For the last eight years, I’ve had one or two boys at my side.
Much like the rest of the northern hemisphere, the boys started school this month. A chapter of my life has ended, and a large part of me is sad. Almost everyone I know says I’ll be over it by Friday. By Monday, tops, I will break into a Snoopy Dance every morning Monday thru Friday. We’ll see.
Nico showed no fear. He’s been anticipating kindergarten for months. It was only the night before school started that he showed a hint of nerves. It was time for him to go to bed, and in celebration of the morning to come he did one last dance around the room. Then, he stopped and thought about the logistics. He came up to me, wringing his chubby hands and said, “”Mama. Tomorrow is my first day of school, and I want that you drop me off and you to pick me up. You will do that, right Mama?”
“Without a doubt,” I said.
After drop off I went to the front desk to pick up some writing tablets. The front office manager reminded me of the floundering library and asked if I was still willing to help. Was I?!
“Without a doubt,” I said.
For someone who is normally indecisive, I sure have known what’s what the last few days.
I start today, Tuesday. I imagine we will begin with an inventory and purge, followed by a good cleaning and some organization. I can’t imagine it taking less than a couple of weeks. It’s not a paid opportunity–I’m donating my time in hopes of keeping the library open–but I get to be around books so I can’t complain. I hope to have that library running like a well oiled machine, and am looking for guidance to do so. If you have any tips or advice, I’m all ears.
Say, cool backpack. Obviously, Mikey’s well on his way to being a Paleontologist–for you know, true callings always begin with the proper accouterments.
And while the very thought of having to work to keep a library open makes me sad, it sounds fabulous. Good luck. Have fun!
Thanks, Amy! Yes, that’s Mikey’s new Anklyosaurus backpack :) I’m having a great time at the library so far. It’s a lot of work and really keeping me busy (the house is a wreck and we’re almost out of toilet paper) but I’m having a great time.
Well, If you run out of toilet paper you can always turn it into a living lesson . . . “you know, we didn’t always have toilet papers . . . people use to use . . . leaves!”
Did you ever see Party Girl with Parker Posey? So cute, party girl becomes a librarian, very realistic;) Not that you are a party girl, but they use the Dewey Decimal system and I have no idea where I am going with this…. Congrats to everyone! Love the new toothless grin and Nicholas looks VERY happy to be going to school! Onward to new adventures!
Haha! Alex just recommended to me the same movie!
Hi Jules. Your boys are adorable. I’m a school librarian, and can give you some guidance if you need it. However I’d need a bit of information. I assume you are not working with a trained librarian. Do you have access to an automated library software program? How will the children be taking books out (as in, do the books have cards or will they be scanned or will the names and titles just be written down?) How big is the library? And will new books be ordered as needed? These will determine how you organize the library and just how much (or how little) you should purge. Please feel free to email me with any questions – [email protected].
Holly – love your email address. :)
I’m emailing you, Holly. Thanks! :)
Hi Jules. I was just checking back because I hadn’t heard from you. Did you try to email? If so, it must not have gone through.
No, I haven’t yet. I’ve been completely unorganized and overwhelmed getting back into the routine. I’m sorry.
I love that backpack! Hope everyone had a great first day of school.
Thanks, Ris! Everyone had a great day. Whew! Nico had a problem with not raising his hand, but by day 2 he got the swing of things.
The year my twins started kindergarten was also the year their big sister went to college and I started a new job at a new school. Lots of tears all around. My normally very calm daughter had random crying jags throughout the summer. Finally one time she wailed, “I don’t want to go to kindergarten because then I’ll go to high school and then I’ll have to move away for college!” I cried when I dropped them off for kindergarten, on my way to my new job. I cried when their big sister left for college. Next week those same twins start high school. Not sure where I’m going with this, maybe just: transitions are hard and exciting and sad and a whole bunch of things all at the same time. Your boys look adorable, and I’m sure the next chapter of your life is going to be great.
Thank you, Rita. You look too young for kids in high school and college graduates, though. :)
Mikey is one handsome kid – with the coolest backpack ever! And that squinched-up smiley face on Nicholas makes me break out into a wide grin myself. :)
I’ve never not worked outside the home, so I can’t out myself exactly in your place. I can tell you when my oldest moved out for college (which she stayed in town for – and is now here in grad school, so I know I’m lucky to have her around) I cried periodically through the whole year. I still miss her sometimes – out of the four of us she’s the one like me, so I feel very alone at times. Fortunately she’s a texter/caller so I hear from her multiple times a day. I’m already dreading the day the “baby” leaves in three years. Sigh…not very uplifting am I?
Have GREAT time with the library – organizing and books and doing good all rolled into one – doesn’t get much better than that in my opinion!
Sigh – should have proofed. I can’t PUT myself, not OUT myself.
Haha! No problem, Susan. I knew what you meant. ;)
So far, the boys (and mama at the library) are all having a good time!
Is the library still in the same building when we went there? You know that building and the library always held special meaning to me… my dad helped build it :-)
They still have that building, but now it’s the music room.
I will have to let my dad know… that is great they have a room devoted to music – very cool.
