts them tickets to go along with her. Gunn's Sisterchick books are wonderful travelogues with lessons on faith and friendship on the way. This book didn't have the kind of depth I've become accustomed to in previous books in the series, but Gunn's description of England makes me want to book my flight out today!

I got the first flyer in the mail today advertising school supplies. It seems like school just got out, but summer is already half over. But Molly's yelling that I have to take her shopping; yeah, she's feeling better.

People are always offering me suggestions on how to deal with my rheumatoid arthritis, and for the most part I am very grateful. I've tried Noni juice, flax seed, giving up all dairy products and fried food, and none of it worked. Some of the ideas I get just don't seem workable, how do you incorporate ginger into your daily diet in a quantity to make a difference? On Sunday, I attended the fall memorial service that the hospital puts on for the families of all those who have passed away in the last six months there. I'm in charge of coordinating the program, so I needed to be there, regardless of the fact that I'd spent the entire weekend in bed. But the Lord blessed me with the service. Jesse and I haven't attended our church in several months because of different issues, so we haven't had the opportunity to connect with the new pastor. I've met her through work, and she's an extraordinarily nice woman. After the service, she mentioned that her son has RA and isn't on any medications at all. He went on a diet that included giving up beef and feels terrific. The pain had been so bad the last few weeks, giving up beef sounded like no big deal, so Jesse and I planned meals without it. I haven't had any since Friday, and I feel better than I have in weeks! I went from taking 12-16 ibuprofen and 6 vicodin a day to 4-6 ibuprofen and 3 vicodin. It's a huge difference. I don't know that this would work for everyone, but I'm so glad that it's working for me. The pastor said her son also lost 15 pounds, and I'm so all about that too!

Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn is the story of Miranda Carson who has traveled to London on a whim at Christmas time to find her father. The only clue she has is a photograph of a man dressed as Father Christmas with a crying boy on his lap. The photo has the studio's name and address on the back, so Miranda goes thousands of miles and halfway around the world to find a connection to someone she can call her own. First off, let me say that I am not normally a fan of Christmas books. They tend to be treacly and precious, and novellas often try to pack too much story in too few pages. This book shattered all of my preconceived notions about holiday novellas. Gunn creates a charming story with heart and great characters. Miranda wants so much to know the truth, but when she finds it, she tries to run from it. While she comes to know the truth and character about her earthly father, she also recognizes God's hand in her life. The book is the first in what should be an engaging series. The ending isn't too neat; illusions are shattered and lives will never be the same, but just as the message of Christmas is hope, so too is Gunn's book. There is a reading guide in the back, so it would be perfect for book clubs at Christmas.

We watched Meet the Robinsons this weekend on DVD. What a terrific movie! The reviews made it sound like a movie about a little boy who had been adopted by an unusual family and the message was to accept all different sorts of families. But that's not the theme at all; it's to let go of the past and keep moving forward, not allowing yourself to become bogged down by bitterness and regret. Great family movie, we'll be buying this one!