Janeen says the NICE THINGS

So I have a friend named Janeen..  Sometimes I think about her and then it just makes me smile and I want to be like her alot.  She is always nice no matter what.  Sometimes when I am at school and I answer a question wrong, some kids laugh at me and then I kinda look down and feel sorta creepy  for a minute until I make myself think it out.  It's ok not to know everything all the time and it's ok not to always know what the capital of Arkansas is...it will still be there, and I can learn it better for next time, so I quit looking down at my desk and feel okey dokey fine  again.  Little Rock, Little Rock, Little Rock.  (I can remember it now because when I think about it...Noah's Ark rocked a little back and forth on the water and now I won't ever forget about Little Rock, Arkansas.)  So right there I learned two things: #1  Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas and #2 I won't ever laugh at anyone who forgets a state capital for a minute or other stuff. 

I think there are lots of times when other people make us feel sorta sad inside.  Some kids make fun of other people so they will feel all super duper better than ever or something...but it doesn't work.  One day, Margaret told me that her clothes are always in fashion and she looked right at my skirt and that made me think that maybe I wasn't exactly in fashion right then. At recess, I saw Kyle shared his candy bar with Neal W. but he told Steve that there wasn't enough for him.  What?  Candy bars can be broken in three pieces or twenty three pieces! Even if you only get one tiny peanut it is better than lying or making someone feel bad, but you'd probably get a bit of chocolate too.  Some kids always have to be the best, the first, win at everything, get all the attention, be faster, better,  more beautiful, answer everything, and put other kids down so they will feel UP.  Oh Brother! All of that is super duper sad, bad, mad, and silly, hilly, billy. 

But Janeen always says the nice things and she always makes people feel happy and she even wrote me a note and told me that she likes how I do things.  I want to be like that. She is the best kind of people because she's fun to be with and she makes you feel special and stuff even when you live far away.  I read her note over and over. She plays the piano and plans things out and keeps her room perfect too.  But the best part is: Her heart has room for everybody. 

That must be the SECRET PEOPLE RULE.  Be NICE TO EVERYONE!  It's pretty hard sometimes.  Like when I am home and my brother bugs me.  But my Mom said that the scriptures say: Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto YOU.  I will try I guess.  But he better not bug me today!  And...he better not ignore me.  And...he better not say mean things to me...And he better not hide the cookies again...OR eat all of the potatoes at dinner...OR always get the remote...OR make weird noises and stuff.  

Do you ever wonder why Heavenly Father grows everything...even the weeds.  The Sun and Rain fall on the prettiest flowers and on the way ugliest weeds.

He made up the People Rule.  I will try it.  I want to be NICE to everyone and write notes to people like Janeen does.  It would be so much easier if I didn't live in my house with my b-r-o-t-h-e-r...but it will give me lots of practice and then everything else will be easy peasy pudding n' pie!

Ok...Remember... Little Rock, Little Rock, Little Rock...don't throw a rock...then you REALLY ROCK!

NICE!  I can remember that!

PS  Thank you for being so nice Janeen!

Points aren't the only things that Count!

When Ms. Clay told us to choose kickball teams at recess...I ran out those doors and to home base as fast as I could because I knew exactly who I wanted to have on my team. First, Jaden... because he can kick harder than anybody in our whole school and he never kicks fly-balls. He kicks low and fast. So fast that even if you could see the ball, you can't catch it in time. Yeah, and for sure we need Madison because she is the best at catching the close-up flyballs. She has no fear and she just reaches right out and grabs those balls no matter how high they go, no matter how long it takes them to come down. Luci just has to be on my team because she is my best friend and we are always on the same team.