Life is nothing if not an adventure. But it has been my experience that adventures often make me cry a bit. And then it’s on to the next thing. An older, and much wiser, friend of mine always says, “It’s a great life if you don’t weaken!”
So carry on!
Thanks, Vickie. I like that saying. I’ve never heard it before!
I love the photos of the boys, and those signs are a great idea. I might “borrow” it in a few years if you don’t mind. :-)
Good luck on your library gig. Discarding, organizing … seems right up your alley!
Go right ahead and borrow! I “borrowed” it from someone on Pinterest. Of course, they used super cute mini chalkboards and put a ton more work into it than I did. By comparison, I kept it pretty simple. ;)
Got a pin of it handy?
No, sorry.
Where did you get Nico’s backpack? Troy wanted me to ask.
Amazon. The one he really wanted (bright, colorful) was out of stock. This one is super cool, I think.
cute pictures! what a great idea to have them hold up the card with their career aspirations.
i volunteered at my son’s school library for several years & have been volunteering at the public library for at least 15. school library aides work the hardest, by far.
i have a few thoughts:
1. right off the bat, teach kids how to use place-holders. you can make them out of paint sticks (might be dangerous) or old manila folders. they replace the book with the place-holder when they want to look at a book & re-shelve it in the same spot if they don’t want to check it out.
2. if you have a small budget to buy books, have a scholastic book fair at least once a year. tie them in to back-to-school night &/or open house. scholastic’s warehouse is in anaheim, so it would probably be worth it to go down there to redeem your credits rather than the mail-order route. scholastic staff are so helpful & the fairs are very easy to run.
3. contact your local public elementary school & see if the library aide will let you shadow her for a morning.
4. be tough, but nice. those little guys will take advantage of you if you’re a softie.
5. recruit lots of volunteers. parents & upper-grade students.
have fun! it sounds like the perfect gig for you :-)
Thanks for all the tips, Judy! I like the paint stick idea. That would be helpful for the Kindergarteners. We have Scholastic book fairs every year, and I had no idea they were tied in or helped the library. Interesting!
Paint sticks are awesome! I remember using those! I would also suggest having a designated “please re-shelve this book” basket or bin or table. I work in a library system and some of our branches have baskets and carts for stuff people don’t want and those ones are significantly cleaner than the branches w/ no place for people to put stuff they don’t want.
Plus then if a kid forgets the paint-stick they know there is a back-up option rather than just shoving stuff on a shelf. :-)
Our kids started back Aug. 8th and it has been a bit getting back into the routine but I am super happy they are both enjoying the new school year so far. Now, I just need to get my youngest potty trained and he will be able to start Preschool. We call my oldest son Nico as well (full name is Nicolo`) … funny how I seem to hear that name more and more:) I LOVE it!
Very few kids go by Nico! I love that it’s traditional, but still a little different.
your boys are just adorable, I hope they loved their first day!
Thanks, Heather! They had a great time. :)
HI,
Love your photos – the boys are cute. We are going into first year University so we all seem to have our stages. As for the library here are a few tips – Don’t be afraid to purge. With this era of ipads, ipods , computers etc only keep the books that are inviting. Even if it means you have fewer books… at least they will be good books. And… you don’t have to be tough or mean. Your interactions with the students should be welcoming, warm and inviting.
Good Luck,
Thanks, Martine. I checked out an interesting book on cataloging books today from our public library, and the author recommended that you keep no more than 2 copies of a single title. We have at least 4 copies of some books!
I have no “real” advice except for you to enjoy yourself.
Who knows why God planned this opportunity. What I do know is that when he closes one door {a boy by your side}, he opens another. Perhaps this is another way to be near them.
It all seems to be working out for the best, that’s for sure.
They look so cute. I love the idea of having the year and potential future occupation sign.
Pinterest, baby.
Oh, my gosh! Those sweet faces, freshly scrubbed and ready to learn! Tugs at my heart.
What a really sweet idea to include their future dreams in the photo. Won’t it be fun to see what changes and what doesn’t through the years. My daughter for years said she wanted to be a dancing dentist. Well, she is 22 and just graduated from college. She is still dancing and making money for….you got it….dental school!
That’s awesome! Mikey has wanted to be a paleotologist since he was 3 years old, and so far there is no changing his mind. I can’t wait to see what he ends up doing!
“He came up to me, wringing his chubby hands and said, ��Mama. Tomorrow is my first day of school, and I want that you drop me off and you to pick me up. You will do that, right Mama?�” – caused instant weepy eyes for me! Makes my heart swell. Thanks for your blog!
boys look so happy! we start next week. i was thinking of volunteering at their library. this is the second year no librarians :( would love to hear how it works out for you…
Oh my goodness your boys are ADORABLE!
Good for you for donating so much time to their library – it’s such an important project.
Hi Jules, what an adorable post. Mikey and Nicolas look so cute and excited about their chosen professions. Love Mikey’s backpack too.
I’m visiting from Country Living as a fellow finalist and wanted to wish you good luck and congrats.
Take care,
Lisa
This is the first thing that came to my mind when I saw that one of your sons wanted to be a paleontologist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR5Q4rSoYcY
Love the pictures!