“Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” original clipping
Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897.
To Dance with Fireflies now in paperback
Go to Amazon.com for your own copy in either E Book format or paperback.
BE SURE TO LEAVE A SHORT BLURB ON AMAZON ALONG WITH A RANKING.
Enjoy ~ and always dance with Fireflies.
Iowa Falls, Iowa Angels from the past
Iowa Falls Angels from the 1950′s. Thank you D. Rucker for sharing the original picture. My sister, Julie Kepler is far left and D. Rucker’s wife, Peggy O’Malia, is far right.
We all remember our childhoods. I hope that you have as many fond memories as I. My sister is an angel today and I miss her greatly.
To Dance with Fireflies and the Vietnam War
And real? What is real? Does it have a face? Rules? Where can you find it? Where can real hide? The only answer the vets all agreed upon was, whatever real was, it couldn’t be found in Vietnam.
*****
Stephen’s body began to tense as ghosts from over twenty years ago called up from some secret hiding place. The ghosts had become a part of Stephen’s world, part of his everyday life. His ghosts were part of who he was, until they were buried so deep within him, he feared he wouldn’t be able to function without them. To live in a world without his ghosts from Vietnam might be too lonely to face. Misery, after all, is better than loneliness.
In To Dance with Fireflies, Stephen Grant empties his mind, heart, and soul of his ghosts and demons from his Vietnam tour. Read it all and how it can help you or your family member at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Willow Moon Publishing.
Celebrating 315 years of marriage
Tim and I are celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary on August 27th. This is the backside of our party invitation. I wish I could show you the front but I can’t right now. You see, we are having a dual party: our anniversary along with a baby shower for our beautiful, darling, perfect, granddaughter who is being adopted. Because the adoption is not complete, I cannot post pictures of the most adorable six-month old on my blog. Just wait until she is fully a part of our family. Her smile will melt your heart.
As for our anniversary of 45 years, our two little dogs reminded me that perhaps we should celebrate in dog years. That makes Tim and me celebrating 315 years of married bliss. Where did they all go!
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY
“Bombs bursting in air . . . our flag was still there.”
May you all enjoy a wonderful and safe holiday celebration with your family and friends. This is about our nation ~ pulling together our past and our future.
LET FREEDOM RING!
Kiss from an Easter Lily
My husband, Tim, has brought home an Easter Lily to me every Good Friday for the past 44 years. This year, he didn’t bring one home to me. Instead, Tim took me and together we picked out the perfect lily for the middle of our table. It has plenty of buds to bloom ~ just as our love always has. It’s like a kiss from an Easter Lily. Happy Easter.
Speech/Language therapy tip #8
Reading to your child is the best predictor of successful school outcome.
Plan book time into your daily schedule.
The memories will last a lifetime.
A Santa list for Social Skills with ASD
What better time to teach social skills to children with ASD than at Christmas!
Santa would so approve.
I believe that all children with autism want to please their parents, teachers, friends, speech therapist, and yes, Santa. I believe they don’t always know how. In fact, I know they don’t know how to make the right social choices. Many people without ASD don’t make good social choices either.
Christmas is a perfect time to make comparison lists of right vs. wrong, good compared to bad, and in Santa terms, between naughty and nice. Start making your lists of naughty and nice things to do for the holidays and compare them. Talk about them. Do the nice ones – together.
Acts of “niceness” at Christmas
encourage good social choices year round.
Norman Rockwell’s Thanksgiving from Kathie Harrington
Thank you Norman Rockwell
A very warm and thankful Thanksgiving from our house to yours.
Don’t forget to give thanks to whom it belongs.