"Jaden!" "Madison!" I yelled. "Jaden!" "Madison!" and my hands waved frantically to tell them to come over my team. "Luci, help me yell their names! We have to have them on our team...we have to!"
Well, then Ms. Clay came and told Ryan and Misha to be the captains. They could take turns choosing their teams. I know that Ryan can run fast...but he never listens to the girls and so I squished over by Misha and started to whisper as loud as I could: "Misha, choose Jaden!" And right then- she did choose Jaden. Then Ryan chose Isaac. Then I whispered: "Misha, choose Madison!" And right then-she did choose Madison. Then Ryan chose Skyler. Then I whispered: "Misha, choose me!" But she didn't hear me I think, because lots of kids were telling her to choose them and she probably got all mixed up and so she just chose Shelly. Then Ryan chose Garrett. Then I yelled to the top of my lungs: "Misha, choose me!" But everybody was yelling to the top of their lungs and so she couldn't hear anybody and so she just chose Olivia. Then Ryan chose Hunter. Then Misha chose Hannah. Then Ryan chose Issac. Then Misha chose Luci! Wahooo! Finally! I could put my hand down and not yell my head off anymore. She would choose me next, I just knew it.But the worst possible thing in the whole wide world happened. Ryan drummed his chin with his fingers and looked all around. Twice. I think he wanted everybody to memorize that he was the big captain boy. Anyway, people were waving and jumping and shouting: "Choose me, choose me." Then Ryan told everyone to be quiet-- and he chose-- "Hadley K."

What?! How could he do that? My team was on the other side...couldn't he see that? Why not Autumn or Caroline or Kaylee? Why not choose Logan or Jacob or Eli? Why me? I slowly stepped over to the wrong team which was now MY team. Misha chose Emma. Ryan chose Cody. Misha chose Carter. Ryan chose Kadence. And they kept calling all the names until everybody had a team...even if it was the wrong one.Plus, we had to start outfield and so the other team would probably get two ups and we would probably only get one or maybe one and a half if we were very very lucky because recess isn't that long you know. My day was pretty much shredded to bits and ruined. I looked over at Misha's team. They had the two fastest runners in the universe, the three best catchers know to mankind, the fastest throwers in our entire town, and my best friend on top of all that. It wasn't fair. I couldn't even look at our team.

Regge, Margaret, and Neil were chosen last. Well, Regge has to take over the whole thing no matter what and won't listen to anyone much. Margaret has new shoes on and can't really kick or run in those fancy things--plus she doesn't like sports. And Neil, well, he is Neil.

The real team got 11 homeruns before we finally got their runners out. I was way out in left field and so I pretty much just stood there the whole time watching Luci and Misha smiling and talking on the real team. The bell couldn't ring fast enough for me. Math was better than this. But after a long long time, we were up and after a much longer time, it was finally my turn to kick that ball. My first serve was way wobbly and so it had to be thrown again. Then the next serve was slow and smooth and I kicked it with all my best. Not too low for it to be a pop ball. Not too high for it to be too short. But just right for it to speed sail between the pitcher and 3rd base. It went fast and so did I. First base, Second base, and almost to third, when I tripped on my shoelace and fell down so hard. My elbow was all scraped up and stingy, and my shirt had grass stains everywhere. Most everybody on my team came over to help me up. "Are you ok?" Hunter wanted to know. When Ryan saw my elbow he said, "I'll go get teacher!" and started to run. Somebody shouted: "I'll get some wet paper towels," I tried really really hard not to cry too much. I looked around at my team. "You sure ran fast Hadley!" "Does it hurt alot?" Everybody was being so nice to me and trying to help me feel better.

After recess, when we were all back in our desks, Ms. Clay was telling us about our new spelling words. I looked down at the bandage on my stingy elbow. Our team only got 3 runs, the real team got 11; but just then an idea popped into my mind. 'Points aren't the only thing that counts'. I thought about all the people on my team that tried to help me. Maybe they weren't the fastest runners, or the best catchers, or best kickers, but they were there when I needed them. I sorta think that I was on a winning team after-all!

Chap. 16: Seeds Grow,You Know

"EVERYBODY can go except ME. That is soooo NOT fair! I am the ONLY ONE who can't go to the party." That's what I sorta shouted last Thursday in the laundry room after I showed the best invitation in the world to my mom. She was planting tiny seeds in some containers, so it took silence time and then she said super softly (which means her idea was stuck in cement), "Hadley K, I already said that you could go to the party, but you cannot stay overnight...and the reason I said that, is because: You can't."

She was poking little holes, in the dirt holder thingy, and planting seeds..and then spraying water over the top. The seeds were so small that I could hardly even see them...even if I wanted to...which right now...I didn't!

