Now, y’all know that I’m a math and science gal… I’m a registered nurse, I love logic and order, symmetry and patterns…. Modern art (really art in general) I may slightly appreciate, but I don’t “get” it. I LOVE reading, but I don’t often enjoy literature… that is… books that I actually have to sit and work to digest.

Books that have big words, archaic phrases and sentence structure stress me out a bit. When I have time to sit down and read, I’m probably already half asleep anyway, so it can’t be too mentally taxing! I do aim at reading one non fiction and one fiction book each month. Lately I’ve been falling far short, but what is a goal if it’s easily attainable?

I also find myself reading homeschooling blog posts, or World magazine (to get a little bit of the happenings of the world around me since I don’t watch the news or listen on the radio) or a devotional journal. While those are all good things, I still want to be making my way through books as well. I try to post reviews here when I can.

I’ve recently finished two books that I haven’t reviewed yet. I hope too… I just haven’t gotten around to it. There are a lot of things I haven’t gotten around to lately! We are moving on October 13th, so that has consumed my to do list at the moment. But I digress…

Reading is super important to me! To our family! Thankfully I love to read to the kids, they love to listen and they love to read or look at books themselves! It really bothers me when I hear the words, “Unload the dishwasher like I asked you (three times) or I’m going to take your book away and return it to the library.” Not good… I really don’t want to make taking reading away a punishment… but it really does work! They get a whole lot of motivation, real quick!

And… since I need to add more to my plate these days… (quick update, I’m working at a birth center two days a week, work at Kaiser 1 day a week, homeschool, have a recently adopted 1 year old, in the process of adopting a handicap 12 year old, moving in less than a month, teaching a human biology class at coop, sell and teach classes on essential oils, participate in the Holistic Moms Group, my husband and I lead a bible study, and I know there is more) I kinda joined The Old Virginian Literary Circle.

I’m a bit nervous about it, I must say! They plan to read a book a month (I should be able to do that) and get together to discuss it. I certainly don’t feel smart enough to do that, much less, I don’t get art… remember… I don’t get the “art” of literature either…. But I enjoy the story and what it brings to my life and soul.

There are certainly some “literature” titles on there that frighten me a bit… they might take too many brain cells for me to digest… but I’m giving it a go! It seems odd to have someone else telling me what to read, but it’s good so far!

Our first book is Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. I never would have picked this off the shelf. It’s certainly easy to read and it reads like a memoir. While it is fiction, reading it, it sounds so life-like and true! I could easily believe it’s a real life and a real farm and a real town. I’m glad I’m reading it! It’s quite enjoyable thus far! I hope to write a review once I finish!

So… this post kinda ended up more like a mini update, but really I want to encourage each of you to read, read, read! Yes, it can be a chore on the to do list, but once I crack the spine and hear the turn of pages, I’m sucked in an it’s pure bliss!

I want to teach my kids through story… history through real lives, and faith through the stories of scripture! If I want them to love stories, then I too need to love stories and teach by example. And even though it starts as something to do, for me, it has quickly changed to something I enjoy. And I do learn, too. It makes me think, remember, contemplate, cry, feel, and connect.

Reading is a non-negotiable in our family! How about you?

Credit:  The gorgeous graphic was created by @alicealmighty for the group.  It’s it amazing?!?!