The library is one of our favorite places — a treasure chest we revisit weekly or every other week depending on how full life is. But no matter the schedule, we always leave with a huge bag of books… usually 30-40 at a time.

Library day feels like possibility. Like new stories waiting to become part of our home.

There was one trip over the summer I’ll never forget. The kids were more interested in the computers than the books, and my toddler — who hadn’t napped — was running on borrowed energy. We left quickly with about 20 books, most of which I grabbed on the fly.

Those books lasted… maybe 48 hours.

We ended up back at the library not even two days later — THIS time prepared. I overfilled our bag, stacked books in my arms, and grabbed anything the kids pointed at that had pages. We came home with 76 books that day. 😅

We learned two things:

• We really, really love reading together
• Maybe 76 books is too many — even for us 😂

Some weeks we fly through our books right away. Some weeks we take them slow — reading on the couch, on the floor, in piles of blankets, again and again and again.

Reading in our home looks like:

• A big book bag that lives by the shelf

• Returning as we go so late fees don’t pile up

• Letting the kids pick what interests them

• Me choosing a few that stretch their imagination

• Turning reading into a shared rhythm — not a requirement

Books don’t just educate us — they bring us closer.

They make us laugh.

They give us new places to explore.

They give us stillness together.

They become part of our family language.

If another mama is reading this and feels pressure about reading goals or independent reading levels, I hope this gives her peace:

You don’t have to keep up with milestones —

just keep sharing stories.

Whether it’s three books or seventy-six…

whether you visit weekly or once a month…

whether they read on their own or tucked under your arm…

Books matter most when they’re loved.

And in our home, they always are. 🤍📖