I usually help with the plantie and gardeny things. I know those bitty seeds will grow up and up until they have stuff hanging on them like tomatoes and pea pods and beans. It really is a giant miracle. But first, we have to wait for the snow to melt. Then we plant. Then we water, then we wait. And I don't know how they do it...or how the teensy seeds remember, but a carrot seed ALWAYS knows to grow into a carrot. A cucumber seed, ALWAYS remembers to grow into a cucumber. They just know. There will never be a watermelon seed that grows up to be a radish. NEVER EVER! That's why my mom and dad are careful to choose what seeds to plant. It takes a long time though, and so I knew our talking was done. "Mom, I need to go to this party!" I sighed quietly.

She started to give me a hug, which I didn't want right then. Well, I did want her hug...because she is my mom and stuff... (even if she was making a humongous mistake! )

But that was all last week and I should have given her a gianormous hug! And this is why I am writing all this in my journal so I will remember to know next time that my mom really really does get it! I better remember to read this next time my hug is holding back a bit! Remember, Remember, Remember, Hadley K!

It all started when I ran as fast as I could to save the 4-square pad last Thursday for lunch recess. I just plopped right down on the pad and waited for Luci to check out a ball. Just then, Shamee came and asked me if she could have the 4-square pad for her friends and I told her that I promised Luci that I'd save it, but they could take turns with us if they wanted to. I guess they didn't!

Shamee has shiny hair; she is in a high grade and gets to run for a school office, and everybody will vote for her, and she has awesome blue braces on her teeth. Cassandra told Margaret that Shamee had the best braces in the whole school. Shamee just stood there...and I just sat there...(kinda wishing that I wasn't there)... and then she got a big smile and I saw the best braces and yup...they were! They were really really blue. She told me that her birthday was coming and if I would let them have the squares, then she would invite me to her party. You have so got to be kidding me! Of all of my lucky days! ME! Going to Shamee's party! She has her own cell phone and it even takes pictures. Everybody knows that she is popular and now she was going to invite ME to HER party!

"Okay then!" I said,

and then she said: "Great, tell me your name."

and then I did.

She turned around and bounced her 4-square ball. I jumped up quick so it wouldn't turn into a dodge ball. She didn't even say: Thank You, or anything...but she was probably thinking about her birthday. I spent the rest of the week thinking about what present I should take to Shamee's party...how I should have my mom do my hair, and how un-fair it was that I couldn't stay overnight like EVERYBODY else.

"I'm sorry Luci," I whispered when I saw the checked out ball and her sad eyes. I told her the whole deal while we walked back to take turns on the swings. "I'm sorry about 4-square and I'm sorry that you didn't get invited too. But maybe Shamee has an tiny-eensy-teensy house and can only invite a few, very super and important people." It was only one recess ruined, and it was only one party...so Luci shouldn't have been so sad-ee, mad-ee, and stuff. So she had one bad day, she could still have a good life. (I sound like my grandma sometimes!)

Well, I was a (bit) mad too. Its not good to be mad, but mad was on the very top of me because of seeing Luci so sad, and then my mom saying that I couldn't stay overnight. They were ruining my whole social network part on purpose!

I had to remind Shamee about the invitation on Monday. On Tuesday, she brought me the coolest colorfulest card in the universe. It said: Let's PAR-TAY for my B-DAY!!!

Inside it said the stuff about what to plan and things: Friday 6:00 P.M. until Saturday at 10:00 A.M. That just means that everybody else is taking a sleeping bag... EXCEPT ME! Plus, It's a VERY good thing that my dad and mom know where she lives and who her mom is and most of the girls invited or I couldn't even get to go for CAKE AND ICE CREAM!

My parents always want to know where I am and who I am with and what we are going to do. Daddy said that if someone took my bike somewhere, then I would want to know the same things about it. Then he asked me if I AM MORE IMPORTANT than handlebars and pedals... and we just laughed.

On Friday, I tried not to talk about the party so much around Luci. I just told her that I bought a coloring book and some new markers for Shamee. Well...I did tell her that I was going to have my hair pulled up on the sides. But that's all. Oh! Except, I think I told her that I was going to wear my lavendar shirt with the big bow in back. I can't remember, I might have told her that I hope the Birthday cake is chocolate...but that's for sure ALL that I said.

"Be a Lady and be sure to say: Thank You," (my mom always hugs me and says that when I go anywhere.) Be a lady means: Be a Princess...(because I really am one, that's why). Mom said that she or dad would come back to get me at 9:30 PM) PM in this case means: pretty mean...but at least I got to go!) I rang the doorbell. I was in my lavendar shirt and my present was all flowery with a Pink Bow on it! I WAS AT SHAMEE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY...FOR REALS!

