Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

Sadly, too many sports stars today are not proper role models for young people. Fortunately, there are still some that can be held up as good examples. One of those sports stars is Michael Jordan.

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, written by Deloris Jordan (Michael's mother) with Roslyn M. Jordan (Michael's sister) and illustrated by Kadir Nelson tells the story of a young Michael. It is recommended for children age 4 to 8.

"Michael loved to play basketball." He likes to go with his older brothers in hopes of getting to play on their team if one of the regular guys wasn't able to play. But, Michael had a hard time against the bigger boys on the other team, especially Mark, who would taunt Michael about not being tall enough. Mark blocked the ball when Michael attempted to pass it to one of his brothers.

Michael blames himself for losing the game and apologizes to his brothers: "If I were taller that wouldn't have happened." His brothers tell him he played well, and to not worry about it. However, Michael is still bother by it. His mother talks to him, and he asks how he can become taller:

Now, Mama knew the answer to a lot of questions, but this was a tough one. She thought for a moment as she sprinkled salt and pepper on the chicken she was making for dinner. Then she smiled, looked at Michael, and said, "Salt."

"Salt?" Michael looked at his mama.

"Salt in your shoes. We'll put salt in your shoes and say a prayer every night. Before you know it, you'll be taller!" she replied.

"Salt in my shoes?" Michael said quietly to himself. Surely Mama was teasing. He sat staring out of the window trying to figure out how salt was going to help him grow.

He noticed the rose bushes outside in Mama's garden. They had grown high along the fence, and roses of all colors were blooming on the vines. He thought to himself, I remember when Mama first planted those bushes. Michael's face lit up. If Mama knows how to make those rose bushes grow taller, then maybe she's right. Maybe salt in my shoes really will help me grow.

He wanted to know how long it would take. Mama tells him to be patient and to say his prayers every night. He asks what his prayers have to do with it. "Everything."

Michael wanted to be taller before going to play basketball again, but he took that time to practice. But, after 2 months, he discovered he wasn't any taller. Mama asks Daddy to go talk to him:

"Michael, why do you want to be taller?" Daddy asked.

"If I were taller I'd be a great player, and I could help our team win," Michael answered.

"But you are a great player, son. And you already have everything it takes to be a winner, right in here." Daddy tapped Michael on his chest. "Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are things that make you a real winner."

Michael decides to go to the park to play. The game had already started, but he got his chance when one of the players on his team got hurt. Michael volunteers to score the one point they'll need to win the game.

Mark was there, and he was again giving Michael a hard time, but Michael didn't let it bother him this time. The game continues, and Michael gets past Mark and makes the winning basket!

After that day, Mama stopped putting salt in Michael's shoes, but Michael didn't stop being patient and working hard and praying.

I just think this is a wonderful story. It is a portrait of a real American family who has a deep faith in God, and it teaches a good lesson: be patient, but also work hard and practice!

Don't Mess with Texas Tea Party - Austin

I made myself unavailable to substitute teach today because I wanted to attend the Tea Party at Austin City Hall. I've never done anything like this before - attending a protest of any kind - and I wasn't sure what kind of gathering it might be, given the liberal tendencies of the city in which I live. Let's just say, it turned out very well. I'll only be posting a few pictures for now, but when I have time, I'll write more, off the notes I took. I got there early (parking garage ticket said 10:17am, and the event was scheduled to begin at 11:30). They announced that the police department estimated attendance was 1500, and when that announcement was made it was said to be a "conservative" estimate!



Uncle Sam was passing out these:



Mine now hangs from my rearview mirror...

Some kids were there, too:





Some people displayed flags with historic significance:

From the Texas Revolution:
"Come and Take It"



The 1824 flag



From the American Revolution:
The Gadsden flag: "Don't Tread on Me"



The Betsy Ross flag



The MC today was a bricklayer from Odessa, "Jason the Mason":



There were all kinds of signs, as well:













There was lots of Red, White & Blue being worn. I even wore the t-shirt I got last summer that I couldn't wear until recently, and someone was passing out buttons:



Everyone was very well behaved, I didn't see anything that could be considered "trouble". The crowd got a little loud and raucous at times, but that is only to be expected. More later when I have the time...

They did say there would be another event later today, at 4:30, at the State Capitol Building, but I've got someplace else I have to be: work...

Help a Soldiers' Angel give the gift of time to her returning soldier

Forwarded to me via email:

A Soldiers Angel has planned a special gift for her Soldiers homecoming. She needs help in voting for him. See below:

My name is Roselle Portin and I am a friend of Lorraine Blacklock.

I have a favor to ask of you. Your consideration of this would be greatly appreciated.

I am a member of Soldiers Angels. My family and I have been blessed to receive Kxxxx Xxxxxxxxx as our adopted soldier. Through the program we write to him, send care packages and keep him in our thoughts and prayers every day. He has a family in NY that he will be returning home to soon.

I wanted to do something very special for Xxxxx upon his return. In order to do this I entered a contest to win a family dude ranch vacation in Idaho. The kids went door to door, we asked our church family for help, we asked everyone at school, everyone we came into contact with throughout the day and all our friends and family for help. We were winning.

Now we are not. My family will cover air fare for the Family but we cannot afford the ranch if we don't win it.

I was wondering if you had a network of people that would be willing to help me out in this. It is VERY easy to vote. No personal info is required and it only takes a minute.

Here's how it works.
1. go to www.redhorsemountainranch.com
2. click on 'win a family dude ranch vacation' under Guest Story Contest
3. click on Roselle Portin and VOTE.
The contest ends April 15th.

I know it's a big favor. I just wanted a really special way to send a very big 'thank you' to Xxxx and his family (he is not aware of this). If you could help I would be so thankful.

Please let me know what you decide.

Thanks for your time and all you do,
Roselle Portin

I've voted. Currently, Roselle is 313 votes behind the story with the most votes (currently in the lead with 827 votes). Please help. It will, indeed, only take a minute...

Updated:

The code was supposed to embed the poll, but it's doing the results, instead: Looks like they fixed it...



Results:

Website Polls Powered By MicroPoll

Road 2 Recovery Texas Challenge

I wanted to posted this the week it happened, but I've been a little busy: working for a paycheck and working on job hunt stuff (it is the season where schools start the search for any new staff they'll need for next school year...). I'm forcing myself to get it done before another day goes by!

Monday, March 30th, began the Road 2 Recovery Don't Mess With Texas Challenge, starting at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, and ending at The Ballpark in Arlington. Unlike the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride that took place about two-and-a-half weeks earlier, the cyclists ride the entire route, instead of riding a course one place, then traveling to a new city for the next route.

