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Tipton’s book is a tribute to her family and to the creator God, who brought its eight members together. Tipton grew up without a dad, accepting Jesus as her heavenly father at age six. She had a daughter with her first husband. She divorced him and married her high school sweetheart. She and Greg lost three children to miscarriage before they considered adoption. First, they adopted Suzanna. Not expected to thrive, Suzanna went on to learn to organize from her wheelchair. She runs a donation ministry as a teenager. Next, despite a diagnosis of developmental disability and Prader-Willi syndrome, Evan contributes vibrantly to the Tipton home. Katie learned to trust her new family and to forgive her biological parents for not wanting her. Janet came to Tipton physically and emotionally abused by her mother and neglected by her father. She died shortly after her adoption. Finally, the family adopted Cody, who manages his PTSD with much support.
Each chapter begins with a poem for each child, followed by a Bible verse and a synopsis of their life and gifts. The book’s organization is rooted in a strong connection between the mother/author, each child, and God. In this trinity, hardship is eluded to but countered with a positive, can-do attitude reflected in loving words. Janet’s segment is the longest, including Tipton’s letters to her during her final days. This central focus on Janet’s touch-and-go health and the family and caregivers’ response is a poignant reminder of life’s fragility and accomplishes the book’s objective. The book makes it clear that Tipton’s life is not her own. Filled with expressions of gratitude for life, her book is a commendation of her family into God’s hands. It could be used to buttress readers’ prayer life.