I’m a Librarian!

Last December, I finished my Master’s in Library Science.  Last week, I had my first week as Children’s Librarian at Herndon Fortnightly Library.

Although I’ve worked in libraries for almost ten years, there’s something different about my first week as a full-fledged librarian.  Instead of just coming to work and doing what I am assigned to do, now I am going to be partly responsible for making the assignments, for planning what the programs for children will be and what books the children’s collection will hold.

Librarians make connections — connections between people and books.  As a children’s librarian, I will work with parents to help children learn to love books, as well as simply find information to get their homework done.  I love books, and I love tracking down information.  Now I will get to share that with people who come into the library.

And the timing has been so beautiful.  Moving to America was hard on my son.  Being on the other side of the world from his Dad was hard on my son.  But now my husband has moved back to America, only three hours away, and my son gets to spend time with him almost every other weekend.  He’s in a groove with classes, and seems to be doing well.  He can get by without Mom being around every afternoon.

It feels good to support myself.  To know that I will “eat the fruit of my labor.”  My husband was ready for that to happen.

And working full-time gives me a purpose and direction, and something to think about completely separate from my impending divorce.  I still wish that weren’t happening, but now I have a meaningful profession to keep me busy and happy, and it’s easier to keep my thoughts off of regrets and longings.

God is good!  All my adult life, I got more of my identity from being a wife and mother.  Now I can devote full-time hours to another side of my personality–a side that brings me a lot of joy and fulfillment.  So whatever happens with my marriage, this is a chance to more fully be the person God made me to be.