This concluding chapter of the Christy and Todd baby years was completely satisfying. I loved seeing the realistic portrayal of a couple with young kids at home. It can be so hard and isolating, particularly for women who are used to working full time. I loved seeing how their lives changed and how they learned to support each other's dreams in different ways.

“But she didn’t fit in a shower and so here she was, feeling a bit ‘less than’ Once again. It seems to be her permanent condition more and more ever since Cole was born.” ( )

Christy is basically a single mom raising 2 young kids, including a two-month-old. Her husband Todd works full time and has a lot of hobbies and activities that he enjoys after work, so he often gets home after dinner and just after the kids have been put to bed, he basically gets to do whatever he wants while doing the minimal in helping take care of the kids. Meanwhile, Christy makes herself think she is expected to do most (if not all) of the childcare, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and laundry, she even mentally berates herself when Todd's best shirt isn't clean and ironed. He jets off to Africa for three weeks on a mission trip, and Christy and one of the kids get sick, but she's afraid to tell Todd because she doesn't want to ruin his trip. She has basically has one friend nearby, no career, no hobbies, and doesn't get to pursue any passions, other than sewing pillows once in a while. Once in a while, Todd will do something nice or thoughtful, but he pretty much just pops in to play with his kids, and then go surfing, or off to one of his other activities. I would have like to see Christy catch up with some of the other many characters beside just her family members, instead of having the same plot line repeated for almost the whole series. Christy feels overwhelmed, Christy and Todd are busy, they live in a beach house that belongs to her aunt and uncle. This series didn't seem to really end because it seemed stuck from book one the only thing that seemed to change was the number of kids they have and Christy's brother getting married. ( )

Christy is basically a single mom raising 2 young kids, including a two-month-old. Her husband Todd works full time and has a lot of hobbies and activities that he enjoys after work, so he often gets home after dinner and just after the kids have been put to bed, he basically gets to do whatever he wants while doing the minimal in helping take care of the kids. Meanwhile, Christy makes herself think she is expected to do most (if not all) of the childcare, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, and laundry, she even mentally berates herself when Todd's best shirt isn't clean and ironed. He jets off to Africa for three weeks on a mission trip, and Christy and one of the kids get sick, but she's afraid to tell Todd because she doesn't want to ruin his trip. She has basically has one friend nearby, no career, no hobbies, and doesn't get to pursue any passions, other than sewing pillows once in a while. Once in a while, Todd will do something nice or thoughtful, but he pretty much just pops in to play with his kids, and then go surfing, or off to one of his other activities. I would have like to see Christy catch up with some of the other many characters beside just her family members, instead of having the same plot line repeated for almost the whole series. Christy feels overwhelmed, Christy and Todd are busy, they live in a beach house that belongs to her aunt and uncle. This series didn't seem to really end because it seemed stuck from book one the only thing that seemed to change was the number of kids they have and Christy's brother getting married. ( )

Christy and Todd have two children under the age of three, and it’s exhausting. As Todd prepares to lead a short-term mission trip to Kenya, Christy contemplates the limitations, as well as the blessings, of motherhood. When her brother David asks for relationship advice, Christy is pleased to feel needed and included in the life of the family at large — even if that involves the prospect of more drama from Aunt Marti.

This book has the same weaknesses as the previous five books, mostly stemming from lack of editorial direction. However, long-time fans of the series won’t mind much, especially since this book wraps up one long-dangling plot thread. This is a quick and pleasant read for fans of the series — obviously, don’t start here. ( )