The Don't Mess With Texas Challenge was nearly 350 miles, and was chronicled over at Big Hollywood:
Day 1: BAMC to San Marcos
Day 2: San Marcos to Austin
Day 3: Austin to Fort Hood
Day 4: Fort Hood to Waco
Day 5: Waco to Cleburne
Day 6: Cleburne to Arlington

My part of the story starts with my acquaintance with Jason Denny. I came to "know" Jason via email after I posted about attending the Vets for Freedom National Heroes Tour event here in Austin in March 2008, but I did not meet him until he invited me to attend last month's dinner held at American Legion Post 76, where he currently serves as Historian. Jason also invited me to come to the dinner the post was hosting for the R2R riders on March 31st. I was very glad I was able to take him up on the invitation.

I got there a little early, both to miss rush hour traffic, and to help out with anything that still needed doing. A lot of the setup had already been done, so there wasn't too much they needed me to do at that point. I did meet some of the ladies from the American Legion Auxiliary, and also Jason's aunt, who I learned is a Gold Star Mother. In talking to the ladies from the Auxiliary, I learned that one of the riders was an actor with the last name Baldwin: Adam Baldwin. I didn't recognize the name, and I never saw a face I "recognized" with all the people who showed up with the riders. I saw Nathan Hunt, who I had chatted with briefly after the Soldier Ride event earlier that month.

Nathan was one of several riders in wheelchairs. While the Post building itself can't completely accommodate wheelchairs (the building dates to 1858 and is a state historic landmark), the event, thanks to the lovely weather, was taking place on the front lawn. Tables and chairs had been set up in front of a stage area, and there was also a buffet table set up with all the food that had been provided by several of the local American Legion posts. I'm pretty comfortable around people in wheelchairs: I grew up with a grandmother who has been in a wheelchair since long before I was born as the result of contracting polio in the 1950s. But, I also know that, depending on where you are, getting around in a wheelchair isn't always easy, and trying to carry things (such as plates of food or open cups full of a drink) and also propel a non-motorized chair around can be kinda difficult. So, I directed the guys in the wheelchairs down to a spot where they could more easily transition from the walkway in front of the Post building onto the lawn, moved some of the folding chairs out of the way at the table they selected, and then I offered to do a beverage run.

A cover band, APD Under Cover, entertained everyone. I thought they were pretty good! There was also some "ceremony": local dignitaries, and the fire department presenting one of the riders with the flag they had flown over the ride route earlier in the day. All the American Legion posts put on a pretty good spread. There was barbecue sausage and brisket, burgers, plenty of sides, water, soft drinks, tea, and even some beer, and a cake. General Cheek, the commander over all the Army's Warrior Transition Units, was in attendance, and he would be joining them for the ride to Fort Hood the next morning.

I also meet the family of LCPL Nicholas S. Perez. His mother arrived first. When I learned who she was, I informed her that I had substituted at the school named in honor of her son. LCPL Perez's father and sister (who had also served in the Marine Corps) also attended the dinner, as well as his nephew, who is named after his uncle. I told Nicholas' mother I really liked the display case with the uniform and photos. LCPL Perez's parents seem to be active at the school, but I'm not quite sure in what capacity. Part of the time I was speaking with LCPL Perez's mother, Jason's aunt was there. Listening to how they have a school named for their son, and also how another Gold Star family in the area has a post office named for their Fallen Warrior, and how 1LT Kile West now has the field house at his high school alma mater named for him, Jason's aunt would like to see about having something named in honor of her son.

I did chat a little bit with some of the riders. One of the guys at the table I'd served earlier was wearing a Red Sox ballcap. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to ask if he was looking forward to opening day. We talked about baseball a little bit, me sharing about going to the minor league games up in Round Rock. I met the president of Save A Vet, an organization whose goal is to help vets who are dealing with PTSD, but with an alternative approach from what is typical of current treatments that rely heavily on medication. I also met a woman who is also a veteran, but is now with the VA Vet Center here in Austin. As the event was winding down, I was chatting with her on the front porch of the post , and a man in a t-shirt and ballcap walked up, thanked us, and gave us both a big hug before departing. Only later, after I saw one of Jason's photo's on facebook, did I realize that man was Adam Baldwin. I got a big hug from a celebrity! I was watching Independence Day last night after getting home from the Express game, and I recognized Adam as Major Mitchell ;-)

Overall, it was a lovely evening. Everyone involved in organizing the event can be proud of themselves, and it was an honor to be able to be there and help out, even just a little.

My Kingdom for a Horse: An Anthology of Poems about Horses

Back when I was in summer school, working on my M.Ed., I would find myself up in Round Rock with some time to kill before the gates opened at the Diamond, so I would sometimes stop in at the Hastings up there. They happened to have a shelf in the children's book department full of used books. One of the ones I picked up that summer was My Kingdom for a Horse: An Anthology of Poems about Horses (recommended for ages 8 to 12 years old), edited by Betty Ann Schwartz and illustrated by Alix Berenzy.

I've had a love of horses since I was a little girl. Always wanted to go on the pony rides whenever we went to a fair or fest or some such. Got to get on one of the Army's horses from the equestrian unit out of Fort Hood when they came to Fort Bliss for some sort of exhibition when I was in junior high. Went on a couple of trail rides in my 20s, and I was finally able to really learn how to ride when I lived in Austin in the early 90s, taking adult beginner hunter/jumper lessons at Switch Willow Stables in Northwest Austin. I still like horsey books and art (yes, I read The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Sparks, and saw the movie, which was a decent adaptation, but not for kiddos...). So, it was only natural that I would be drawn to a book of poems about horse that were accompanied by lovely illustrations in charcoal and pastels...

Poems included range from those by famous poets - Robert Frost and William Shakespeare - to those adapted from Native American songs, to those composed by names otherwise unknown to me. As with any poetry, not all of the pieces struck my fancy, but I liked the majority of them, with a few really striking a cord:

Early One Morning on Featherbed Lane
by Jack Prelutsky

Early one morning on Featherbed Lane,
I saw a white horse with a strawberry mane,
I jumped on his back just as fast as I could,
and we galloped away to the green willow wood.

We galloped all morning with never a stop,
where mockingbirds whistle and ladybugs hop,
we drank from a stream where the water runs free,
and we slept in the shade of a green willow tree.

In the Beauty Parlor
by April Halprin Wayland
(accompanied by a charcoal drawing of a little girl with her toy horse, seen peeking out from behind her mother's skirt, which is draped down from the beautician's chair...)

