I slit the envelope and new checkbooks slide out.  For the last four years,  whenever I wrote a check I saw our names together at the top. Ed and Gina But not anymore. On these new checks, my name stands alone. Those first months after Ed's death contained so many papers— vehicle titles electric bills bank statements— each with a name—his name— that needed to be removed replaced. I made phone calls, handed over death certificates, heard sympathies from staff members who have done this often. A couple, with names once connected, now severed— by death, by choice, by tragedy. Each a ..read more

 I began the month of April with the goal of reading more slowly and reading more poetry. And I did both. On a whim, I decided to post a poem a few times during April on my WhatsApp status. I thought it would be a good way for me to pull out some poems I liked and maybe I'd find some new poetry.  The first week of April was the week of Palm Sunday and Easter. There were so many great Easter poems that I shared a poem every day. Then I didn't want to break my streak. And I found if I didn't share a poem in the morning, one friend would ask where the poem was. :) While I guessed that ..read more

 In the last few months, a number of friends have written and published books. Most were self-published, and some of them I read in early drafts to give feedback to the author. I know all of these women in real life. Some I only met once, and others I've known for many years. Unless I state otherwise, I purchased these books myself. I love shopping on Amazon and the convience of ordering a pack of socks, a washing machine part, and a bottle of vitamins in a few minutes. But books written by my friends are one place I splurge and either buy directly from the author or from small Mennonite ..read more

I wasn't the only one who wishes to learn to read slowly. I loved connecting with a number of you on this topic, both in real life and by email. And some of you left some great thoughts in the comments of the last post.  Bethany said that she did a book reading challenge last year to encourage herself to read more deeply in physical books. Beverly says that she is writing out Scripture in cursive as a way to slow down and think on what she is reading, and Dee says she is paring down her online reading to only a handful of sites that truly builds her walk with God. Mary Kathryn gave some s ..read more

For years, I wished that I enjoyed poetry. I loved words and stories; I thought I'd should enjoy poems too. But when I read a book of poetry, I quickly became frustrated. Reading a book of poetry was so different than reading fiction or nonfiction. I decided that I must not like poetry.  But I kept trying. I picked up poetry books at used book stores. I read poems to my children. The last couple years, in the month of April, several of my siblings and I exchanged poems on Whatsapp. I enjoyed some poems, but sometimes it felt like swallowing my vitamins. I've also noticed a disturbing tren ..read more

 Charity and I enjoy the Brighter Winter reading challenge each year. We both read lots of great books, but here are a few of books we especially enjoyed in February.  This post contains affiliate links. Charity - Read a book from a tumultuous time in history The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin This novel is set during World War 2 in London. The main character moves to London and begins working in a small bookshop right before the Blitz begins and found that books can be a haven during hard days. I was inspired by the power of stories to bring hope even during hardship.&n ..read more

With the Brighter Winter reading challenge over, Charity and I are beginning our seasonal reading challenge again. We are both looking forward to diving into some of the books that have been on our shelves. Want to join us? This post contains affiliate links which add no additional cost to you. Sisters' Spring Reading Challenge 1. Read a book that is longer than your average read.  Here is a chance to tackle a book that is daunting because of its page count. Maybe you'd like to tackle a long classic like Les Miserables, Bleak House, or The Lord of the Rings. Maybe you are drawn to ..read more

I've been thinking a lot about family traditions. How are traditions different from routines and habits? I think of a traditions as a way that we celebrate holidays and special days. What happens when life shifts and traditions are forced to change? How much value should be put on traditions? You probably expect that I'm thinking of this topic since losing Ed, and you are right. But I think that the loss of Ed upended routines and habits more than traditions. Actually, Ed and I didn't have many traditions. Someone asked what we did on Valentines' Day, and I had to dig deep in my memory. While ..read more

I have more to life than just reading, though you might not know it from this blog. January was a full month, including our family butcher day, a trip to North Carolina for a wedding, a delightful writing day with three friends, and lots of the daily activites of homeschooling, laundry, and food prep. All these things might be worthy of writing about, and maybe I will, but somehow my time this winter is consumed by projects besides blogging.  But some of you keep saying you enjoy our book reviews, and book reviews are some of the easiest things to write about, so here are a few more. This ..read more

  Our December reading was so much fun! I was surprised at how many quiet evenings I had at home this month to enjoy a crackling fire and a good book. This post containes affiliate links. 1. Read a Christmas classic. Charity - The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens It can barely be Christmas if I haven’t dipped into this classic once again! This year I delved into the historical context, author’s life, and the writing style of the book, which made me understand how influential this book was and still is today. Gina -  The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Charit ..read more