I’ve enjoyed reading for as long as I can remember.

My mom started reading books to me before I was even born.  I’d like to think that from the womb I appreciated the rhythm of her voice as she read the words on each page.

Mom continued reading to me when I was a baby and a toddler, and I have fond memories of being snuggled up with my plump Grandma Marilyn reading books (some of which have since been deemed controversial – anyone remember Little Black Sambo?)

Reading has always been a wonderfully enjoyable pastime for me, and I’ve gobbled up good books like they are fat slices of chocolate cake.

I remember reading simple sentences in my bright orange workbook in kindergarten and then reading Dr. Seuss book after Dr. Seuss book in Mrs. Kittle’s first grade class.  It was so exciting to know that I’d be able to read every word of those books.

The Babysitter’s Club books were the “cool” thing to read by second grade and I remember my friend Bridgette and I acting out those stories at her house after school.  The Boxcar Children book was another second grade favorite and shortly after that, I loved reading everything I could get my hands on…including my parents’ Christian books like Welcome Home Davy (a story about a man who was tragically burned in a fire) and Turmoil in a Toybox (a book telling the “evils” of kids toys like My Little Pony and He-Man). <– LOL

I was a precocious little girl as you can see :)

Books opened up stories and adventures that I could imagine and re-live from the comfort of my very own bed.  In fact, when I’d get in trouble (usually for my bad attitude) my parents would often forbid me from reading before bed.

This particular consequence was devastating to me, and once I even went so far as to “secretly” read a book under my pillow by the light of a plug-in Christmas candle.  All was well until I smelled smoke and saw the edge of my Holly Hobby pillowcase on fire from the hot light bulb.  Knowing I couldn’t exactly hide a burn hole from my mom who was the sole laundry doer, I fessed up to my sneaky ways.  I don’t remember what happened in response to the flaming pillowcase incident, but I imagine it had to make my mom chuckle.

As an adult, reading is still a great love of mine.

Vacations always include plenty of time spent reading on the beach or by the pool while the sun warms me from head to toe.  Even my fair skinned hubby will spend a half hour lathering up with sunscreen to be able to read outside for long stretches of time.

I’ve recently been devouring books from our local library.  Sarah over at Clover Lane has some really good recommendations, so I add just about everything she mentions to my reading list and work through them as they become available at my library.

After going through a really long stretch of reading mostly psychology, self-help and Christian books, it’s been nice to throw some interesting fiction into the mix.  Not to mention that television has been completely lame and I can’t ever find anything decent on when I have an itch to lay on the couch and veg.  I usually flip channels for about 5 minutes and then retire to my room to cuddle up with a good book.

Andy is an even more avid reader than I am which is one of my favorite things about him.  Even though he’s eyeball deep in medical school reading, he still makes time not only for his daily Bible reading but also for good fiction whenever he can squeeze it in.  In fact, he’s upstairs reading in our cozy new room right now and I’m excited to finish this post so I can join him :)

Grace is also a book lover and I’m SO THANKFUL that she has picked up on the joys of reading too.  At only 2 years old, she’ll lay in bed for eons while I read book after book to her.  I imagine rainy Saturdays spent with all of us reading our own books in the living room when she’s old enough to read on her own.

I’m hoping baby girl #2 shares the love for books that the rest of us has, and I’d like to think that all of the time I spend reading aloud to Grace is helping to lay a good foundation for her before she even makes her entrance into the world.

So yeah, I dig reading and so do my peeps.

And I’m really really thankful for that :)