Wednesday's highlight was lunch in the rocking chairs at Hollins. Ericlee packed us a picnic. We stopped by the post office first to get our mail. We were delighted to find a care package from our dear friends, Cindy & Maya, full of books, a dress for Meilani and fun, organic snacks for the whole family.
Meilani enjoyed ripping the wrapping paper off the books and paging through them. I think we are raising a kid who likes to read (at least pictures anyway!) Cindy sent SLEEP TIGHT, LITTLE BEAR by Martin Waddell. Since "bear" is one of the words Meilani has been working on, this was a big hit. Ericlee was especially excited about the organic granola in the box and I was just happy for more food to fill our cupboards. (Oh, how I miss my kitchen.)
Admittedly, yesterday was a long day for me (Dorina). I was trying to cram in so much writing and reading before class. I had class 2-5 p.m. Dinner with my class 5-7 p.m. and then a reading by the Hollins faculty 7-9 p.m. By the end of the day, I had major brain drain. I guess that's what grad school does to you. As Ericlee continually reminds me, "If it were easy, everyone would be doing it." How true.
The faculty reading was another highlight. It's always a thrill to hear real live authors read from their work. We have quite the talent pool teaching us here at Hollins. The pictures include Alexandria LaFaye, my History of Criticism in Children's Lit. teacher. She's the author of WORTH, which just won the prestigious, Scott O'Dell award. She read a lyrical new picture book she's been working on about the Reconstruction Period after slavery and a boy looking for his mama.
The next picture is of National-book-award-winning author, Han Nolan. I was in her creative writing class a year ago and she has some fabulous young adult novels. Her latest book is A SUMMER OF KINGS. She inspired me to try out a YA novel I'm working on now about a biracial girl growing up in a pizzeria in Chicago. It looks like this one is going to be my thesis in the end.
1 comment:
You guys are so easy to spoil. Funny...that granola was actually intended for Ericlee in thought. D, the postage limited funky juice drinks for you, but I did think about them in the store. :)
Hope that this last week of grad school is enjoyable (post-Monday pressures) and your family time in Virginia/Carolina is blessed. So proud of you for running with your dreams and working so hard.
Hugs,
Cindy
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