And we had so much fun! We played all kinds of games, and we had her cake all baked in ice cream cones! The icing looked like vanilla ice cream with sprinkles...but it wasn't even cold! It wasn't even real ice cream...it was really chocolate cake cones! My mom has got to know about this. I wished Luci could have one...she would think she had died and gone to heaven!

It was the best PAR-TAY e-v-e-r! I really felt like a lady and I remembered to say Thank You. Shamee liked my present... (Who wouldn't? The markers were scented! And everyone of them smelled really good...I tried them all.) One girl named Lesla, giggled at me because I had colors under my nose, but she helped me during 'Pin the Tiara on the Princess' game and so I giggled too.

Now to the part that I want to forget and its also the same part that I want to remember! It was almost 9:00 PM and all of the girls went downstairs to put their sleeping bags in a circle. The Lesla girl let me sit on her sleeping bag with her. At first, everyone was talking about braiding hair, and about riding horses, and about Birthdays and stuff. Luci would have liked the part about riding horses because her uncle just got one. Soon, we all voted to watch TV. I voted to watch 'Little House' re-runs or play games again...but the most votes chose a new program that I hadn't even heard about.

Shamee turned out the lights and the show started. OH MY! It was a very bad show. The actress was not a Lady...she was immodest and disgusting! The actor said two swear words in a row. Even the music was up to no good. It's easy to tell because something inside feels drooped down when stuff is wrong. Two of the girls wanted to change the channel. But, 5 of the girls voted to watch it some more.

"Don't worry, that's just one little part." somebody said. "I watch it all of the time," somebody else agreed. OH MY! I hoped that Shamee's mom would come downstairs. AND Right then...she did come down! I was so glad, now she would change the channel to a good show! ...But SHE DIDN'T Turn that Yucko show off! She just passed around some popcorn and went back upstairs. 'YOU HAVE SO GOT TO BE KIDDING' I thought. Didn't she hear the words? Couldn't she see that Actress? Moms are supposed to pull the plugs!

Something inside of me was kinda scared... sorta like hurry and hide under my bed scared, right then. I looked around at those girls. Rachel and Jaimee had their eyes looking down. Rachel was plugging her ears. The other girls laughed at them and told them to grow up because this wasn't even that bad for now-a-days. WOW! This was a backwards house is all I could think...and some ugly weed seeds were being planted downstairs by that TV show. Do Shamee's friends really think a yuck seed will grow up to be a good seed?

Right then, I said a 'help me' prayer. I didn't want any of this in my 'Angels are Silent Notes taking' book! But, I didn't want anyone to laugh at me... either. The Actress got more immodest. Just then, I remembered Joseph. My Primary teacher told me that he ran away from the immodest queen. I stepped over some girls, and asked Rachel and Jaimee to go upstairs and play a game with me, so we stood up, and we ran up the stairs. And that's when I got it...right at the tippy top of the stairs...a little thought came in my brain all by itself.

Standing for right and sitting for right are not the same sort of seeds!

I am writing this down so I won't forget, because that is a very very IMPORTANT idea that I thought at the top of those stairs.

We played a game...and it was fun...but I was so happy to hear that doorbell at 9:30 PM. Something inside of me smiled really big when I opened the door and saw my dad planted on that porch, juat waiting to take me home.

Science Fair SECRET!

"Don't tell anybody. Okay Luci?"

She promised me that she wouldn't tell a soul..."with scout's honor" she said. (Only she isn't a scout).

I didn't want anyone to know what my science project was going to be because just in case they copy my idea at the last last minute. It is such a great idea! Luci said so too.

Ms. Clay said that we could start setting up on Tuesday. So I didn't want anyone to know until then... for sure!

My journal is a safe place to write in...and so I will keep track of it all right here. I am making Crystals for my project. REAL CRYSTALS! And I got a book all about it. All you have to have is sugar and water...well, I really mean salt and water and lots of other stuff. We tried the sugar thing first, but it didn't work so well (the sugar stuff burnt and whewy...that was bad...and so forget the sugar) and then we did the salt thing. You take 1 cup of water and 2 cups of salt and cook it. I can't remember exactly how we did it now. Anyway, take lots of cups and jars and ice cube trays or bowls or whatever and take lots of pencils or pens or straws or whatever to put across the cups and jars and ice cube trays and bowls or whatever and they will hold the string that goes down with a nail or paper clip on the end in the water and salt. Then just wait for a few days...and then keep waiting. And we are still waiting!
Kaylee is using clorox water and food coloring to show how flowers can change their colors. It's cool because you can see that they really drink the water up into their stems and stuff. I might put coloring in my cups. Yeah, that would be awesome. And it would NOT be copying because hers is about flowers and mine is about Crystals. Plus, it's a great idea and ideas are just floating in the air sometimes and don't really belong to anybody.

