Book Lady

I used to joke and say that if Jason died first that I would get a bunch of cats to keep me company and become the neighborhood "Cat Lady". Now I realize that I am close to becoming the "Book Lady".

I got a Kindle for my last birthday and I love it. I love to browse the free and cheap books, and download classics, memoirs, cookbooks, and short stories. I read whenever I have a spare moment, which is not as often as I would like. But, as a lover of reading, Kindle still has not stopped my love for real, physical books. I have boxes of paperbacks in our garage and basement that have been moved in and out of my classroom and are still waiting to be put on shelves somewhere. We have books on shelves and mantles in nearly every room in our house.

My favorite, though, is the current state of our bedroom. Bedtime routine has always included reading a book with Andrew. Usually, this occurs in the living room or in Andrew's bed before he goes to sleep. But, recently he wants to read in "Mommy's big bed" and will climb into our bed to snuggle and read a few books before we take him back to his room. Because of this new routine, the bedroom has the most diverse collection of books strewn about. On my night stand there is my kindle, currently showing "Bossypants", "Up the Down Staircase" and "What to Expect the First Year". Also, there is my Women's Study Bible, Baby Wise, and Sleep Lady's Sleep Solutions. 

The living room, the boys' rooms, the bathroom: books piled and thrown everyone. I hope and pray that our house will continue to be filled with books and that we will never stop reading together :)

As good as it gets

The kids were driving me crazy yesterday afternoon in the rush to get dinner ready, put one on the potty, carry the other cranky one around, and get the last of my stuff ready for my class that evening. I ran out of the house running late and nervous about my class.

I hit traffic, which thankfully cleared up, and was still early to class at MCC. Then we launched into our Composition topics for the night and the 3 1/2 hours of discussion and practice seemed to fly by (for me at least).

As I drove home across the city I was still high from such a fun teaching experience, and I caught myself thinking, "Wow, this is it." This is it. This is one of those days that you hope for and keeps you going when teaching is so cumbersome and tiresome and frustrating. A day that redeems itself and reminds you how wonderful life is.

I am leaving a job that I love and enjoy and am good at. And I am returning to a house full of crazy boys that I love to pieces. What a wonderful place to be. How cool is this, and how grateful am I. Praise Him.

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Rainy days

It's been very rainy this spring and this week in particular. Our lawn is literally up to our knees and our flowers and garden are swamped. There go our plans to head to a state park for some swimming. At least Jason has another excuse to not mow the grass yet, haha. And, we did have a good time running around the mall yesterday.

I do love some things about summer rains, though. I love how it breaks the humidity. I love the calming hum-drumming on the roof while I'm reading or getting ready for bed. I love splashing in puddles in the driveway with Andrew. I love refreshing, rainy runs around the block. I love snuggling up with a kid in my lap and a good book or movie while is pours outside.

So, as with many things in life, I'll take it and make the best of it. :)

Turning the corner

I turned 30 this year. And maybe it's that that makes me sentimental. But, in reflection, it has been one of those memorable years. One that stands out like "The Year We Got Married" or "The Year We Moved to California". A few months after hitting the big 3-0 we had Baby #2 (Ethan). And I thought having one child was an earth-shattering experience... 2 little ones can totally rock your world! Talk about a total loss of "me-time". We spread our kids out a bit, figuring it would be easier if Andrew, our first, was almost 3 when #2 came along. Now, as we try to sleep train one while we potty training the other, we are reminded that "the best made plans"...

Ah, plans. Back to this epic or memorable year. I also was recently laid off from my full-time teaching job. I have been teaching middle and high school English for the past 8 years, and now, with the current teaching market, and with the needs of our family, it looks like I may be on a break from that career for a indeterminate amount of time. Finances, we're fine. We'll just need to tighten up the budget a little. But me not being a teacher for a while or forever, that is going to be harder to get used to. It's a bittersweet transition, but God closes doors sometimes, and I know that He has a wonderful plan for me and my family in this new phase in our lives.

So, I realized that as I turn this corner, I have a choice. I can wallow in the "what-ifs" and mourn the loss of the old life that I knew so well and took so much pride in. Or, I can embrace the new and choose joy. I can live in the now and treasure every second, every mundane and beautiful moment home with the kids while they're still little. I may not be serving God in the classroom, but I can wait and see where He wants me to glorify Him now. I can see our new circumstances not as a hardship, but as a gift.

So this blog is part of the new start. I want to get back to what I have always loved doing, but neglected or lost somewhere in the business of being mommy-teacher-wife. I want to make time to Read, Write, and Run again.

Jeremiah 29:11