Book Review: Bloom

I remember being especially moved when I first discovered Kelle Hampton's blog back in the beginning of 2010.  I followed a link to her birth story for her daughter, Nella, who was born with Down Syndrome.  It was so beautifully written and full of raw emotion.  I also remember being completely perplexed when I happened upon some Kelle-Hampton-haters out there in the blogosphere.  These women had nothing but ill-will towards a woman who attempts to "find beauty in the unexpected."

This is the subtitle to Kelle Hampton's memoir, Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected.  Kelle Hampton has several things going for her (well, let's be honest, she has a whole heck of a lot going for her).  She is an excellent writer and an equally excellent photographer.  This memoir was beautifully compelling because of both the writing and the awesome photos.  In fact, those are the two reasons I continue to check in on Kelle's blog from time to time.

Bloom gives a more comprehensive telling to Kelle's life and the first year of her life with her unexpected and beautiful daughter.  I still think I prefer the birth story as found on her blog.  It is perfect.  I went back over and over to read it again and to listen to the perfect music she had paired with it (that track no longer plays in the background of her blog - but it was the essense of what she was writing and moved one just as much as the words).

The memoir is chock full of excellent photographs of this beautiful family.  The stories are riveting.  The lessons are inspirational.  It is a wonderful memoir and I'm thrilled that Kelle put the time into capturing this important story.  It will, no doubt, minister to many who walk in similar shoes.

Having said that, I hesitate to voice some of my negative sentiments towards the book.  I don't want to be a hater.  I don't want to say anything to detract from the lovely story of a woman who expected to give her daughter a close sibling relationship and wondered if that would be compromised by the presence of an extra chromosome.  She writes with honesty and that should be honored.

However, here are a few things that stand out in my mind when I contemplate this memoir: Life has not gone from "perfect" to "less than perfect" for this family.  They still have an abundance of blessings and thus, with countless blessings it is easy to find beauty and constantly view a glass as half-full.  Indeed, is it hard to see a glass half-full when in reality it is a glass full to almost a hair from the top?  This woman has so much.  She has a wonderful husband, two loving step-sons, two gorgeous daughters, a beautiful home with a pool in an idyllic part of the country (Naples, Florida), a wide circle of cherished friends who gather around and buoy her up whenever she is slightly down, talents that are above and beyond the norm, creativity ... the list could go on and on.  Why shouldn't she be able to find beauty?  There is beauty in abundance. 

I can sympathize with those women who state that she is a little too perfect for comfort.  When I read of someone's life, I want the good, the bad and the ugly because, frankly, all lives are full of good, bad and ugly.  It is just that Kelle's ugly never seems ugly enough.  Her blog is perfect.  Her photos are stunning.  Her following is wide. Even though imperfections are mentioned (she is supposedly a messy housekeeper with clutter that probably rivals my own), the photos and words present too pristine an image.  I think that is what some women find unnerving.

Enough negativity.  The book is well worth the time spent reading it.  It is a human story worth telling.  It is full of raw emotion and a fair amount of frivolity (perhaps too fair an amount of alcohol intake).  It is one woman's journey to acceptance and love for the child she didn't expect to have.  She has come around to seeing this beautiful baby for the blessing she is.  She is, indeed, able to find beauty in the unexpected.  And so should we!