No Stamping Today

I went to bed with an idea of what I wanted to stamp this morning. I went to my desk to begin and couldn't start because everything is such a mess. I started putting away markers from yesterday's card. Then it was packages of cardstock that were still out. Needless to say, I spent close to two hours cleaning up, I'm still not done but I need to move on to my "list" for today. I'm posting like I usually do and I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with the idea I had last night.

You may be wondering what the picture above is. A few weeks ago I received an envelope with the badges I earned this summer for VC Rocks. They don't usually have badges but they were celebrating 10 years. I think it was a brilliant idea and probably helped the group to be more active. I know I participated in a couple of things I don't usually do.

Last night was book club. I didn't make it. I'm kind of bummed about it but I really didn't feel to great. I missed last month because my husband was TDY and next month I will miss for a concert one of the kids is in at school. I don't mind missing next month though. I love hearing them at the beginning of the year, the progression at the winter concert and being totally dazzled at the Spring concert by how far they've come.

This is the book they talked about last night. When it comes to book club selections, I always look in the back before I begin to see if they chose a book that has "suggested questions" and I skim them. This time I only read the first question and stopped because the question put in my mind I would be picking sides and I didn't want to start off with that in mind or any other leading questions.

The book itself starts off a bit gloomy with the death of two teenage boys through a car accident. You never learn more of the accident other than one had been drinking but wasn't intoxicated and one car was mangled and it was hard to even identify the body.

There is Melanie Johnston, a single mother working to support her son Jeff and daughter Sarah. She is outraged by the accident and loss of her son, determined that he will be remembered and leave behind a legacy, she files a lawsuit. In her grieving, looking for answers and ultimately trying to keep her daughter from the backlash of the lawsuit, she ends up attending her children's church. She finds support there and some answers. She works as a price checker and her job ends up providing some challenges due to the lawsuit.

Then there is the other mom, Andie Phelps that is grieving the loss of her only child, Chad. Her husband is so busy with work that she doesn't see much of him and they don't communicate much. They are wealthy and she is able to spend much of her time working on raising money for charities, helping at a soup kitchen, and painting some. While they are dealing with the loss of their son, they both have the burden of guilt for things they did or didn't do with their son.

Through the grief of these two families, the impact of the lawsuit on them and the community, you are able to see the affect that comes from their two worlds colliding. The end talks more of faith, forgiveness and then some. There is the tied-up happy ending (as happy as it can get) for the book. Definitely a good read.