there are days when i would rather sit quietly in a corner rocking instead of go to work. there are other days when i can't even tell you how much i love my job.

today, despite my killer headache, was one of those second types of days.

i got a hug from a favorite regular that is back after being elsewhere all summer.

several of my toddlers laughed out loud during "toddlers together" (a special music/book/activity/creativity program for toddlers) which is not only a lovely sound, but also encourages the mothers who occasionally feel stupid for drumming with chopsticks or shaking shaker eggs. as soon as one of the kids laughs in delight, everyone gets a renewed burst of energy.

for several months, a man would come in every few days looking for directions to various places around the city. he worked maintenance and always had a new school or building to go fix up. because he was so diligent in coming to the library to ask me for directions, he never missed a day of work - unlike his co-workers who complained that they never could find the places. he's been MIA for a while, but today he came in to tell me that his boss had noticed his work ethic and given him a permanent job at the airport. regular hours, a steady job, and stability for his family.

and people say that we don't need libraries anymore...