My day started rather slow - woke up with a headache - but things sure got better! Today was my day to read to my first graders. Once a month, I visit South Elementary in Mooresville and read a new book to them. The Newcomer's Club that I am involved with has a Literacy Group that I belong to. The club buys books for all the first grade classes at South and we volunteers read the book to the children and then leave it for them in their library. Since I don't get to see my grandchildren as much as I'd like and do the fun things with them that most grandparents do, this sorta makes up for it, even though it is only for an hour each month. Today's book is called "A Frog Thing" and it is so cute! I love frogs anyway, but ...this book was just delightful. It is about a frog (named Fred!!) who wants to fly but everyone tells him frogs just can't fly. He is determined though and won't give up. After he rescues a baby bird that falls into the pond, its mother is so grateful of Frank's swimming skills that she takes him for the ride of his life. Frank clings to a twig as the bird and one of her friends lift it and him into the air to fly. When he returns to the ground, the young frog tells his parents that he realizes he should be proud of his own special talents. The book delivers a powerful message about how you can do anything you put your mind to, no matter who or in this case "what" you are. I think we can all learn something from Fred, the frog! I think that I taught my children those lessons as they were growing up. They both strived for great things and did not give up. My son wanted to go to West Point - that was his dream and he worked hard for it. He graduated from West Point in 2001!! My daughter wanted to be a doctor and knew how expensive medical school was (not to mention the grades you needed to get in). So, after graduating from Trinity University with high honors, she joined the Army and they payed her way through medical school. She graduated from University of Texas Medical School in 2003!
After I read the book to the children, they were excited to share something with me. In their classroom, they had one of those collapsible mesh laundry baskets hanging from the ceiling full of cocoons and butterflies that had hatched! It was incredible and such a great idea. Not all the butterflies have hatched yet but when they do, there will be one for everyone. They will set the butterlies free sometime this month. I don't know about you, but way back in the dark ages when I was in first grade, we sure didn't do anything as cool as that!!
Here's a picture of the children with me. You can see the butterflies hanging above our heads!
Sharon
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