I am sitting under the chair
the haircutting lady is trimming Mom's hair.
My horse is asking, "Is there any more?"
grazing in the curls upon the floor.

The Policeman's Horse
by Betty Ann Schwartz

Standing tall
Gentle and brave
A marvel of poise
Despite the city's incessant noise

Do I dare approach
And touch his nose?

Any Soldier Raffle

I was just checking up on Any Soldier's website, and I see they have a raffle on that ends on Memorial Day, May 25th. There are some very nice items up for raffle, and not many raffle tickets have been sold to date (anywhere from 3 to 95 tickets, as of this writing, depending on the item). Any Soldier does excellent work and is a worthy cause, so please go check out the raffle items and see if there is something you like. All items are $5 per chance to win.

From the Dayton Daily News: Local couple helps back Iraq war film

After actually seeing Brothers At War on Friday, I signed up as a fan on my facebook account.  This morning, I received notification of a story about an average couple in Ohio who helped bring this movie into being when "big money" backers weren't forthcoming:

"We thought it was important to tell a soldier's story in an apolitical way," said Glen Shilland, an Air Force major stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The family now lives in Beavercreek, but Shilland was a bombardier in Afghanistan when Yiotula heard about the movie while visiting Decatur.

"I thought this would be a good use of my combat pay," said Glen Shilland, 37. "This was a way to get our story out."

I would like to offer a word of thanks to the Shillands and all the other small donors who helped Jake Rademacher tell this story.

The project has raised more than $50,000 for veterans' groups and has been seen, free of charge, by thousands of service members and their families.

"They say 'it's not just a film about you and your family, it's a film about me and my family,'" Rademacher said.

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

I didn't actually read From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler myself when I was a kid. The book, by E. L. Konigsburg, was read by my sixth grade teacher (one of my favorite teachers, who I am glad to say I still keep in touch with, more that a quarter of a century later) to the class (it is recommended for 8 to 12 year olds). I rediscovered this classic Newbery Award winner from 1968 while working on my M.Ed. The copy I purchased is a 35th anniversary edition with an afterword from the author.

For those of you unfamiliar with this book, it tells the story of Claudia Kincaid. She is nearly twelve, "the oldest child and the only girl and was subject to a lot of injustice". So, she decides to run away. However, in order to be successful, she has chosen her younger brother, Jamie, to go along with her. They live in Greenwich. They will go to New York City; the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be their hideout.

While in the Museum, they come across a beautiful marble statue of an angel. There is a mystery surrounding it: was it really carved by Michelangelo? The Museum acquired it at auction, and it had previously belong to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler... Claudia and Jamie set out to solve the mystery...

Do Claudia & Jamie get found out? Claudia didn't plan on being gone forever; she just wanted to send a message to her parents. Can they discover the true origins of the Angel on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? If you share this book with today's children, you could also have an interesting discussion about how things have changed since 1968. Claudia and Jamie don't have video games, cell phone or cable TV. Also, could a Claudia and Jamie do something like this today?

Brothers At War

Last night, I had the opportunity to drive down to San Antonio for a screening of the new documentary Brothers At War. I thank Soldiers' Angels for the treat. I had to decide whether to see the movie in Killeen or San Antonio. The theater in San Antonio was about 10 miles closer, plus I didn't have to drive across Austin during rush hour traffic, and I got to see Jim & Gerry Riley from Soldiers' Angels again. I had meet them three or four years ago when I volunteered to help out at a golf tournament benefiting wounded warriors that was held at a country club out in Boerne.

There were 4 screenings yesterday. I chose the one at 7:30. I was substitute teaching, so I couldn't go to either of the afternoon screenings, and since I had to drive back to Austin after the movie, the 10:15 screening was out of the question. I called Jim when I got to the theater about 7 o'clock, and he met me at the box office. Entering the auditorium in which Brothers At War was showing, there were already a lot of people there. The Santikos is one of the theaters where you can order a meal to eat while you watch your movie. Jim had already laid claim to the seats in the last row at the back, so I sat in the next row up. Since I'd grabbed something to eat after school, all I ordered was some popcorn and a bottle of water. Jim, being the outgoing person that he is, spoke up and asked who in the audience was Active Duty. After a number of people raised their hands, Jim told the waitstaff to get them all popcorn and soda. Jim also informed me that, although the link from the Brothers At War website indicated the movie was only showing on the 27th, it is actually showing at the Santikos Bijou at Crossroads (in the Crossroads Mall inside Loop 410 and I-10) through Thursday, April 2nd. So, just because the showtimes only list one date, check to see how many days it is actually showing, if it is coming to your area (it's in Killeen through Thursday, as well).

The auditorium was nicely filled. I was glad to see that. I'm really bad at guessing numbers, but I'd say it was at least75% full - a respectable showing, I thought, for a movie that hasn't been highly publicized outside certain circles. I went into this movie not knowing anyone who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan outside of the friends I've made on the internet, the vast majority of whom I have never meet in person. I don't know what it's like to have someone close to me in a combat zone. And, I certainly can't say I know what it's like to actually be in a combat zone.

In this movie, we meet the Rademacher family. Jake, the oldest son, is a filmmaker. Two of his brothers, Isaac and Joe, are in the Army. Isaac is a West Point grad and a Captain with the 82nd Airborne. Joe, a sniper, is a sergeant, and is also assigned to the 82nd Airborne. Isaac and Joe had both served in Iraq. Growing up, Jake had wanted to go to West Point and be a soldier, but couldn't get accepted. Now, he wanted to understand what it was his brothers did and why. Since he'd become a filmmaker, he arranged to embed with combat units, embedding with Isaac's unit for a time, and also with a sniper team, in addition to spending some time with Marines mentoring an Iraqi Army unit. He documented that experience in Iraq, as well as what it is like for those left behind: their parents, the other siblings, and the wife and girlfriend.

I was able to watch this movie with a bit of detachment, since I wasn't watching something I've had to personally confront: having a family member go off to war. What Jake documents while with the Iraqi Army unit - coming under ambush - demonstrates some of what our troops experience and see - to include a brief glimpse at the damage modern weapons can do to the human body.

In addition to talking to his family, Jake also speaks with the soldiers and Marines he comes into contact with. A soldier who lost a friend, but wasn't ready to talk about it. Soldiers talking about the mail they get from people back home. He talks with the soldiers during their down-time on a surveillance mission near the Syrian border. There is no politics to this movie. Just those who serve, in their own words, expressing why they do what they do, and what they think about when they are deployed; just the thoughts of the Rademacher family back on the home front, explaining what it is like for them to have a son, husband/fiance or brother in a combat zones.

