A “Brief” Update
As mentioned by my good blogging friend Missy, I have not been updating much lately. Life is ordinarily busy at our house, and with the wonderful craziness of Christmas added in, it just gets nuts. Anyway, here is a brief (maybe) update on my life.
Books
I have been reading almost constantly. Some of that is very boring like: The Curious Researcher; Critical Thinking, Reading, Writing; Rewriting; and The MLA Handbook. Some of it is interesting only to literature nerds like me: The Allegory of Love, Patterns of Love and Courtesy, “Courtly Love. Who Needs It?”, Planet Narnia, The Magician’s Book, and The Complete Romances of Chretien de Troyes. And one book might possibly be of interest to the general reading public. I wrote a few months ago about author Gene Wolfe and his tetralogy, The Book of the New Sun. Well, he wrote a fun two-volume set about a knight and a fantasy world that is intriguingly allusive. The first volume – The Knight – was very enjoyable, but the second volume – The Wizard – is truly wonderful. With subtle allusions to Norse mythology, elfin legend, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and every other imaginable mythology it is a book-nerd’s paradise. The story certainly stands on its own, but the more you’ve read of ancient and medieval literature, the more you will love it.
Boys
Alex and Luc are insanely wonderful. They are talking up a storm and seem to get cuter every day. The severe cold (0 – 15 degrees) has kept them indoors for a week so they have been getting restless. We took a short trip to Home Depot yesterday where they ran up and down the aisles and enjoyed a little more space than our tiny house has to offer. They have been enjoying their visits to Grammy and Bop’s house more than ever since Grammy got herself two new kittens.
Husband
Jared has been working hard (as he always does) and his furniture building business is doing very well. He has had a steady workflow for a couple of months now – which is the longest stretch since he started his own company. We are very grateful.
Graduate School
I am coming to the end of my first semester in the MA program and what a ride! I am busy almost all the time and the workload is intense. Teaching has been something of an adventure and process of self-discovery but mostly it has been just a lot of work. Preparing lesson plans, showing up to class mentally “on” and ready for any question, and grading papers is quite the grind…and I only have one class. How will I survive next semester with TWO? The classes I’m in are challenging too and I’m happy to report that this semester has proven the death of my inner procrastinator. I have my assignments done days before they are due, and frequently hand them in early. Contra the usual Boise State culture, I have already finished my Thesis Prospectus (a full year before my fellow students ordinarily do) and am meeting with my Thesis Committee next week to have it approved. This just goes to show the advantage of waiting to start graduate school after you become the mother of two toddlers. With little ones in the house, I simply cannot afford to get behind because you never know what may happen. Speaking of never knowing…Boise State lost an English Department professor to a heart attack just over a week ago. He was teaching two sections of a very unique Art/English class called Book Arts. As I had taken this class (years ago) and its graduate level version also, I volunteered to help the department finish out the last three weeks of the semester for the students. Now, in addition to my own work, I am proctoring exams for Book Arts and grading final projects. Pray for me.
Christmas
I love Christmas. It is certainly the most wonderful holiday. Jared and I have been talking and thinking the last few years about how to best establish traditions with our sons and so we have been very intentional about how we spend our time in December. Our “traditions” are still quite flexible though as we are still learning how to really celebrate this Holiest of seasons. We gesture toward Advent traditions, attempt to feast as much as we can manage, and look forward to the day we can manage all twelve days of Christmas with really fun gifts. For now, dark chocolate in an Advent calendar is doable as is a simple advent “wreath” (really just candles on a plate). We had planned to do readings every night but that has not happened once. I love to make cookies and candies and have shortbread cookies, peanut clusters, and peanut butter fudge so far. I still hope to swing gingerbread, caramel heavenlies, and sugar cookies. We have not really begun to think of gifts. Between busy schedules and near poverty it is tough. Of course Alex and Luc’s birthdays are Jan 15th and Dec 20th so gifts are extra challenging for our budget. We are thinking of just giving them a book or two each year on their birthdays and celebrating their half-birthdays in the summer with bigger celebrations and gifts. If we start that now they’ll think it’s normal right?
So really, that’s all I’ve been up to lately. You?