Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

My 5 nieces in nephews, Thanksgiving 2013 with my Mom and A1. Yes, I'm the cool Aunt who buys mustaches for the kids. Then nephew Alex joined us in February. This weekend was not only about his Baptism, it was also about half our family meeting him for the first time--including all of this cousins. Who LOVE babies. Which meant lots of cute photos: Alex with cousin Gala Alex with cousin Noah I think the boys love having another boy in the family--Aidan pointed out that now the boys are tied with the girls (I am 1 of 4 kids: 2 boys, 2 girls; each of my siblings has 2 kids: 1 girl, 1 boy) Savannah was so excited to have some big kids to play with--her baby brother does laugh at her now, and roll over, but he isn't as fun as these monkeys: Syd and Aidan Gala, Syd, Noah, Savannah The girls: Gala, Syd, and Savannah with her Dad--my brother is such a good Dad. It's been interesting to watch my sibs become parents.  The time with my family was ...

Last week was a stressful mess of working on our yearly state report, paperwork galore, and sorting out some staffing issues, among other things, but none of that mattered yesterday. Yesterday my beautiful little nephew was born to my brother A3 and sis-in-law Dayna. We went to the hospital yesterday, my niece, my Mom (who's watching while her parents and new brother are at the hospital) and I, and as I stood there holding this new little wonder I thought back to nearly 2 years ago when I stood in a room on this very hospital floor holding my now walking-talking-sassy niece --where does the time go!? And then there she was climbing onto the couch to sit between my brother and mom, examining her new baby brother, looking up at us to say, "Baby Alex." Heart. Melted. I can't believe I am the Auntie of 6 kids: 3 boys, 3 girls, ages 9years - newborn. Seems just yesterday I was meeting my first niece. *Sigh* So, until I can get my shit together to write a proper blog...

Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos. -- Charles M. Schulz I have been missing lately. Missing my best friends L&K since I got back from the Virgin Islands, where we were able to spend tons of time together; missing MummyDearest and her family since their recent move to North Carolina; missing my other bestie Kim and our frank conversations; missing College Kim and how we can watch God -awful chick flicks and laugh insanely; missing my family.  Missing the family dinners; the conversations around the table; missing the very way that I would sit with my back to the deck, feeling the breeze blow in and over the lattice work, reaching in to ruffle my shirt as I leaned forward and listened to my Dad's stories. I miss...

There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, and there the grass grows soft and white And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we’ll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we’ll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know The place where the sidewalk ends. ~ Shel Silverstein Saturday I decided to do some cleaning and sorting of Pandora’s Box (my God, if that doesn’t sound filthy!) Pandora’s Box is what I call this huge fire proof box I have which I bought my first year of college. It is the box where I keep all my journals from the past 15 years, photographs, ...