Remember when. . .

Dear Reader,

I don't know who is more excited, my son or I about his summer job. All of a sudden I feel that I have just received a raise. You see, he no longer asks for money because he needs gas or that he needs money for food, which has always confused me. The reason being is that I always have food in the house. However, he mentions to me that the food is not the same as a fast food establishment with the company of friends, or maybe the fact that I might not be the best cook around. Thank goodness he is working and busy; I just hope that he will stay out of trouble.

Yesterday on his way to work, he stopped to say good-bye. He can be the sweetest boy. The funny thing was, is that he stopped in his tracks because I was reading Strega Nona by Tomie dePoala for a Children's Literature class, a book that I haven't read in years. He reminded me how much he loved that book, and how it was one of our favorite books in our home library. Well that is before it was washed away by Hurricane Katrina. Then, my daughter came downstairs and joined in the memories. I had forgotten that I had shared that book with her third grade class in Louisiana. We talked about our memories, and the books that we shared together. It is funny how these books have made such an impression on my children. My oldest who is a senior, and my daughter who is a freshman in High School have such loving childhood memories all revolving around books. Again, it goes back to the power of a story and the vivid memories it conjures. Amazing.

Poor thing, when my oldest left to work; he dragged my youngest child from playing with the dogs because he also had to sit down in the living room with me to share in the literacy experience. He had never had experienced that story. Strega Nona and poor Big Anthony, the power of a book.

-Maria