A Bookworm Metamorphosis into Motherhood

In an effort to avoid living in the “Land of Later,” I’m going to go ahead and write about what’s on my mind and skip some of the stuff waiting in the queue. I have considered myself to be a bookworm as long as I can remember. My neighborhood friends can attest to seeing me read under the tall oak trees in our yard. It wasn’t that I actually loved reading under trees, but I’m sure I fell in love with a character who did it, and I imagined it would be cool to emulate a literary idol. Oh, the misguided paths to coolness attempted by the world’s young bookworms.

Well, after creating a handful of tiny humans, I have found my time and energy to read is severely lacking. If I try to read before bed, I am thrown quickly into sleep. And after three or more nightly wake-ups for the last five years, early-rising is reserved for half-awake nursing sessions. But I missed books.  And I also missed the conversations that came with having read books. My answer to “Have you read…?” became the same resounding, “No” as when someone asked me if I watched anything on television that was remotely scary. “No; I’m sure Game of Thrones is probably as epic as you say, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that some things in life are just too scary for me.”

Enter, Audible. Recently I’ve picked up listening to audiobooks and it has been the perfect supplement to my desires to read. Now I get to fulfill my brain’s need for text and can listen while folding laundry or driving while the kids nap (because heaven forbid any of my children sleep in their beds while the sun is up). You can sign up here for a free trial and TWO free audiobooks if any of this resonates with your bookworm heart:

These have been my recent favorites:

How to Manage Your Home without Losing Your Mind
By: Dana K White

I totally recommend this book if you feel like a slob and that no system seems to work to keep your house in order. I could relate to this author more than I’d like to admit but loved her plan and have kept my house relatively clean for almost 6. Whole. Days. If six days of a clean house does not impress you, this book is probably not for you.

Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to so Much More
By: Courtney Carver
This book was part memoir and part guidance. As I have been working hard to simplify my life, this was a nice listen that kept my motivation and my focus on the way I want my life to feel and the reasons why less stuff equals less stress.

Unconditional Parenting
By: Alfie Kohn
I plan to listen to this book quarterly or more often if needed. If I could have a parenting religion, it would be this. It isn’t easy and requires tons of energy for me to maintain the patience, empathy, and respect needed to parent this way effectively, but every time I listen or read Kohn’s work I am more convinced of its importance.   

I’m about to start Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes and have The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik next in line. Let me know if you want to chat while reading either of those. What other suggestions do you have that should be on to my list?

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