300 Days of Sunshine

Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate Photo from Politico.com "The new dawn blooms as we free it For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it If only we're brave enough to be it." Last week marked a new era.  I am hopeful for the first time in a long time.  Watching Joe and Kamala take their oaths on Inauguration Day, hearing Lady Gaga sing about our flag and our democracy, and, most of all, bearing witness to Amanda Gorman's breathtaking reciting of her heartfelt poem, fills me with so much hope for the future.  I didn't realize the burden of fear and stress I was holding (along with so many other Americans) as we witnessed the devastation the took place over the past four years, until I physically felt the weight lifted this week.  I didn't realize the tears of joy and laughter that I was waiting to release until Wednesday night ,  and I am confident in our new leaders to be the people we need them to be right now.   Biden an...

Our baby girl turned one yesterday!  Where did the year go?!  I have been very nostalgic this week, thinking back to my pregnancy with Meredith, her birth, and the events of her first 12 months of life.  One year (and a couple days) ago I was walking myself over to the L&D unit in the middle of my work day, prepared to get induced.  I sat in triage getting my vitals monitored and blood draw while trying to make arrangements for Jaycob to leave work and Ady to spend the night at a friend's house.  It was a whirlwind of a day, calling for acceptance and adaptability, making the best of my circumstances, and throwing my birth plan out the window.  When my labor started we were in the midst of a snowstorm, so between contractions while the Pitocin was doing its thing, I was contemplating how soon to call the doula since she'd be driving through the storm, and when to send Jaycob to pick up Ady in case school closed early for a snow day.  Just before 3:...

One good thing to come out of this year is that, in the absence of travel or social gatherings, I had a lot more time for reading!  My book club moved to a Zoom format for the year but we continued to meet every month and our membership grew.  I supported our local bookstores by placing regular orders for curbside pickup, and probably spent more money on books this year than any year previously.  In the midst of the political and societal events of the year, I felt very inspired to dive into some important nonfiction and to expand my awareness and perspectives.  At the same time, I also found myself needing a break from reality sometimes and craving a suspenseful mystery or a tender love story.  Needless to say, my book list this year was eclectic and vibrant (maybe the only thing that was so this year!).   I had a really hard time narrowing down my favorites, but here are the ones that stuck with me.   I bring you my Top 20 titles of 2020......