All in all, I highly recommend this film. If it is coming to your area, please make the effort to go see it. If you are in the San Antonio area, and would like to see it this week, email me (address on the sidebar), and I can put you in touch with someone who might be able to help out with getting you in to see the movie. This movie needs to be seen at those theaters in which is it already scheduled to screen. It needs to do well now in order to have a chance of being shown more widely around the country. This is a film more Americans need to be given the opportunity to see.

Update 3/30/09:

I received a notice on facebook today that the movie will be opening in additional cities this weekend:

Osio Cinema in Monterey, CA
Cinemark Carefree Circle in Colorado Springs, CO
Regal Augusta Exchange in Augusta, GA
Cinemark Tinseltown 17 in Shreveport, LA
Carmike 16 in El Paso, TX

Patrick the Somnambulist

One of my classmates, from when I was working on my M.Ed., published a children's picture book last year. Sarah Ackerley wrote and illustrated Patrick the Somnambulist, which is recommended for children 4 to 8 years old. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend any of her book signings, but I did find an autographed copy in-store.

Patrick is a penguin, "a pretty normal penguin. He ate normal food. He played normal games, and had plenty of normal friends. But sometimes, just sometimes, Patrick would wake up, in the middle of the night... and find himself in a not-so-normal situation."

Patrick's parents thought his behavior strange, and they eventually decided to take him to see a doctor. After lots of questions, the doctor announced that Patrick was a somnambulist...

Now, this is just a fancy work for sleepwalker, but Patrick thought it was pretty cool all the same. "I'm Patrick the Somnambulist!" he declared.

After this, Patrick's parents were more understanding of his unusual behavior.

And, amazingly, with his newfound confidence in being...
"Patrick the Somnambulist,"
Patrick began to do some very remarkable things in his sleep.

He became rich and famous, and when asked about what made him successful, he would say "It's all in a good night's sleep."

Patrick's is a bit of a silly story: it is common for him to wear a plunger on his head when he sleepwalks, and his sleepwalking accomplishments are wildly unrealistic, but that's what makes it entertaining. And, for any child who might also be or know a somnambulist (it's an issue I've never had to deal with), it can let them know that it's nothing to be ashamed of...

Don't Eat The Bluebonnets

I saw my first bluebonnets of the season on Sunday on my way out to the mall. This year is unlikely to be a bumper cropped, since we have been experiencing drought conditions (recent rains notwithstanding...).

Anyhow, I thought it was time to share a book I found last year called Don't Eat The Bluebonnets by Ellen Leventhan and Ellen Rothberg, and illustrated by Bill Megenhardt.

Sue Ellen isn't like the rest of the cows. She doesn't like to follow orders, especially when they come from Max, the Longhorn:

Every spring Max puts up a sign in Sue Ellen and Lisa Jean's favorite pasture.

The sign said: DON'T EAT THE BLUEBONNETS

"Humph," Sue Ellen said. "Max is not the boss of me. He can't tell me what to do." With that she hooked tails with Lisa Jean and they sashayed across the field.
"I can eat the bluebonnets if I want to," she snorted.
"The bluebonnets won't come back next spring if you eat them," Lisa Jean warned.
"But we eat the grass, and it comes back," Sue Ellen argued.
"That's true," replied Lisa Jean, "but bluebonnets are different. They won't come back."
Having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen wasn't totally convinced. The next day when Sue Ellen and Lisa Jean arrived at the south pasture, the bluebonnets were just starting to pop up. Sue Ellen's mouth watered.

Lisa Jean reminds Sue Ellen about not eating the bluebonnets. She's just looking at them. Don't eat the bluebonnets. She's just smelling them. Don't eat the bluebonnets. She's just licking them.

She tells Lisa Jean that the water in the pond comes back each year, and so do the leaves on the trees. And, the birds come back, too.

By the end of the week the bluebonnets covered the pasture and Sue Ellen couldn't stop thinking about them.
...
...she charged into the south pasture and ate every single bluebonnet.

Max comes to Sue Ellen with a bag of bluebonnet seeds, saying someone ate all the bluebonnets. Sue Ellen isn't concerned. She's convinced they'll come back next year on their own. She doesn't believe Max when he tells her that sometimes, nature needs a little help.

Spring passes, then summer, fall and winter. Finally, it is springtime again. But, when they get to the south pasture, there are no bluebonnets. Max tells Sue Ellen that he doesn't need to put his sign up this year. All the other cows are unhappy with Sue Ellen.

She thinks she can fix it herself. She moves some bluebonnets from another pasture, but they wilt. She tried painting bluebonnets onto the bales of hay, but the other cows eat the hay. She tries making individual bluebonnets with her paints, and construction paper and scissors, but they washed away in a rain storm.

So, having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen decided to take charge. That night she went to the south pasture and planted a packet of Max's seeds she had found in the barn.

The next spring, she fixed up Max's sign and asked him to put it out in the south pasture, but he didn't because he didn't think the bluebonnets would be back. So, Sue Ellen took the sign herself.

It wasn't long before their favorite pasture was beautiful again. Having a mind of her own, Sue Ellen decided she could
...look at the bluebonnets
...smell the bluebonnets
...lick the bluebonnets...
but she could not eat the bluebonnets.

This picture book is great for using with any elementary school aged child. The little ones will like the story, and it can also be used as a teaching tool for the older ones. At the back of the book, there is information about those who helped bring us this book. In addition, there are "Authors' Notes" which includes:

Although there is no specific law protecting bluebonnets, everyone from schoolchildren to groundskeepers know the importance of preserving nature, so although you make look at the bluebonnets, sit among the bluebonnets, and even photograph the bluebonnets, please don't ever pick the bluebonnets.
While cows can eat bluebonnets without harm, they can sometimes be toxic to other animals including humans.

There is a lesson about being environmentally responsible: just a simple lesson about caring for a natural resource, without getting into issues such as global warming or, as is more commonly heard these days, "climate change". It can be used in a lesson about the life cycle of plants: why didn't the bluebonnets grow back after Sue Ellen ate them all? It can also be used in illustrating cause and effect. What happens after Sue Ellen eats all the bluebonnets? What happens are Sue Ellen plants the bluebonnet seeds?

Although this book might be hard to find (Barnes & Noble seems to carry it as a new item online, but Amazon.com appears to only have used copies available), I recommend this book. I love the illustrations, and it's just a cute story ;-)

"The Way We Get By"

About three and a half weeks ago, I learned of The Way We Get By while listening to the weekly YouServed BlogTalkRadio show. It was mentioned that the film would be making its World Premier at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin.

