January 2014 Self Portrait :: Good Reads

There were two things I wanted to do for 2014. One was a 52 project, the other a monthly self portrait project. Nothing too ambitious, just intentionally getting in front of the camera. I got the idea for a self portrait project from two incredible photographers I enjoy : Allison Marie & Gail Werner.

I noticed last year that as time progressed, I was feeling less and less filled emotionally and more and more restless. I began picking up book recommendations and working hard to actually make time to sit down and finish them. Near every nap time, I fill up that mug with chai, grab a book from the stack, and fit in some reading. This past month, at least for a few moments daily my time has looked like this.

I think this has sustained my heart in a number of ways. For starters it has helped combat the cabin fever and cold. Also, it's  introduced me to several incredible books. I have a growing list of must-reads and my love for a good book has been reignited once again. I wrote about some of my favorites this past month here.

Another way I've been blessed by this is the sense of community that can be had from reading books by other mothers,  or other married people, or other humans in general. Written word connects in a way I hadn't anticipated. Perhaps being alone with a babe all day heightens that need for connectedness. Regardless, I'm thankful.

In the evenings, Ben and I have been making time to settle down earlier and spend some time side by side in our room. A good chunk of the time we lay in bed and cheer each other on as we try to destroy another level of candycrush or play chess and scroll through instagram. But otherwise, we've been reading. I'm going through a fiction series Ben recommended to me right now, and am really enjoying the excitement that a good book can bring. Plus my dreams have turned pretty epic.

I'm happy it's February tomorrow. It's such a short month, we're practically in march already! The snow as tall as my waist on either side of our sidewalk makes me remember that even in this season, there's good to be found. Winter forces us to slow down (and in a lot of ways stop.) I know that had there been weather good enough to be out and about, most of these books would have gone unread.