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<\/a><\/p>\nMy daughter Jade and my son Tim are now both in the Portland area, and I have a new favorite place to visit. Tim moved in August and now has a contractor job with Intel. My four youngest siblings still live in the area there, and now so do my four youngest nieces. They are adorable!<\/p>\n
My turning point of the year came in July when I had an opportunity to interview for a Youth Services Manager position at Eugene Public Library in Oregon. I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get the job, but the experience of thinking through who I am and what I do best gave me new excitement about my life and calling here. And I had a fabulous vacation while figuring that out.<\/p>\n
At the end of July, the Hatch family gathered in California for my niece Megan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wedding, so I saw California family, too. My Mom, with her Alzheimer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s, is doing worse each time I see her, but she still perked up when she saw her baby granddaughter Zoe being happy and sweet. My Dad continues to model faithful, devoted love as he cares for her.<\/p>\n I am enjoying my job as Youth Services Manager at City of Fairfax Regional Library more and more all the time. We are trying out some creative STEM programming (like a Star Wars Escape Room program last week), as well as increasing story times, and I get to talk about good books!<\/p>\n I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m especially excited that this year I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m on the ballot to be on the 2019 Newbery Committee and help choose the most distinguished American children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s book of the year written in 2018. Voting for committee membership is in March, and you can be sure it will be the major topic of next year\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Christmas letter if I am elected.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m practicing by being a first-round judge for the Cybils Awards (Children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and Young Adult Bloggers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Literary Awards) in the category of Young Adult Speculative Fiction, as well as continuing to take part in Capitol Choices \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a DC-area group that meets monthly to discuss new children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s books and select 100 of the best books of the year. I took a personal reading retreat in October to Chincoteague Island, which was so wonderful, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m going to look for more reasons to do this in the future.<\/p>\n Gateway Community Church is still the core of why I love living here. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re building our Community Resource Center, to open in August 2017. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m still hosting a small group in my home every Sunday after church, and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been talking about Joy this last quarter. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m helping collect books for the church\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s new preschool and after-Kindergarten programs, so I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m glad to serve with my particular skills.<\/p>\n Wishing you a blessed holiday season,<\/p>\n Sondy Eklund<\/p>\n TOP TEN JOYS OF LIVING IN VIRGINIA<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n10.\t Walking in deep snow after a BLIZZARD! (The one we had this year was awesome!)
\n9.\tWalking by my lake any time of year.
\n8.\tTaking pictures of birds and flowers and autumn leaves.
\n7.\tReading to small children while doing my awesome job.
\n6.\tBeing asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What should I read next?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d
\n5.\tAttending Capitol Choices and discussing new children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s books with my people.
\n4.\tShowing DC to visitors (like my sister Becky!).
\n3.\tPlaying Eurogames like Dominion every week with friends.
\n2.\tHosting my church small group at my house.
\n1.\tBeing surrounded and loved and encouraged by a crowd of wonderful friends.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n