I was first introduced to Mary Katherine Blackstrom last Christmas season when her blog post detailing a hilarious experience with a stranger at a gas station went viral. A friend of mine shared her video and I cried watching as I laughed with her at the embarrassing incident. Her sincerity and humor sparked my curiosity and so I followed her on Facebook. And quite frankly, who doesn’t need more belly-aching, laugh-so-hard-that-you-cry laughter in their life?
After these few months, I am still intrigued by her candor, her humility, and her ability to bring sunshine into my life. (And apparently, into the lives of many others, as well!) Recently, she began mentioning this book of hers in her videos. Unlike my first encounter with Mary Katherine (MK), I wasn’t initially compelled to buy her book. As an older woman, I doubted that I could relate to her story or her place in life as a young mother. But after watching her read the introduction on Facebook one night, I felt my heart lighten up a bit and I remembered why I became so fond of her. At that moment, I realized that I was wrong and immediately placed an order on Amazon.
First, let me start by saying that it is a beautiful book. I love the colors and the format and the layout… I cannot say enough good things about it. Holding this book is like holding a rainbow in your hands. The best part though, is that there really is a pot of gold in it’s pages, which Mary Katherine masterfully disguises as little nuggets of wisdom. I dove in head first but thought that I might need to stay close to shore for the impending moments that my seven-year-old son or two canine children would come calling. However, each chapter is only a few pages long, making it easy to take in and digest in little bits, especially for busy moms who cannot seem to afford a spare moment. MK even shares pictures of herself and her family with her readers. With each page I felt myself slip into her world. And once again, I found myself giggling at her stories and tearing up with her as she modeled transparency in sharing the most difficult parts of her life.
Mary Katherine makes you feel as though you are one of her closest companions, and after becoming acquainted with her, you will want to be one. She has a way of making people feel loved, welcomed, and at peace with themselves and their own journeys. Sitting at my kitchen table and reading her book felt like having coffee with an old friend. It was as if we were swapping life stories and reflecting on the wonderment (and, at times, the horror) of being a new mom. If you haven’t already figured it out, I am a fan.
Mom Babble is not just for new moms. If you are living and breathing on planet Earth in the twenty-first century, there is something for you in this book. (Yes, that includes you.) One of my favorite lines from her book is one that I can not only relate to as a mom, but also as a new grandparent. “But what grandparents know is the magic is already present. It’s all around us, just waiting to be enjoyed. We don’t have to force beautiful moments to happen with our babies.”
If you are still not convinced, how about another bit of wisdom from MK before I go? “You will be made stronger in the hardest of times. You will discover more about who you are with the change of every season. With every struggle, every hard day, every gray hair.”
Buy the book. Or borrow it. Just read it. You won’t regret it.
A Bibliophile's Persuasion 