a new kind of date

i have never been much of a reader until now. my mom tells me that when i was really little i would constantly ask her to read to me, but throughout school i only remember ever reading what i absolutely had to for class. but as i have begun reading to my own kids i have started to fall in love with good books...

matt and i are trying something new. we are reading a classic together. in all of my 30 years, i cannot recall ever personally reading a true classic. we keep hearing good things about this one in particular. it also helps that we had it on our shelf--an ancient copy (pictured here) that matt retrieved from his grandpa's bookshelf after his passing a couple of years ago. that fact alone makes it all the more precious to hold in our hands.

so the other night after we put the kids down, we made some hot drinks, lit some candles, and curled up on the couch to read aloud together. the only thing that would have made it better would have been a crackling fireplace. :) after we decided to read Jane Eyre, we learned of a goal to aim for: in february, our local library is having a book club meeting on this book, and everyone in attendance will receive free tickets to see it on stage at Hope College, being performed by The Acting Company. it will be quite a feat for us to have all 462 pages read by then... so this new kind of date may become quite a regular thing for us! what a cozy way to spend the winter, though. i'm already looking forward to the next chapter!