{so I've actually been reading...}

Hello there friends...sorry for the silence!

To say I've been overwhelmed the past week is a bit of an understatement. Between a super busy work schedule, keeping up with the boys and being sick with the head cold that never ends I have felt like crawling into a dark hole in the fetal position.

Yeah...that was a fun night. 

Buuuut...I went to the doctor yesterday, got some medicine, took a bit of time off of work to recoup and am feeling a tad better today. Thank goodness!

I wanted to share with you some books that I've read/been reading this month. The fact that the words "books" and reading this month" are in the same sentence is crazy for me because I think it has been over a year since I read ONE book, let alone THREE in one month. :)

With all three of these books, it has been a necessity to have a pencil/highlighter in hand while I'm reading because there is SO much good stuff to underline. SO.MUCH.GOOD.STUFF.

When I went to the Influence Conference, I was lucky enough to hear Shauna Niequist speak. Her talk was so encouraging, and I wish I had a recording of the prayer she gave to the group because it left me with mascara stained cheeks. 

And if that wasn't enough, she gifted everyone with their choice of one of her three books. I chose Cold Tangerines because it was her first and I had heard great things. 

You all. It is SO.GOOD. It made me laugh and nod my head and tear up and feel affirmed as a woman and a mother and a friend, page after page. 

This excerpt from the intro sucked me in...

Best read while eating hot cinnamon rolls on a weekend morning...

I read it in less than a week and quickly ordered her second book, Bittersweet. 

It was like picking up where I had left off with an old friend...just like Cold Tangerines...full of more laughs and affirming stories and confirmation that life is a good thing not despite the difficult moments, but because of them.

I guess you could say I have a bit of a girl/writer crush on Shauna at this point. I'm not sure if I should order her third book, Bread & Wine, because it is about cooking and I'm sooo not the cook in our house, but I may just because I love her writing so much.  

And last of all, the book I'm currently reading...A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman...

I'm only a few chapters into it but I've underlined a ridiculous amount and already had some major lightbulb moments like this one...

Oh, I hope so.

I really appreciate the fact that she is affirming those tugs we feel...the constant reminder of something we feel led to do...that it isn't a selfish thing. That God might actually be pulling us in that direction. I know I've been feeling a really strong tug these days. 

Oh, and one last book that I haven't started yet but I can't wait to dig in the minute I'm done with A Million Little Ways. I also purchased The In-Between by Jeff Goins, who was a workshop presenter at Influence. 

I also had the really great opportunity to chat with him for about an hour at the end of the day on Saturday. We talked about our kids and writing and our God-given talents and it was really wonderful. He was so genuine and that conversation is one of the highlights of the conference for me. 

So there you have it...my current reading list and I really think you all should try one or all of them. Like go add them all to your Amazon cart or put them on your Christmas list, OK? :)

What are you reading right now? What should I add to my list?