Do what you love you'll never work a day in your life

I know I have a lot of ground to cover since I've not done a post since our move to Baton Rouge, but I promise to catch y'all up just as fast as I can.

Kyle and I decided that we both would work until the Friday before the Saturday we moved and I sure am glad I did because I had such a remarkable last few days at what is now my old job. I spent the last three and half years with the Jacksonville Public Library and they have been some pretty great years, but not nearly as great as my last eight months with them which made leaving that much more difficult.

I have learned a great deal from each of my coworkers and am incredibly grateful for their patience, willingness to teach and eagerness to share their knowledge and challenge me to be a better professional. I suppose I'm a tad fearful that I'll not find another great group of people like them? I suppose I'll be pretty fortunate if I do.

My department had some of THE MOST wonderful, endearing and creative people I've had the pleasure of working with and probably some of the best coworkers anyone could ask for. I will miss them all terribly.

This crew took me to lunch the Wednesday before we moved and presented me with a gift bag of goodies that couldn't have been more perfect and sincerely brought me to tears.

The first gift was a micro memory book made by my super duper ridiculously creative art and crafts boss, with contributions from the entire team of course, that was filled with pages (made from recycled coffee clutches from Chamblin's) that included special details from my work, my future endeavors and a personal note from each of them. I will treasure this piece forever. The second surprise was every journalists Bible, the recently published 2011 Associated Press Stylebook - check that off the "need to buy for school list" and the third and final surprise was a cookbook published by a famous French bistro cafe in New Orleans dedicated to the Jacksonville Public Library in my honor for inclusion in the collection.

WOW. JPL will always remember me. For my final farewell we had a lunchtime gathering on Friday and several coworkers came to say there goodbyes as we all enjoyed a piping hot bowl of soup.

I will miss these staff gatherings a lot so perhaps I'll have to implement this tradition amongst my new fellow coworkers.

Here are a few more pix.