An Interview With Friends~ Autumn {Autumn Bouquet}

Who's ready for another interview? Well, here is the interview for this week with Autumn over Autumn Bouquet. Autumn was one of my first followers and the comments she has left on my blog are all encouraging. She hosted a book giveaway and I won the prize. With the prize, she even included a sweet note. With out further ado, here is the interview.

Can you tell us a little bit about your self? 

Well, I am a fifteen year old country living girl, who loves her Heavenly Father and His Son with all her heart. I readily await all the wonderful things He has in store for me. :) My favorite things include... Scripture, family, reading, baking, photography, horses, painting fingernails, biking, doing 1000 piece puzzles, talking, listening to music, blogging, tea, blue eyes, curly hair, italics, and traveling to name a few. :) 

When did you begin blogging? 

Actually I am coming up on my three year blogging milestone! So excited!! I'm going to let you in on a little secret... :) Be sure to visit my blog in May because there will be a big surprise! :) 

What are the 3 blogs you read most often? 

A Ray of Sunshine, Lucia etc., and Essence of Eve 

What are your 3 favorite books? 

Oh dear! These questions are always so hard! Um, probably "The Home place", "Diary of A Coal Miner's Bride", and "Anne of Green Gables." 

What genre(s) of books do you prefer? 

Inspirational Fiction... :) 

What are your 3 favorite movies? 

Love's Enduring Promise, Pride and Prejudice, and The Anne of Green Gables Series. 

Which Bible character is your favorite? 

Probably Esther... :) 

What's your favorite bible citation? 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." ♥ 

What sparked your interest in photography? 

Seeing other people getting awesome results after just wandering around their house! So I grabbed up our Fine Pix Digital Camera, and started shooting! :) 

Do you have a few of your favorite photographs that you'd like to share with my readers? 

Of course!!

Who do you most admire in your family? 

My parents... They have taught me so much, and I don't know what I would do without them. They are such good role models, and no family is perfect. But for me ours is just right. :) 

Do you have a funny story you'd like to share? 

Yes, but it is not exactly funny in the sense that great pain was involved. :) The other day I went to work at a job site cleaning up all the roofing and wood scraps and other things that the builders had made piles of. My friend Lyssa was with me, and being the good friend that I am... ;) I was cautioning her to watch out for all of the nails sticking up out of the boards (and rusty at that!). Not five seconds later she watched me accidentally step on a nail. Maybe I should practice what I preach? 

What are a few things that no one knows about you? 

Growing up with only brothers, I am more of a tom-boy than a girly-girl, I am pretty much as blind as a bat without my glasses, I would rather stay in my pajamas all day and start and finish a good book than most anything. 

What is your favorite thing to do on rainy mornings? 

Take a nice hot shower, make some tea, and as you may have already guessed, ;) sit down with a book. 

In three words, how would you describe yourself? 

Shy, at times very loud, and always willing to listen. 

What is your dream job? 

To become a wife and mother that lives on a big farm somewhere in the sticks... :) 

How would you describe your fashion style? 

Um, I am not joking when I say "What fashion style?!" But anyways, if I must! Something cute and comfortable... Usually a dark denim skirt and a nice shirt or blouse if I'm going out. But out here in the middle of nowhere, I'll wear loose jeans and a t-shirt.

What is your absolute favorite color? 

Goodness, probably mint or coral. :) 

What are some of your hobbies, or things to do in your spare time? 

Photography, crafting and do it yourselves (DIY), bike riding, letter giving and receiving, gardening, video games (that comes from only having brothers), playing the guitar, singing, and blogging. :) 

What beautiful photographs Autumn has taken! I enjoy reading her blog and her photography! Stay tuned for next Friday's interview, where we will get the inside scoop and get to know another one of my favorite blog authors. Have you missed the previous interview, click here to view them all.

A Peek Into My Passport...

Did you know that my family is Ecuadorian?  I was born in the United States, but my families roots lie embedded in the beautiful South American country of Ecuador.

Here's a bit of background history of my family:

A young woman works at the local factory. A friend of hers introduces her to a young man. The young woman and young man fall in love and later marry. After a few years, the idea of journeying to America fills the young man's thoughts. He begins his voyage to America, leaving his young wife in the care of his parents. This young man sets out in search of the American dream. After many years of toil and hard work, the young man has saved up enough money to send for his wife. Together, husband and wife face many hardships. "Que?" "No entiendo?" Yes, the language was a barrier. Soon, after much effort and determination, the young couple assimilate to city living. Years of hard work allow the couple to move into their own apartment in Manhattan, where they raised three daughters. One of which was my mom, Sydney.

That's pretty much the long story made short!

My extended family lives in small town called Milagro or Miracle in Spanish. 

Here's a little history of Milagro:

"The name Milagro is derived from a legend. The story goes that in 1784, a man called Miguel de Salcedo arrived to the farm that is now Milagro, which in that time was part of Yaguachi. 

His wife got sick and he started to look for a cure, but he couldn't find anything. One day a local Indian came to him and gave him a bunch of leaves and said that they will heal the woman. Miguel de Salcedo, as desperate as he was, gave those leaves to his wife hoping that they work out and they did. Miguel de Salcedo did not think that the leaves saved his wife, instead he thought that San Francisco de Asís had saved his wife. Everybody thought that it was a "miracle" (milagro), and from that day that land started to be called Milagro." via 

I visited Ecuador a few years back and being able to experience the difference in our cultures was life changing.  I am thankful for the opportunity I had to visit the land where it all began.