Autumn is taking sodas like Mountain Dew and coke and 7-up to show which one bubbles most. But when she put a nail in a cup of Mountain Dew and coke then that soda eats the nail right up in a few days! No wonder mom doesn't buy soda very much. That stuff would eat my stomach away! GROSS! Plus, Misha is using dish soap and 7-up and water to see what cleans a penny the best. That is sorta like a science experiment...but sorta like a clean the house chore I think. Maybe her mom wants to know how to clean things better, I don't know. But whatever helps them I guess; it just doesn't seem so much like science but more like Saturday chores.

Garrett is doing "Protect the Geysers" and it is awesome! He has two big buckets and they erupt... so on Tuesday morning, we all went outside to watch. Some of the kids got tired of standing by those buckets and GAVE UP and went inside and missed it...but not me. I stood right there for the whole thing. One of the buckets was clogged and so it never did anything but fizz a bit. Ms. Clay finally told us to come in. I think Garrett used lots of baking soda for that. Maybe he will give me his secret recipe so I can show mom and dad. Even my brother would like that.

Hunter is having a rotten egg experiment. He has some clothespins to plug your nose with. NOT ME! I WON'T even go NEAR his desk. What kind of an experiment is that?
Regge is doing a beeper thingy. And he keeps making it beep real loud. "Turn that off!" Logan shouted at him and some of the girls plugged their ears and lots of kids just rolled their eyes. IT was LOUD! But Regge said he had to try it out to make sure it works. Well, believe me...it DID!

Cody didn't have a clue about what to do on Tuesday...so Ms. Clay told him to think really hard about it because he only had three days until the science fair on Friday. He didn't have a clue about what to do on Wednesday and so Ms. Clay told him to think really really hard about it because he only had two days until the science fair on Friday. He didn't have a clue about what to do on Thursday and so Ms. Clay told him to think really really really hard about ti because he only had one day until the science fair on Friday. Cody didn't have a clue about what to do on Friday and so Ms. Clay took him out into the hall and they had a long talk. When they came back in, I thought Cody would be crying, but I saw Ms. Clay wipe her eyes and so I know there was a REAL reason that Cody was not prepared. I know that for positive sure because Ms. Clay gave him a magnifying glass and some newspapers and some water to see how things get amplified sort of.

Madison made clouds with hot water at the bottom of a jar and a container of ice on top...only she was to supposed to put it in the freezer on Thursday and she forgot. Margaret made mothballs dance, Kate had a pea experiment, and Jaden made a volcano! Luci did an ant colony...just like the one I did last year. I even helped her find the queen. When she took the black paper off her jar we could see all of the tunnels and now I wish I had done that again...because I put all my containers and strings and things on my desk and my poster all about Crystals and I had about three little ones started but I was still WAITING.

On Friday we marched into the gym in rows. Each row got twenty minutes to set up their science project and then they had to go back to the room and find something quietly to do. That means read! I put up my poster. It said: COLORFUL CRYSTAL CREATIONS. That is pretty clever. And I put my best 9 containers on the table in front of the poster. They looked like color all right...but I needed to borrow the magnifying glass from Cody if anyone wanted to see the crystals hanging in the bottom of three of the cups. I am still WAITING!

I felt sad when I looked around at everybody else's tables. I felt really sad when I heard Regge's beeping over and over. Ouch...there goes my ear drums. There should be a school rule about NO BEEPERS at science fairs. I felt really really sad and almost got some tears when I saw Cassandra's 'Progressing Plants in Process' project and her beautiful growing garden and her hydro whatever. Her hair was perfect and she had two little pea pod barretts to match her ruffly garden apron. Kids walked by my part of our table and looked way down in my cups and then looked at me and didn't say anything mostly...and then they oohed and awed when they stood around Jaden's volcanos and Cassandra's plants.