I checked the screening schedule and found out when and where it would screen. There would be a screening on March 15, March 16 and March 19. I preference was to attend the Monday screening at noon. Then, I emailed an old friend of mine that I was aware had some knowledge of how the film fest worked.

With my changing work schedule, I was able to have today off, and I called the theater last night to see when I might be able to purchase a ticket. Tickets go on sale 15 minutes before the screenings, but people who have purchased a badge for SXSW have first priority. My pockets aren't that deep, so I was going to have to take my chances.

I got to the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar about 11:40am. I had a good feeling when I didn't see a big line waiting to get in. I parked my car and walked up to the front doors. I approached a couple of people who were holding the door open, asking if I could purchase a ticket for The Way We Get By. She pointed me inside to a lady behind the counter. I paid my $10 and was directed where to go.

Alamo Drafthouse is one of those rare movie theaters where they serve food and drinks to the patrons. Since I hadn't had any breakfast and neglected to grab one of my protein bars before heading out the door, I perused the menu for something to tide me over until the end of the movie, wrote down my order, and a waitress came to pick it up.

Then, the movie started. The Way We Get By is a documentary. It follows three retired persons who also happen to act as Troop Greeters at the airport in Bangor, Maine. Bangor is the main pass-through point for troops headed to and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. No matter what time of day or night, no matter the weather, there is a group of people out there to greet the deplaning troops, offering handshakes, hugs, free cellphone usage and snacks.

Bill Knight is a widower World War II veteran. Joan Gaudet is a widowed mother of eight grown children (one of her sons, Aron, is the director of this film), grandmother of many, and even great-grandmother to a few. Jerry Mundy, "not as lean, not as mean, but still a Marine", is also dealing with what aging brings. He is alone now, having lost his son many years ago, quite unexpectedly, at the age of 10. These three people find purpose in greeting our troops.

This film is very powerful. It will make you laugh out loud. It will make you cry. It will make you think: if given the opportunity, would I make myself available, on short notice, at any time of night or day, to drop everything to go do what they do? It will make you think: what kind of legacy will I leave behind? have I made a difference in anyone's life?


The Way We Get By - Trailer from The Way We Get By on Vimeo.

The Way We Get By is entered in the Documentary Feature Competition at SXSW. The award ceremony is to take place Tuesday, March 17 at 8pm. Good luck to Aron Gaudet, Gita Pullapilly, Dan Ferrigan and the rest of the crew in this competition.

Aron, Gita and Dan participated in a Q&A after the screening today. Since much of what they shared was follow-up on what has happened since the filming ended, and even after the project was completed, I won't spoil the film by sharing. They did say, however, that they were focusing on screenings at film festivals, and were looking to have screenings at US military bases, and to have it broadcast on PBS in November, along with releasing a DVD, around Veterans Day. I did approach them at the end of the Q&A to let them know I'd heard about the movie through YouServed. Gita said she loves the t-shirt she got from CJ ;-)

If you have an opportunity to see this film, I would highly recommend it.

Update:

The Way We Get By did win an award. If I am deciphering the announcement page correctly, for Feature Film Jury Awards, in the Documentary Feature category, it was recognized with a Special Jury Award. I can't find anything that explains exactly what that means, but not all of the documentaries were recognized (it appears there were two other awards for documentaries). Very cool, and congratulations to Aron, Gita and crew!

Soldier Ride 2009 - Texas

I had recently been "introduced" to Toby Nunn by CJ, since Toby calls the Austin area his home-base. Earlier this week, I found out Toby was actually back in town, and that he would be participating in the Wounded Warrior Project's Soldier Ride here in Texas. The first leg of that was to be here in Austin Thursday morning. As it turned out, I was able to take the time to go downtown to Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop, a local sponsor of the ride, and finally meet Toby in person, chat with him, and witness the "opening ceremony" and start of the ride.

Unfortunately for Toby and the rest of the riders, the weather turned cold and wet on Wednesday. I had to be up and out of the house early on Wednesday, and we had reached our high of 72 before 8am, and the temperatures were on the way down. I was up late Wednesday night and heard a particularly heavy line of rain storms come through, sounding as if someone was pouring buckets of water from the rooftop. All I could think of was the weather the riders would have to deal with in the morning, with secondary thought going to how I would attire myself to keep warm, and if necessary, dry.

Thursday morning, on my way to Mellow Johnny's, the local radio weather report said it was about 42 degrees, which was about 20 degrees cooler than normal for us for this time of year. Traffic was slow-moving on the wet city streets.

I found Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop easy enough, but it took a few trips around the block before I was able to locate a spot to park. There's a reason I dislike having to go anywhere in downtown Austin - most parking is pay parking. However, after my decision to turn into an alley, I spotted a back entrance to parking exclusively for Mellow Johnny's, and, low and behold, there was one empty space, so I took it.

I got there a little after 9am, which was the time indicated for the ride preparations to begin. I went inside Mellow Johnny's, found someone that looked like they were in some position of authority with Soldier Ride and asked if he knew where I might find Toby. The gentleman asked what he looked like, but not having seen him except for pictures on the internet, I wasn't really able to describe him, and he said he'd met about 100 people the night before. He asked someone who was decked out in cycling gear if he knew where Toby Nunn was, that I was looking for him. He asked around and found out that he was changing into his cold weather gear for the ride.

I wasn't leaving, so I waited around until I saw a guy in a Voodoo 7 sweatshirt, so I made the guess that was who I wanted to meet, so when he came up the stairs outside the bike shop, I decided to approach him: Toby? Yup. We chatted, and he also introduced me to one of the riders, Anthony Mulheron, a Wounded Warrior Marine veteran and the assistant ride coordinator the assistant ride coordinator in Corpus Christi. We were sort of at the back of the pack of the riders that would be heading out. I snapped a picture of Toby and told him I'd email it to him. Since I took it with my digital camera, I was able to let him see it (and decide it was acceptable). I was still standing back with Toby and Anthony when it was time for the National Anthem:


Standing in the back, the riders on the recumbant cycles weren't really visible, so I wished Toby & Anthony luck on their ride and excused myself to get around to the front side of the group.


From my new location, I heard some of the dignitaries speak: someone from the Travis County Sheriff's Department, a Colonel (but I didn't catch which unit he's with, and he was wearing his winter parka, so no unit insignia was visible), and Mrs. Dallas, Courtney Bobb-Meilinger, whose cousin was killed in Iraq.

