Hi Ladies,

I will take blame for being the *worst* book club leader ever this last week. It was no fault of the book or the author but simply that I got caught up in a whirlwind of super-amazing-dance-with-the-kids-in-the-kitchen sort of good news. And then this evening I found THE MERYL STREEP MOVIE CLUB looking at me sadly from my kitchen island, along with my discussion notes, and I slapped my forehead. I am SO sorry for being late with these questions! But off we go, and I promise to share my news soon!

1. In reading Chapter 11, where June pursues the search of Charlie's father in earnest, I couldn't help but consider the irrational nature of hope. From the outside it's painful to watch her pine for a man she met seven years earlier and knew for two days. But is it really? When I'm honest with myself, I hope for crazy things as well. I hope for good fortune and lasting love and children who will grow to love God and family. All of those things are *crazy* but I long for them anyway. So perhaps I'm not so different from June after all. What do you think is at the root of June's deep desire to complete her family? Is it really that cute boy she knew in New York? Or is it something deeper and more profound to human nature? A desire to know and be known and to raise a child together? And if you were in her position could you really look at your son and tell him that you were giving up? That his father couldn't be found?

2. While watching Defending Your Life with June and Isabel and Lolly, Kat is struck by the line "Fear is a fog that prevents people from real happiness." And in reading through Chapter 12 I had a revelation. Yes, Kat is afraid, and her fear of making the wrong decision is certainly keeping happiness at bay, but her greatest weakness is that she over-thinks everything. It's something my mother used to accuse me of (with good reason) and I can tell you first hand that it is paralyzing. Which brings me to my question: do you think the *fog* that Kat is living in is fear or indecision? How are those two emotions are different? How are they the same?

3. In Chapter 13 Isabel loses Griffin's small daughter, Emmy. Or to be more precise, Emmy wanders away. There is no more terrifying moment for any parent than looking up to realise that your child isn't there. It happened to us recently at a local fair. We stood there with our boys, watching people ride the mechanical bull and then I looked around to do my automatic head count: one, two three, four. But there were only three. Our five year old was gone. And in a split second my heart was pounding so hard I could hear the blood rush through my ears. Pure fear. It took us about four minutes to find him but they were the longest four minutes of my life. So I absolutely understood that panic Isabel felt. But I was also furious with Emmy's older sister, Alexa. She knew better. Have you ever *lost* a child, whether yours or someone elses? What ran through your mind in those moments?

4. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. That's what I immediatley thought when June learns that Charlie's father is dead. And it was so sad to think that all of her years of wondering and searching ended with such a crushing revelation. Have you ever experienced a loss like that? I know I did when my father died and I was left to grieve the relationship we did have AND the relationship we didn't have. But sometimes new life is born out of heartbreak. How do you think finally knowing why Charlie's dad didn't show up in the park that day will effect June going forward?

Thanks for being patient with me this week, ladies. I love this little group of readers and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on these chapters!

Ariel