Here is a look into life in Milagro, Ecuador:

 grandma buying oranges from a fruit cart

 "el centro" or "the center"

the marketplace

 nature

 local daycare center

donkey cart, car and a dog all on the same road...now there's something you don't see everyday:)

mango blossoms

papaya tree from my uncle's backyard

my mother handing out school supplies and sharing the word of God

these children all opened up their hearts and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior

another classroom of children that receive Jesus into their hearts

home that is made of dried out sugar cane

the street signs in Ecuador are similar to those in the United States

airport

this is my great great-grandmother, Luisa. From stories I've heard of her, 

she was a very wealthy woman, hence her fan, elegant dress and 

necklace.

my grandmother (dressed in blue)

I enjoyed walking you through a bit of my family tree.  Since my grandmother has a break from working...we have been enjoying much more precious time with her.  My mom has been chronicling stories from the days of old.  I hope to hold onto her journal and share it with the generations that follow.  But the most precious gift that I can pass on is the saving grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

What is something that you hope to share with those that follow?

I'm A 90 Days Grad!

Do you remember the post I wrote about my plans for 2012? I had this list of goals and aspirations that I desire to work on and complete this year.

Have you noticed that one of my goals has been crossed out? Yes, I purposed in my heart to read the Bible in 90 days and have fulfilled this desire with the help of the Lord.

Would you like to challenge yourself and read the Bible in 90 days? Here is a printable calendar that I used. April 1st is just around the corner. It is a good time to begin to hide God's word in your heart.

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Psalm 40:8

Litfuse Blog Tour: By The Light Of The Silvery Moon

About the Book:

Amelia Gladstone's hopes are tied up in the Titanic--hopes for a reunion with her sister and an introduction to an admirer. But when she offers a spare ticket to a down-and-out young man, her fate is about to change.

Quentin Walpole is stunned when a sweet lady secures his passage to America--and even more surprised to find his wealthy father and older brother on board the ship. Suddenly Amelia finds herself caught between the attentions of two men, but who should she entrust her heart to? As the fateful night arrives, will Amelia lose everything to the icy waters?

My Review: 

May I first begin this review with a round of applause for Tricia Goyer?!? Her writing in this novel has surpassed my highest expectations and then some. I haven't read any of her novels as of yet, but will hopefully be purchasing a few of her stories for my personal library:) I feel as though her story telling capabilities truly shine in this particular tale. Each character captivates the reader from the very beginning. I can honestly say that this read did not disappoint. As I read the novel, I finally realized that the 100th year commemoration of the "unsinkable" ship called Titanic is at hand. I appreciated the timing in which I received this book (being so close to the 100th year anniversary), making my reading experience all the more special.

Her clever intertwining of the lives of each character entices the reader to continue reading and read until they finish. I enjoyed reading of each characters personal struggles and their search for love; whether it be the love of God, a father, a brother of that of a soul mate. I also enjoyed reading their meditations, feeling a connection to the realness of their feelings. Another plus was the spiritual journey Amelia and  Quentin had, both learning to put their faith in God.

The plot is another part of this novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and will rave about. Through Tricia's descriptions, I felt as a passenger of the ship myself. I could almost hear the orchestra and chatting of the other passengers. I thought it was clever how she built up anticipation throughout the read, making it nearly impossible to entirely figure out the ending. What more can a reader ask for? Mystery, drama, appropriate romance, and historical fiction are all included in this book.

As I neared the ending of the novel, I read of a similar situation in the Bible. A prodigal son returns to his father, begging mercy and forgiveness and denounces his old way of life. (Does that sound familiar to one of Jesus' parables?) The prodigal and his forgiving father's words and thoughts were exactly those of the two characters mentioned in the Bible. I feel that if Tricia had written that part any differently the tender moment would not have been the same.

Lastly the cover was beautiful. By looking at it, the reader gets a clear indication that the story they are about to read is as about the Titanic. Often times, when I pick up a novel, I am unsure of what the story is about. With this read, there is not guessing. 

I would rate this novel 5 well-earned stars! It included everything I look for in a read. (and it even made me shed a few tears:)

I received this book from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.

About the Authoress: 
Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-two books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.



More info: Living Inspired and Tricia's website.

Celebrate the release of By the Light of the Silvery Moon with Tricia by entering her giveaway and RSVPing to her Titanic party.

One "unsinkable" winner will receive:

Flip HD video Camera (Make your own dramatic saga!)

Titanic movies from the ages {Titanic (1953) Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), Titanic (1997)}

Secrets of the Titanic (Get the facts from National Geographic.)

And the Band Played On (Music Played on the Titanic.)

By the Light of the Silvery Moon by Tricia Goyer (Be swept away in this tale of love and courage.)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 9th. Winner will be announced at "Silvery Moon" Titanic Facebook Party on 4/10. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and abook club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club). During the live chat Tricia will have a *special guest* join her. More details coming soon! So grab your copy of By the Light of the Silvery Moon and join Tricia on the evening of the April 10th for a fun chat, trivia contest (How much do you know about the Titanic?) and lots of giveaways. Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 10th!