Busy Summer

In the next seven weeks I will be very busy. Well, make that 11 weeks. But especially these next seven. You all know that I am a small town librarian ("library specialist" to be more precise!) for a VERY busy little library. My library is a branch of a nice big county library, so my patrons are very lucky to have so much going on at their little town place. Each summer we have a huge Summer Reading Program that I already wrote about with performers and all kinds of wonderful things like that. This summer will be especially tough on me because the performers will be coming on Wednesdays instead of Thursdays. Let me explain a little bit about my Wednesdays first and you will understand why I am saying it will be tough. My usual Wednesdays are really busy. I get going early and get some errands and shopping done first. I don't have to be at the library until 2:00. My library does not open until 3:00, but stays open until 8:00. Wait, you think! What about Wednesday night church? Well, I make sure I close the door to the library and am walking out at exactly 8:00 each Wednesday night and then make a bee-line to meeting which gets me there at about 8:17. Church starts at 7:30, so I miss most of the prayers and songs but I make it in time for preaching and testimonies. Well, this year, since the Summer Reading Program performers will be there at the library at 12:30 for seven Wednesdays, I will also open the library after the performances at about 1:15 or so. That makes my library open for a LONG time! I do get to have help, sometimes we have about 75 kids come to our programs and it can get very hairy! I have a great helper and also my sweet Daughter L works with me too. But if you could all remember me this summer, maybe the Lord will make things work out great. I really love being the little librarian and love all my patrons. I feel like the Lord put me there to show love to and take care of everyone who comes in. So, I'm taking a deep breath and heading forward...tomorrow is our first Wednesday of the summer!

Will I Miss this Boy?

I have waited up until almost the last second to post this. To my great sadness and sorrow our Son #4 is moving to Oklahoma early Sunday morning. How can I even post about it? My heart hurts so bad. I have dreaded this day. . . the whole time raising my children. . . I have dreaded this day. He's moving. Our family won't be whole here in one place now. Will he be happy, will he be sad, who will have coffee with him, who will hear his hurts, who will see his smile and hear his laugh, who will hear his voice ring out across the room, and how will I be his Momma across the country. . .how will I be Grammy to his children someday when they might be there? Will I get to be like Sis. Trina and write a post entitled Russell's Return?

I know he will be fine there in Oklahoma. He will have brethren to live the faith with and God certainly will hear his prayers there as well as here. Maybe he will be happy. That is all I can hope for, is that he will be happy and that it will be well with his soul.

Carpets Cleaned-Check!

Today we got our carpets professionally cleaned! I feel so fresh and squeaky clean now! Last night we moved all our furniture out of the house and in to our very nice neighbor's garage. Everything was off the floor so the carpets could get totally cleaned everywhere in the house. The only thing is that it's freezing cold here in the NW today and I have all my windows open to dry the carpets. Son J2 put on socks and then gallon size zip-lock bags on his feet so he could get warm! We don't wear our shoes in the house because it rains so much here and the carpets would be all muddy if we kept our shoes on. So I decided to wash the bottom of my sneakers and put them on with my wool socks. Now I'm warm! Tonight when the men get home from work we will get the furniture back into the house and put things back in order. The Dad just called and said I could close up the house and turn the heater on! Go figure! That's global warming for you...when you have to turn the heater on in June just to warm your tootsies!

Are You Going to the Library This Summer?

So, everyone, are you taking your kids to the library this summer? The Summer Reading Program in most states this year (including Idaho, Indiana, Colorado, Oklahoma and of course, Oregon!) is "Catch the Reading Bug". You can take your kids to visit and join the programs, check out books for summer reading and in most libraries attend fun performers too! In my library we will even be having a performance with BUGS! What I love to tell both moms and kids is that during summer time kids can read whatever THEY want! Yep, no teacher telling them to read this or that. They can chose. What fun! Moms...here's a hint...look at the running sidebar on my blog. I have some of my favorite read-aloud books there. These are storytime tested fun books! You could sneak some home and catch the reading bug with your kids! Oh and here's another hint... I did this and still do it for my kids...and it works at the library too! I put "bait" around the house! Yep, I unashamedly bring home interesting NON-Fiction books that look interesting and just lay them on the couch or by the fireplace. Bam! I catch them every time browsing through the bait! Go to the kids section in your library and find some books about an interesting subject. Believe me any thing will catch their attention if it's just sitting there on the couch! Make sure you put fresh "bait" out often so they don't get bored... And what's really cool is that, little do they know it, but they are reading without you telling them to! Try it!

Next Quilt-Happy Birthday Daughter M

Here she is with her Mermaid Quilt! Happy Birthday Sweetheart!