Libraries

Today as part of the bazillion things we are going to do today, Joshua and I are going to make a trip to the library. Jamey has a book on hold there that I have to pick up. I am also excited because Jamey and I get a date night tonight. Something that doesn't happen nearly enough. It's really a client function - dinner at a pizza joint and then on to watch the Richmond Braves (Sorry, I refuse to say the Squirrels. Does Richmond even have flying squirrels???), but still we get to go out. Oops, I digress - back to the library. . .

I loved going to the library when I was a kid. The first library I can remember going to was actually not a library, but a book mobile. It was a little van that would park in the parking lot at Meadowbrook Plaza, which was down the street from where we used to live. I loved going into this miniature library and pick out several books to take home to read. I wish they still had one of these!

I don't know why, but I waited quite a while to introduce Joshua to the library. I don't know if it was fear that he wouldn't behave or what, but I just really started taking him maybe last summer. That said, I think he loves the library as much as I do, and I wish I hadn't waited so long. I love picking out books for him - stuff that I used to read like Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, Bread and Jam for Frances, The Story About Ping, Babar, and all other kinds of classic children's books. I also let Joshua choose some books and we have a few new favorites now too - the best one so far is called Simply Delicious. We look for it every time we go to the library.

I am sad to see that they have begun closing the branches on Thursday and that they stopped the children's reading time, but I do understand why they had to do it. I just hope when the economy turns around and things are better they will consider reversing that.

So now instead Joshua and I have our own reading time. He wants to learn to read so that he can read like mommy does. I hope he is a real bookworm as he grows up. It would be a nice "tradition" to pass along to him the way my mom did with me, and her dad did with her, etc etc. I also hope that he will remember the trips to the library when he grows up and looks at them as fond memories like I do.