Oh where, oh where have I been?!

It's been so long since I last posted anything on this blog. The last post I made was almost 4 years ago after I graduated from college. A lot happened since then. Lost an important figure in my life, went back to work after staying home for about 10 years, watch another important person battle with cancer and struggle to keep my own sanity and stress levels at normal. During all this it's been hard to find time to do the one thing I loved doing for myself, read.

Reading has brought me so much joy in my life over the years. Taking me on adventures to other worlds and other places in time. Shown me love and loss, had me laughing and filled with joy over fictional characters. But since my last post I find I have less and less time for the thing I love so much. Every now and then I'll pick up a book but it is usually one of my most favorites that I have read so many times before, in hopes to bring me back into my passion for reading. Usually it's a J.R. Ward, Janet Chapman, Kerrelyn Sparks or Karen Marie Moning book. But by the time I get home from work and start my day as mom and wife at home I feel so exhausted and barely keep my eyes open that reading just doesn't seem to find it's way back to me. Even when I have a day off work I'm usually doing errands, catching up on cleaning the house or running the teenagers to their friends houses.

My "to be read" pile is still as large as it has ever been and I often wonder if I'll have time to get back to reading like I used to. I can read a 400 page book in 4 hours no problem. My problem is the moment I do try to start reading I have to stop to do something else or I'm so tired I feel like I'm going cross eyed.

My hope in writing this post for our long abandoned blog is since I'm actually taking a moment to sit and write about something I have loved for so long and seemed to have lost is maybe the spark will return and I'll make the time for my passion again. Reading always made my mind seem so creative. I could see stories in my head, sometimes I wrote them down. (Ok so I am my own worst critic but I loved doing that) But when I read I spent more time doing crafty things like making ornaments at Christmas, handmade jewelry and other "creative" things. It's like reading was my fuel for my creative side. And now while I love working, and no not even related to my college degree, I feel like all I do is work. No time for that creative side anymore. And I miss that, a lot.