Pies, Pies, Pies!

Last week I spent some time with the 4th grade at Echo Lake Elementary and it was so much fun. We split it into 2 groups to be a little more time efficient and with each group I went over some basics of writing and creating. We brainstormed and then outlined and I took the ideas that we put together and actually formulated them into stories. The two groups were very different in approach and overall tone surprisingly, but they were very similar in their themes. Each of their main ideas were centered around pies! It was so funny when I started to brainstorm with the second group and they started to shout out nouns and adjectives -they were so similar. They wanted the center of the story to be about a pie, they wanted it to involve a potato and a monkey!! I kind of tweaked the ideas a little so they would lead in different directions. One story was called "Contest on Pie Planet" about friends who attend a pie eating contest on Mars which is hosted by a mutant. They have to eat their way off of the planet after the contest leads to a food fight started by the mutant! They are able to find their way to a clearing to "jump off" of the planet and land back on earth. The other story is called "Oh My Pie!" It is about two friends who do everything together and have a garden together as well. They discover a giant pie growing in their garden one day and decide to water it with hot sauce. The pie is enormous, they dig in and instead of the pie getting smaller -they do! The spicy pie (they soon discover) gives them the ability to breathe fire and melt the remaining pie and they go back to normal size. I added a little twist to the end of each of them when I wrote it for the classes to have -but that will be between the classes and I :)...
It was so much fun to brainstorm with the students - especially the ones who were really into it. It is kind of tough to stay focused (for me anyway) when I would see some students who thought I was the most boring person in the universe - but that was definitely not the norm amongst this group. I'm going back this week to do some one on one editing with the students on their own pieces. I am really looking forward to it. I would post a picture but I need to clear permission first!

Grateful

I love Willow Tree Sculptures - especially because their titles are so short but meaningful. I think my favorite ones are "Peaceful" and "Grateful." I don't have grateful but it's on my list! Gratitude is something I forget about sometimes and get caught up in everything that's annoying me instead of focusing on what truly (at the core) makes me grateful. One of those things I was reminded of last night as my husband repeated our son's prayer for the night to me. When Parker prays with Chip, Chip encourages him to thank God for one specific thing from his day - yesterday he said he was grateful that he gets to see me. I was floored - he said he loves to see me because it makes him feel good. The reason it floored me was because he is an absolute daddy's boy - admires everything Chip! The fact that my boy sees me more than really anyone in his life (maybe a tie with his teacher now) and still gets happy when he sees me - that's what I'm most grateful for!

I am also grateful that I have a book that people are able to read... even people I don't know. That is my favorite thing about writing - I can reach people (if not with this book, hopefully with books and articles to come) that I don't even know. I love it when people talk to me about my words. I'm still a beginner in the grand scheme of things and I'm still so green in so many areas, but I'm very grateful for the occasional editors who take the time to give me feedback and edits rather than just rejections!

I guess I'm trying to focus on the things I can change rather than the things that I can't - (I've never been to an AA meeting, but I can absolutely respect the serenity prayer!). Who knows - hopefully it will help cushion the blow from some of the rejections...

A Great Moment...

This past Saturday, I worked a VCU alumni event with the book and it was so much fun. There was a huge turn-out (I only sold one book, but a huge turnout at any rate). A DJ, prizes, BBQ, and alumni from a huge range of graduating classes and schools. It was so cool to have Parker enjoying the music and Rodney Ram (taking pictures and dancing with alumni) and loving telling people about the book. It was only topped off by the fact that it was Homecoming weekend at VCU. Because VCU doesn't have a football team, their game is basketball. I was able to be hooked up with tickets for the game so we went over after the event.

The game was so packed with excitement - people were lined up around the block (literally) 2 hours before the game. It was sold out pretty early on but black and gold and posters surrounded the outside of the pavillion. The three of us had our VCU garb on also - we fit right in! Parker doesn't usually go crazy at games - in fact, he loves to cheer for the opposite team for fun - I was really crossing my fingers that he would love the game... he did! He was so into it, it made it that much more fun - the Siegel Center was sold out and packed... both teams played well but VCU beat Towson by over 20 in the end. The best part of the whole night was after the game...

Our seats were right on the court and beside the opening to the Rams locker room. We were able to stand right by the opening to cheer on the players at the end of the game. Maynor, Shuler, Anderson ... they all stopped if a kid asked to talk to them or for a signing of a t-shirt. Very sweet with the fans and very humble. Best of all - one of the things I doubt I'll forget anytime soon - was Parker stepping into the opening after the players passed waiting to talk to Coach Grant. I have only met Coach Grant a couple of times and each time he was just as humble and strong of speech and character as you would imagine, but he just blows me away! To watch him on the court with the boys - just commanding everyone and they turned to him for guidance (not fear) throughout the game... and by the way - he wins games! Coach Grant bent over and got on one knee to listen. His team was waiting, some reporters were waiting, the director of athletics was waiting and he stopped to talk to my little 5 (and 1/2) year old so sweetly. He gave Parker a hug when they were finished and a pat on the back. I take pictures of everything - too many really - I had my camera in my pocket and I just couldn't stop watching this moment (that Parker will hopefully remember for a long time) of this amazing coach (saught after by big programs all over the country). I didn't want to run the risk of missing it trying to get my camera right and focused and not getting the picture in time. I was so excited and proud of Parker because that setting is definitely intimidating. That moment will definitely stay in my head for a long time - hopefully Coach Anthony Grant will be here for a long time, too!

Go Rams!