2022 Book Club

This book club is something lighthearted in the midst of often feeling overwhelmed by the therapies, doctor’s appointments, and hospital stays. I’ve wondered if a book club is out of place for my blog, but I’ve decided that it’s a perfect fit. I’m trying to write about my everyday life and reading is an everyday escape for me. In fact it’s more than an escape; it’s a connection point for me and my husband. 

Zach and I found ourselves constantly recapping Eloise’s appointments and discussing her health. Having a child with complex medical needs is all consuming, which is why I think it’s necessary to have lighthearted topics of discussion for the sake of our mental health and marriage. After Eloise was born, we each had our own separate hobbies. It’s funny because I was never a hobby person until becoming a mom. Maybe this sounds silly, but before Eloise I kept myself busy with teaching – lesson planning, cutting lamination, dilly dallying around my classroom, etc. My fellow teachers will understand. Suddenly, I needed something fun, and I couldn’t turn to my job because I was on maternity leave. 

I had “pumping shows” only to be watched 20-30 minutes at a time 5-6 times per day while Zach watched shows and movies when he took the evening shift with Eloise. I became a crossword puzzle fanatic and picked up coloring. Zach started making reading calendars for himself to get through the Russian classics. There was a jigsaw puzzle phase and even a yo-yoing phase. Yes, I can do the walk the dog trick. We briefly discussed creating a yo-yo routine and touring the country. We each had separate times for the treadmill. We didn’t want to leave the house because Eloise’s health was so fragile in the early days. This is how we filled the slivers of time when we weren’t taking care of our daughter. Even though we were both home all the time, we didn’t do much together, and when we were together, we talked about Eloise. Enter the book club.

Zach deserves all the credit for this idea. We read one book each month at our own pace and then discuss it once we’re both finished. If there’s a movie, then we look forward to watching it in addition to our discussion. Zach chooses the books for the entire year and then we check out one book from the library  and purchase one copy from a local bookstore every month. We order from Amazon or Target if we can’t find it locally. He studied English in college, so he genuinely gets excited about putting together the list of books for the year. The list is mostly fiction with only one nonfiction book. It’s a mix of current and classic and includes a variety of genres. 2021 was our trial run to see if we could stick to something for an entire year, and it turned out to be wildly successful.

Now you’re invited to join us!