Career Paths and Snowflake Bentley

I worked as a Youth Services Assistant Librarian for a few years at our local public library. It was a job made for me, helping kids find books for research and pleasure, planning programs that would be informational and entertaining, online shopping for puzzles, paperbacks, and parent/teacher resource books with someone else's money.

I loved that job. I loved that job so much that I wrote on my annual review that I would pay to have that job. The work made me happy in a way that laundry and diapers do not. And the people. I was paid to spend time with an amazing group of people who are passionate about learning and literature and children and all the things I am passionate about.

Then came Baby J. I made a difficult decision to leave my dream job to stay home with her, and there has not been one day that I have regretted that decision. But I do hope that one day I'll have the opportunity to work at the library again. And I pray that my children can find career paths that will fulfill them and give them happiness.

Tina Fey expressed my wish in her prayer, "A Mother's Prayer for It's Daughter" in her book, Bossypants.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.
What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

Enter Snowflake Bentley.

Snowflake Bentley, by Jacqueling Briggs Martin, is one of my favorite books. Perfect for January, this biography tells the true story of Willie Bentley, a young boy obsessed with capturing the beauty of snowflakes. He spent his life capturing the beauty of snowflakes with photography. He never got rich, never got famous. But I think he was happy.