While it was still cold (I was very glad I had my gloves), it was not raining when the ride got underway:









I had planned on sticking around while the ride was going on. I grabbed my book and my purse out of the car and went inside the bike shop to get something hot to drink at the little coffee bar inside and sat down at one of the table. I noticed that Mrs. Dallas was also in the coffee bar, at a table by the outside window. When the table next to mine cleared out, she changed tables. We eventually started up a conversation. Courtney regretted that she had decided not to participate in the ride itself, and said she would like to do it next year. Also, she is very much interested in using her position as Mrs. Dallas to try to bring more attention to troop support organizations. She was, of course, aware of The Wounded Warrior Project, but I also shared with her about Soldiers' Angels. When the riders returned, I introduced her to Toby, Anthony and some of the other riders. I shared with them her interest in trying to bring troop support projects to the Dallas area, and one of the gentleman (not sure if he was a vet) was from that area, and gave her his card.

I stepped inside for a bit, and when I came back outside, Courtney was chatting with one of the Wounded Warriors, Nathan Hunt. I joined in on the conversation. Small talk about his kids going to school, the kinds of things people would send in care packages, just normal kind of stuff. Nathan may have lost both legs in service to his country, but he's still just a guy with a wife and kids. From the little bit I listened to what he had to say, I don't think he is letting his injuries define who he is. The rest of us could learn so much from men like him, who are overcoming tremendous challenges to live fulfilling lives. He, and the rest of the riders with physical challenges did something this past weekend that I, as an ablebodied person, is currently unable to do.

The Soldier Ride continued in San Antonio Friday morning, starting at the Center for the Intrepid, right next door to Brooke Army Medical Center, and concluded on Saturday in Corpus Christi, starting out at Whatburger Field (home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, and owned by Ryan-Sanders Baseball, who has always been good about recognizing those who server our nation). From what Toby has told me, the weather just got worse each day. Looking at the picture from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, that ride took place in a cold rain... Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate any coverage from the San Antonio ride.

Local Austin coverage:

News 8 Austin interview with Major Dave Underwood
Transcript of News 8 Austin interview with Major Dave Underwood
Austin360.com Fit City coverage by Pamela LeBlanc (who participated in the ride)

Local Corpus Christi coverage:

Corpus Christi Caller-Times: Bike ride benefits injured troops (3/11/09)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times: Riders do bike tour of duty for wounded vets (3/14/09)
Corpus Christi Caller-Times: Soldier Ride photo gallery (3/14/09)

Resolution Update: 9 weeks, 5 days

At the 8 week mark, at my Saturday morning weigh-in, I had lost a total of 15.6 pounds. That Saturday was also my sister's 28th birthday, and she had invited me and some other people to met for lunch at Chili's. This wasn't a problem, as I had planned ahead by looking at their nutritional information online, and I was also able to order of the kids' menu. So, I got the half rack of ribs, some fries, some of those yummy corn chips with salsa and a glass of tea, and did not hit an unreasonable number of calories. I did try out the gelato stand at the mall when I went there after lunch, but I did do my exercise. So, while I didn't hit my 1000 calorie deficit target for the day, 704 was still acceptable.

I don't think I stepped on the scale the next morning, but that Sunday was a bad day. It is a family tradition to go out for someone's birthday dinner on a Sunday around lunchtime. The birthday celebrant gets to pick. My sister picked the family's perennial favorite, Texas Land & Cattle Co. The problem began with the fact that this restaurant does not provide nutritional information on their website. So, I just ordered what I wanted to eat (chicken fried chicken with crispy fries, and I had my other sister's bowl of delicious steak soup, and just one slice of their sourdough bread, and Pepsi), instead of trying to count calories. To compound the problem of what I ate for lunch, the naughtiness wasn't over. After lunch, we went back to the house to present my sister with her birthday gifts, and to have "cake" and ice cream. We didn't actually have cake. We always have leftover cake, even when we buy the smallest one from HEB's bakery department. So, my other sister volunteered to pick up brownies and/or cookies from Tiff's Treats, and she ended up getting 9 of the brownies, to cover all the family & significant others. Let's just say my brownie was about 9 square inches of chocolatey deliciousness, with a little bit of vanilla ice cream on the side. The only other thing I ate that day was a bowl of Corn Pops with a half cup of skim milk, but the damage had been done...

This past Saturday, I stepped on the scale and was 1 pound more than I had been the week before, but that was still an improvement over where I had been earlier in the week. This was the first time I had actually gained weight between weigh-ins. But, I think it has been an important learning experience. Yes, I ate what I wanted, but there were obvious lower-caloric choices I could have made (like the grilled chicken with a baked potato) that wouldn't have done near the damage, even if I didn't know how many calories it was. It was also a bad day to have as my "off" day for exercising, even though I'm allowed one day off each week. If I had instead taken the previous day off, I'd have broken even with the calories in vs. calories out on Saturday, and I would've be so much less out-of-whack on Sunday.

I am, however, happy to say that, although I haven't taken an official weight - that is this Saturday morning - as of this morning, I am down 1.2 pounds from where I was for my week 8 weigh-in (which means 16.8 pounds, total, "unofficially"). I didn't get my exercise in today (that "excuse" will be my next post), but I watched what I consumed (usual breakfast and lunch food items, but no juice, sugar-sweetened tea, or Kool-Aid to drink, only water), and carefully planned what to have for dinner to allow me to still hit my 1000 calorie deficit target for the day, but not still be hungry (a tasty serving of chicken tortellini with marinara sauce, one slice of Texas garlic toast, and 20 calories worth of Parmesan cheese) after I finished eating.

And, let's just say, I'll be more careful in the future. One day of being REALLY naughty can undo weeks of progress. Makes me wonder how I'm going to manage when I'm at the Milblog Conference next month. That weekend is the end of Week 16... I'll definitely need to make sure I get some exercise in (that fancy hotel is sure to have a fitness center with a treadmill), and I'll have to make wise choices about what to eat (and drink), and I may even be packing some snackage for the trip that I'll know how many calories it is. And, we'll see where I am this Saturday morning...

The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh

I have Irish ancestry on my maternal grandmother's side. From the genealogy research I've been able to do, it seems possible those ancestors emigrated because of the Irish Potato Famine. So, when I found a children's book that tells a story of the mass Irish emigration to America in the mid-1800s, I decided to buy it.

The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh, written by Janet Nolan and illustrated by Ben F. Stahl, tells a story that could be about countless American families with an Irish heritage. It is recommended for children between 7 and 10 years old.

Day after day, Fergus felt a rumble in his empty belly as he sat beside his favorite blackthorn tree, watching the clouds reach down from the sky and touch the earth. It was a terrible time in Ireland, when Fergus was a child. The potatoes had rotted in the fields and children lay in their beds at night hungry.

