be happy for this moment.

Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of

listening when you'd have preferred to talk.

Doug Larson

My mother is a pretty traditional so the thought of hosting a bridal shower for her daughter was a big no-no. So instead, she put together what we know refer to as her Wise Women Dinner. On Saturday night we hosted eight of the smartest, wittiest and most successful women she knew for dinner and fabulous conversation.

She asked each of them to bring their favorite or most life changing book for me (some couldn't decide and brought a few) so I now have a wondeful stack of books to enjoy!


My mother's book gift was a beautiful Book of Common Prayer (used in the Episcopal church) with my soon-to-be new name inscribed on the front. I especially love it because it has the words for our marriage ceremony included.

I wanted to share a list of these great reads with you that were inspirational in the life of women:

The Joy of Cooking
Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker

Simple Abundance: A Day Book of Comfort and Joy
Sarah Ban Breathnach

Men are from Mars: Women are from Venus
John Gray, Ph.D.

Mutant Message Down Under
Marlo Morgan

The Log from the Sea of Cortez
John Steinbeck

The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint Exupéry

How People Change
Allen Wheelis

Man's Search for Meaning
Victor Frankel

Still Life with Woodpecker
Tom Robbins

You've Got to Read This!
Ron Hansen and Jim Shepard