BOOKS!!!

Being on bed-rest has its ups and downs. I have discovered a huge UP lately. "Santa" brought me a Nook reader for Christmas. Now, there is something you should know about my relationship with books...when I'm reading a book, NOTHING ELSE EXISTS. I won't eat, sleep, clean, or pay attention to anything until the book is finished. I used to read all the time. I was the kid who got in trouble in class for READING. Yeah, I'm not a nerd, or anything. Well, once I had kids, reading had to be put on the back burner. It turns out that if you don't pay attention to your toddlers, a never-been-opened Costco-sized tub of extra-chunky peanut butter can end up all over the flipping house and said children. I'm talking carpet, walls, upstairs, downstairs, in the diaper, in the hair, between the toes, up the nose, in the ears, and I was still discovering peanut butter in various places around the house weeks later...and that was after only reading 2 chapters... I learned my lesson after that. Instead of reading one or two books a week, I cut back to one or two books every 2 months or so. Life was just too hectic with two active tots running around. Once I started working full time I read even less. Since I've been on bed-rest I have read more than I have in the last 2 years combined. Along with my Nook, I received The Help from my sister and a surprise "survival kit" full of books from my aunt. Jayden is also to the point where he is starting to read. It has been nice to be able to have the time and sit down and work with him on that. He is only in kindergarten, but he is starting a series of chapter books called "Captain Underpants". It makes my heart swell with pride when he asks to read them with me. I am so grateful for this time. It can be nerve racking, boring, and all-out frustrating to have to LAY DOWN all day, every day, but I realize how much I've missed out on being a working mom instead of a stay at home mom. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for letting me be home right now. Some of my best memories are of my mom reading the Harry Potter books to my brother and I. We were old enough to read them ourselves, but Mom made them come alive in a way that I can't describe. I hope I can help my kids develop a love for reading because now I have time for them to see how important it is to me. I have the time to work with Jay and let him see how his imagination can take him places that movies and video games can't. There have been many times I've looked at being on bed-rest as a punishment or curse, and I am ashamed of that. It truly is a blessing in disguise as I am able to develop a closer relationship with my children as we prepare for Annie's arrival. I only hope and pray we can continue to grow closer after she gets here.