Late one night, when the peat fire had burned low, Fergus woke to the sounds of his parents' worried whispers. When the sun rose through the mist of dawn, they told him to say farewell to Ireland.

They were sailing to America.

Fergus wants to take a piece of Ireland with him, so he cuts a branch from his blackthorn tree. On the voyage, Fergus transforms the blackthorn branch into a shillelagh - an Irish walking stick.

Once in America, as a boy, Fergus shined shoes by day and sold newspapers by night. As a man, he lay railroad tracks. He never learned to read or write, "but he always had a tale to tell." Every St. Patrick's Day, he would tell "the story of the terrible hunger and his journey to America."

Then came the year he passed his shillelagh on to his son, Declan. Now it was Declan's turn to tell his father's story. Declan helped build the Brooklyn Bridge. He told his father's story every year on St. Patrick's Day until it was time to give the shillelagh to his son, Emmet.

Emmet would tell the shillelagh story every year on St. Patrick's Day, except for when he went to fight in World War I. "When Emmet returned with an injured leg, it was the shillelagh he leaned on to help him walk."

When Emmet no longer needed the shillelagh, he passed it on to his daughter, Mary Maeve.

Mary Maeve was a green-eyed lass who loved to dance a reel - toes pointed, hair flying as she leaped to an Irish tune. When young men left to fight World War II, Mary Maeve and other women took their places in the factories. For weeks - then months, then years, Mary Maeve drilled hole after hole into the silver metal of airplanes.

Mary Maeve passed the shillelagh on to her son, Garrett, saying "May the stories of our past guide you to your future." Garrett used the shillelagh to tap out the rhythms as he taught music to children.

Garrett passed the shillelagh on to his son, Ryan, upon his college graduation. When Ryan moved into a new house, the shillelagh was placed in a closet and forgotten. Then, Ryan's daughter, Kayleigh, finds it while playing hide-and-seek. When she asks her father about it, he tells her it was "a story I forgot to tell":

"This shillelagh is our past," he said. "Its story has been told on St. Patrick's Day for many years, through many generations."

"Why didn't you tell the story to me?" Kayleigh asked him. "I would have listened."

"I got so busy worrying about tomorrow I forgot to tell you our family's story of yesterday. On St. Patrick's Day, your Grandpa Garrett would love to tell you the shillelagh story."

After Grandpa Garrett tells Fergus' story, he gives the shillelagh to Kayleigh, along with this advice: "A good story never has to end as long as someone remembers to keep telling it."

The back page of the book tells about the Potato Famine:

In 1845, the potato was the main source of food in rural Ireland. When a fungus rotted the potatoes, many went hungry. Between 1845 and 1851, an estimated one million people died of starvation. During the same time, another million emigrated to America. Those who survived the difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean began new lives in the United States, help to shape American society.

Miss Ladybug, a life-long book lover, earned her Masters in Elementary Education. She blogs regularly at Miss Ladybug.

Itty & Bitty: Friends on the Farm

As I mentioned in my post about Itty & Bitty: Two Miniature Horses, I received two horsey picture books for my birthday after earning my M.Ed, to help me build a classroom library.

The second book is Itty & Bitty: Friends on the Farm, also written by Nancy Carpenter Czerw, but this time illustrated by Rose Mary Berlin. It is recommended for children 4 to 8 years old.

This book introduces us to some of the other animals that live with Itty & Bitty at Steele Away Farm: the dogs, Molly and Sasha, and the big horses, Troy, Splash and Scrabble. They can all be seen in a photograph on the back cover of the book. Also, it continues with the simple rhyming style from the first book of the Itty & Bitty series.

Little Itty & Bitty resume their adventures, playing with the other animals:

Troy is tall and brown and sleek,
But he's too big for Hide and Seek.
We always win - it's no surprise.
Our smallness is a better size-
To hide in bushes, barn, or garage.
And our spots are perfect camouflage.

They also dine in the barn, exercise with the dogs, and ride a moped to keep up with the big horses!

Like the first book, it is really an illustrated poem and is perfect for someone with small children and an interest in horses.

The Religion of Environmentalism

Yesterday afternoon, when checking the headlines at FoxNews.com, I came across the headline "Environmental Lesson Plans Drawing Praise, Concern":

Could environmental education be crossing into environmental indoctrination? Some critics say yes, as schools boast that such curricula simply is teaching children ways of caring for the earth.

Being a "good" student at Western Avenue Elementary School in Flossmoor, Ill., means more than just doing reading, writing and arithmetic well. It also means trying to save the planet.

"It's really important to help the earth and save the polar bears," 9-year-old Duree Everett said, as she colored a "go green" sign at her desk.

I've seen it myself, in my substitute teaching. In one school I have subbed at extensively, the entire student body, in the daily morning assembly in the cafeteria, was treated to a presentation by some 5th graders scare-mongering about global warming.

I have no problem teaching students about conservation, about not littering, about recycling and about being water-conscious, but I draw the line at pushing unproven environmental theory as hard fact.

Turn off the TV and the lights when you're leaving the room for a while. Don't go off and leave the water running. Recycling metals, plastics and papers reduces the amount of stuff we have to put into landfills, and some parts of the country are hard-pressed to get more space to expand existing ones, or to start new ones. But I just don't buy into the expansion into "people are killing the polar bears by driving SUVs" and talking about carbon footprints.

Just be aware of what schools are teaching your kids... And I say this as a certified teacher.

Itty & Bitty: Two Miniature Horses

Since I was a little girl, I have had a love of horses. My only experiences back then were the pony rides at the German fests we attended. Then, after college, when I was living here in Austin the last time, my parents give me a month of riding lessons - English saddle, hunter/jumper - at a local stable for my birthday. I look lessons, as an adult beginner, for about a year and a half before I moved to Arkansas. For whatever reasons, I wasn't able to continue with lessons. However, I made a friend through the singles group at my church who also had an interest and background in horses. Hers was much more extensive than mine, and she no longer rides regularly (I think she cut back a lot after a broken collar bone...), but she does have a sister who makes a living working with horses and riders. One weekend, we drove down to Benton, just outside Little Rock, where her sister lived and worked. I got to ride, and even jump a little, that day.

