The End of Your Life Book Club By Will Schwalbe
Hi Ya'll!  It's been a while...

As I was sitting on my back porch reading in the sunshine today, I felt inspired to blog about my book club's current read.  Any book that makes me cry and laugh on the same page deserves a post. 

So, the author writes about planning his mother's 74th birthday party.  I am currently planning my mother-in-law's 70th birthday and am so excited to be doing so.  I am so grateful for her - there just aren't words.  She is an amazingly kind woman.  This personal connection about celebrating milestones with those we love, brought me to tears. 

Then, the very next paragraph had another personal connection that had me laughing out loud, which then required me squeezing my legs and waddling to the bathroom (giving birth to twins will do that to you!).  I went on my first Disney trip this summer, so this was fresh for me.  To set the stage, the author is planning this very important party for his mother and he wants every little detail to be just perfect...  Similar to how the planner of the ever famous "Disney Family Vacation" feels. 

Mr. Schwalbe writes, "I was reminded of visiting Disneyland, The Happiest Place on Earth, and seeing some families ready to tear one another's eyes out--the kids sobbing inconsolably from greed and exhaustion and the stress of it all, the parents looking daggers at each other, the older children rolling their eyes or clearly stoned out of their minds.  Every now and then you even heard someone say a variation of the following:  'We traveled all this way and paid all this money, and you are going to have fun, do you hear me?  You will have fun right now, dammit, or I'll pack up the whole family and drive us home this instant, and we'll never come back again.'"  

If you are a mother of young ones and have recently taken a Disney trip, you are crossing your legs and trying not to wet yourself, aren't you?  No, this is not just a connection - THIS IS TRUTH - and just like me, at the Happiest Place on Earth, at the end of a really hot day, you said it!!!!  It's OK - now run to the potty!