Dear Emily, Love Jen

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Dear Jen,

Home is such a special place, and hard to leave when you have a newborn. But it is good for your soul and sanity to force those outings. I'm so glad you're getting to know your city. I've been watching Naomi Davis and her family move back to NYC. It makes me curious and dreamy to imagine living there again. Then reality sneaks in and you realize it's not dreamy at all. I love NY, but I don't think it would work for our little family. I want Clara to have a yard. We are such introverts, I know we wouldn't last long. Plus we have SO MUCH STUFF!

We have been making daily trips to the library. Clara holds my hand as we walk in, wide eyed, she heads straight for the kids computer, of course. She loves it there, and we get 3 new books a day. So the answer to your question, "Have you read anything noteworthy lately? Maybe something easy and happy or something that makes me feel smarter... " I read I am a Bunny to Clara 10 times a day. It's happy, but it doesn't make you feel smarter. Lately I've read The Help, and am  half way through an out loud read, Laura Hillenbrand's, Unbroken. I like both. 

But casual reading isn't really my thing right now. Over the years I have enjoyed listening to audiobooks. You know I am a big fan of the classics and free things, so Librivox is genius for me. It's a catalog of free audiobooks in the public domain. I love it particularly because people volunteer to read out loud. It's such a beautiful thing, people all over the world, reading the classics to each other. I love downloading a zip file and throwing it in my ipod to find an Australian woman reading me something like Anna Karenina. I love everything by Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, and the Brontë Sisters. I read Little Women last summer. Oh I just loved it. It was a little silly in places, but I could overlook that. I'm just not current....go over to E Tells Tales.  I trust her list of must reads. 

I am currently using a Bible App for the Iphone for my quiet moments when I'm doing my makeup or folding laundry or painting. I use the audio component, I like the voice that reads to me, smooth with slight drama. It's one of the only ways I can get in my daily scripture.

And for full disclosure, the most exciting read of the year was The Hunger Games. I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it, but Dan and I both loved it, and it was a great read aloud. We went to see the movie on opening night. We had just finished the series that week. We DID NOT KNOW what we were in for. I had no idea it was teen girl phenomenon. There were girls crying and squealing through the whole thing. We were slightly horrified. The movie is not fantastic, but the books were.

Wishing you a happy weekend.

Love,

Emily