Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected

Kelle Hampton was a happy mother and wife until her life was turned upside down after the birth of their second daughter, Nella.  Nella was a beautiful baby, but Kelle was shocked to discover when she saw her daughter for the first time that Nella appeared to have Down syndrome.

Bloom tells the true story of the Hampton family from Kelle's point of view.  She shares the details of her parents' difficult divorce, meeting her husband, and becoming a mom and stepmom.  She describes her feelings and emotions of becoming Nella's mom and the unique challenges that came with being her mother.

Kelle is completely honest about her fears for Nella.  For me, reading about those first few days in the hospital after receiving such a huge shock were heartbreaking.  But by the end of the story, after Kelle had chronicled Nella's first year, you can see how much she has grown and feels so blessed to be Nella's mom.

Bloom was a very quick read.  I was engrossed in the story and fell in love with little Nella.  The best part of this book are the photographs.  Kelle is a photographer, and gorgeous photos are interspersed throughout the book.  I almost ordered this on my Kindle (which does not show color illustrations) and I am so glad I did not.  I would have missed out on the photography which is such a huge part in the story.

I really think any mom would enjoy this book.  It was entertaining and emotional.  Bloom does include a little bit of language, and I personally did not agree with some of Kelle's beliefs about Christianity.  However, it was a very good story overall.  If you would like to learn more about the Hamptons and keep up with Nella, check out Kelle's blog at www.kellehampton.com.

Rating:  I would give this book a 4 out of 5.

Kisses from Katie

Kisses from Katie tells the incredible true story of Katie Davis, a popular and friendly girl from Nashville.  Katie's life was never the same after going on a short-term mission trip to Uganda when she was eighteen.  After coming home, she knew that she was being called by God to make a difference in these people's lives.  Katie gave up her comfortable life in return for one of service.

Over the course of the book, Katie explains how she ended up adopting thirteen girls from Uganda and what her life is like living in Africa.  Katie also established Amazima Ministries, which provides food, education, and medical care to children living in her village.  Throughout the book, Katie chronicles many of the trials she has faced, and her faith in Christ is evident in each page she writes.

Kisses from Katie is a mind-blowing book which will leave you feeling inspired but also convicted of what you can be doing to love "the least of these."  Katie also has a blog, where you can keep reading her continuing story.  Also check out the Amazima Ministries site, which sells handcrafted jewelry made by Ugandan women trying to earn a living.

Rating:  I would give this book a 5 out of 5.