The first birthday I had after earning my M.Ed., my friend - who knew I was trying to build up a classroom library for my future classroom - sent me a couple of horsey picture books. The first is Itty & Bitty: Two Miniature Horses by Nancy Carpenter Czerw and illustrated by Dana Bauer. The book, recommended for children 5 to 8, is full of cute little rhymes about the two title characters, Itty & Bitty, who are actually real, live, horses living at Steele Away Farm in Argyle, Texas:

I'm Itty. I'm Bitty.
We're itty, bitty minis-
Pint-size, just the right size
For itty, bitty kiddies.

Although the two are both miniature horses:

Bitty is a ragamuffin-
Unkempt mane and too much stuffin'
...
Itty is a little vain.
Each day he combs his tail and mane.

They play and dance jigs and ride in cars, all told with the help of Ms. Bauer's sweet watercolor illustrations.

There's not a lot of text to this book - it is more of an illustrated poem. But, for anyone with little kids and an interest in horses, this book is perfect.

Resolution Update: 4 weeks

I've been working on my New Year's Resolution for 4 weeks now. Yesterday was my "official" weekly weigh-in, and I had my mom help me again with measurements. Also, following my sister's advice, I took another one of those nothing-but-my-bra-and-panties pictures. Here's the score:

I've lost a total of 10.2 pounds since I started. As expected, the rate of weight loss has slowed, and I've now been doing it long enough to get an idea of how I might expect the usual hormonal issues to affect my progress, at least when just looking at stepping on the scale.

Not all the measurements changed, but I can now wear some clothing items I haven't been able to wear in a while (at least in a fashion that I am not embarrassed for others to see me in them...). Also, there are some articles of clothing that are already set aside for Goodwill: they don't fit anymore because they are too big! And, comparing the original for-my-eyes-only photo with the new one, I can see definite improvement, improvement that isn't easy to gauge just looking in the mirror every day. So, I am seeing progress, and I am not discouraged.

And, planning ahead, I was able to allow myself to have 4 slices of a medium Papa John's "The Meats" pizza and 24 ounces of regular Pepsi on this Super Bowl Sunday, without eating more calories than I'm aiming for to continue losing weight. I just made different choices for my earlier meals: an apple for breakfast, and a bowl of cereal with a half cup of skim milk for lunch. And, I was even able to allow myself 2 Fudge Stripe cookies and another half cup of skim milk for a dessert.

So, I've been aiming for a 1000 calorie deficit each day (give or take), and I try to exercise every day. The only times I have trouble getting in the exercise are those days when I substitute teach: after I done with school, I go into the office job, so I miss going to the fitness center with my sisters, and since I work later on those days, to make up the hours, I'm not exercising when I go home. I haven't exercised every weekend day, but I'm trying. The point is, I am exercising regularly, and those days when I don't exercise, I take that into account when making decisions about what to eat. As I think I have mentioned before, looking at calorie counts on the labels doesn't mean much, unless you have some idea of your individual calorie needs...

I haven't gone shopping for any new clothes yet. I kind of get to go "shopping" in my own closet, and pick out some things people at the office have never seen me wear. I want to wait a little longer, and lose a little more weight. Plus, it might be nice to wait until the weather gets a little warmer (which won't be too long - I do live in Texas, after all). That way, I'll get more use out of any new clothes. No sense in buying new cold weather clothes I know I won't be able to wear come next fall and winter...

Valentine

Valentine, by Carol Carrick and illustrated by Paddy Bouma, is a very sweet story. Early in the morning, little Heather is asking her mother to stay home because it is Valentine's Day. But Mama explains that while she would rather stay home with her daughter, even though it is Valentine's day, she still has to go to work. Heather will stay with Grandma, who she and her mother live with.

Grandma tries to cheer her granddaughter up by having her help with baking some Valentine cookies. To Heather, the cookie dough feels like the clay at day care. She cuts out cookies in the shapes of Grandma's animals, and she in anxious to eat them. But Grandma tells Heather she has to wait: they have to bake first...

Heather sighed. She always had to wait. Wait for Valentine's Day. Wait for cookies to bake. Wait for Mama to come home.

The first batch of cookies are put in to bake, and Grandma suggests they check on Clover, her favorite sheep. Clover is expecting. Heather, bundled up against the cold, brings her favorite blanket along. Grandma announces that Clover had her babies. Grandma sees two little lambs feeding. But, Heather notices a third little lamb laying behind Clover. Heather asks her grandmother if it is dead. Grandma picks it up: "'I think I can feel his breath', she said. 'Let's take him insdie where it's warm.'"

Heather watches as Grandma gives the lamb a warm bath in the kitchen sink. When Grandma asks for a towel to wrap the lamb in, Heather brings out her own towel. But, he still wasn't moving.

Then, Heather smelled the cookies that had been put in to bake before checking on Clover. Grandma says, "I forgot. Good thing I have you to help me," and she has Heather hold the lamb while she gets the cookies from the oven. Heather thought the cookies were a little to brown, but Grandma says they taste better that way...

Heather is still worried about the little lamb. He hasn't been moving, or opened his eyes. She worries the lamb is going to die. Grandma unwraps the towel a little. She feels the lamb's heartbeat, and has Heather feel it, too. Then, she brings out Mama's hairdryer out to help dry the lamb. He makes a small noise.

Heather holds him again while Grandma prepares a one of Heather's old baby bottles with warm milk. Grandma gives the bottle to the lamb, and he begins to feed.

He began sucking noisily, pulling at the bottle with his mouth. Under Heather's blanket, the lamb's tail wagged. That made Heather laugh.

The lamb finished the bottle and let out a bleat. Heather asks Grandma if he will out back to his mother in the barn. Grandma explains that Clover will need help with taking care of the littlest lamb, so he'll stay in the house for a while. Heather is happy to take care of him, and put him down for a nap in the laundry basket.

Grandma bakes the rest of the cookies, including the heart-shaped one for Mama. When Mama gets home from work, Heather shows off the lamb and announces his name is Valentine.

Then Heather showed Mama the cookie cats, and the chickens, and the little sheep that looked like Grandma's.

"I made this heart for you," said Heather, "because I love you."

"And I love you, too," said Mama.

"M-a-a," called Valentine, lifting his head.

Valentine is recommended for children between the ages of 5 and 8. It does address something that might otherwise be difficult to broach with small children: death. Heather, it would seem, isn't old enough to be in school yet. But, she lives on a farm and understands that the little lamb isn't okay and that there is the possibility it might die. Also, learning patience is a theme - Heather has to wait for many things she wants. Another thing I noted is that there is no father, or even grandfather, in the story. Why isn't really important (Is Mama widowed, divorced, or an unwed mother?), nor do I criticize the story for it. While a home with a mother and a father is ideal, that isn't always the reality. But, Heather does live in a safe and loving home, and that is the important thing.