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THIS IS ME

Growing up, I didn't go to public school like other kids. I was homeschooled by my mom along with my siblings. When we were younger, we spent our mornings at the kitchen table working through our homework and the afternoons playing outside, riding our bikes or rollerblading with friends. And as we got older we were allowed to sleep in later and do our homework on our own in our rooms (my room was my favorite place and I loved doing homework at my great-grandpa's desk). It never took me very long to do my homework (unless it was math... then I would sit for hours crying over it... Seriously. Ask my mom!). I would always rush through my work so that I could have time to do my favorite thing ever... Read.

I am not sure when I really started reading. My parents say that I learned very quickly and then just never stopped. And to this day (as I am now 34 years old), I still haven't stopped and can't imagine I ever will. 

When I was younger, I used to have a big walk in closet and set it up as my reading space. I had one of those small inflatable chairs (you know the ones that were so popular in the late '90s, early 2000s) and a pile of blankets and books surrounding me whenever I could steal away. I spent hours every day escaping into the pages of my books. When I finished a book, I didn't wait very long before starting another... I usually started a new one right away. I volunteered one summer at the local library and spent hours roaming the shelves and smelling that wonderful, old, book smell as I learned to work with the Dewey Decimal system and find my way through the various genres and authors in each section. I rode my bike almost every day to the library in order to spend time sitting and reading in the comfy chairs (library's and book stores always have the most comfortable reading chairs) or looking at each title on every shelf.

Now that I am older, I find myself busy with work, taking care of a home, raising my son, working alongside my husband as missionaries and trying to find spare time for reading. I do a pretty good job some days. Other days, not so much. I find myself longing to go spend hours browsing the shelves at a library or Barnes and Noble. But alas, I know that as an adult I have certain responsibilities and can't spend all my time the way I did as a young girl in school. But that doesn't mean my love for reading has abated or gone away. If anything it has grown because I appreciate more the quiet moments I get to steal here and there with a book.

I don't really have a favorite style or genre of writing. And I am willing to give just about anything a chance. Well anything that doesn't include science fiction or erotic romance. But my favorite authors include:

* Louisa May Alcott
* Jennie Allen
* Jane Austen
* C.S. Lewis
* Andrew Peterson
* JK Rowling
* JRR Tolkien

Reading is such a big piece of who I am. I may not be able to remember when I started reading. But I can tell you honestly that I won't stop reading until my eyes give out, I run out of books to read or Jesus takes me home.

Comments

  1. It's nice to meet other readers who have the same love for libraries and bookstores. I homeschool my five kids and take them to the library once a week so they can get tons of books. My 13-yr. old can't wait to turn 14 so she can volunteer at the library. I look forward to reading your posts. - Ruth

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