Luci and me thought maybe Cassandra's parents did her project by themselves and so it didn't really count so much. Or maybe her uncle is a 'horticulture' guy (that is a really great word that means a garden man. I like big words, but I wasn't liking her perfect project right then). Or maybe she has an aunt who does fancy lettering for her perfect poster and is like pro-fession-al! Or maybe...she probably has a grandma who sews her cute clothes and bought her those pea pod barretts? We watched Luci's ants for a while...and wondered how life and a science fair could possibly be fair.

And then I heard a girl say, "Who is Hadley K?" and it was a girl from a high grade and she was looking at my crystals! She looked at them for a long time and she said that mine was the best project of all. And she asked me lots of questions because she wants to try it. They are 'so pretty' she said. And after she left...I looked at my poster and yup...it was pro-fession-al! That girl changed my whole science fair. I thought alot about that. And then I got a great idea!

My crystals did not work...but I could try an experiment that would. When I think about it...that girl changed me from a frown to a smile in a minute. How did she do that? I thought and thought about that. She wasn't extra extra pretty. She didn't have fancy clothes or matching barrettes and shoes. She didn't think she already knew everything. She was just kind. ..plus, she was interested. That's all. And 'kind' feels good. I decided to do an experiment. I looked around the gym and saw other kids that sat by their projects all alone too. I thought I was the only one. "Luci, we need to try a people experiment." I whispered to her all about my great idea!

Well, Luci started over by Kaylee's table and I started by Olivia's table and then we would meet in the middle. The experiment: Be interested and Be kind to everyone who sat alone by their project. Ask a question, say something nice, and see if they smiled. Then meet back by the ant farm in twelve minutes. "Ready Luci?" She nodded her head and then she got a little bit shy because on her side was Carter and she thinks Carter is really cute and so FINE...of course, she couldn't talk to Carter... and so we traded places.

I hope I always remember this science fair...and I will (because that's what journals are for) and I want all my kids to know about our GREAT PEOPLE EXPERIMENT when they get to earth! ok, so...Luci and I went all around the gym. I told Hannah that she had pretty rocks and a nice chart. Makayla had nice colors on her poster. Kadence organized her pictures in a circle and I like circles. Jacob had his solar system in a neat row and I like neat rows. Sienna chose good pictures for her animal food chain.

And Regge...oh brother...I would have to get Regge's part of a table. I wanted to PLUG MY EARS and PASS HIM BY. BEEPERS should NOT be allowed at Ephraim Elementary. But there he was, all alone, right NEXT to Cassandra's crowd of giggles. (Are people there because of her plants or because of her pea pods and popular?) "Regge," I tried to think of something good about his project. I wanted to be interested. I had to be kind. "Well...hmmmm...I think you...well...good job Regge!" I was still trying to think of something that was sincere. I can't throw lies into my experiment or it isn't REAL. "Do you want me to Beep it for you Hadley?" "Oh NO!" I said quickly...(maybe too quickly)..."Actually I already heard it" (On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and about thirty two times already on Friday I thought.) "No, I just wanted to tell you that you spelled everything just right on your poster." Oh brother, that was lame. "And... your beeper thing...is LOUD...and it is probably the LOUDEST experiment in the whole school." Regge got a big smile on his face. "You got that right!" he said. And I knew by his smile that I did. I did get that right.

On the way home from school, Luci and I talked about the volcanos and ants and dancing mothballs and water magnifiers and cleaning pennies and yucky soda and peas and garden plants and barrettes and clouds and protecting geysers and lots and lots of stuff...but mostly we talked about the best secret experiment of the whole science fair. The people experiment. EVERY time we were nice to someone, they felt better (and we know they did) because they smiled. And that was the best thing ever to prove. And when I think about it, the results of that experiment happened lots faster than growing crystals...still W-A-I-T-I-N-G!

Far Far Away...

Mom and Dad had to go to another State. And it is far (VERY far) away. It is called a business trip because dad has to show some computer things to lots of people in a gigantic room. He gets to draw the stuff on a wall so everybody can see it. Well, he doesn't actually even draw on the wall for reals...because he is drawing on a computer, but it shines on the wall really big. Anyway, mom just wanted to go with him because after the convention thingy they can go on dates and stuff.

At first, I thought it was a great idea. Because I really really love it when grandma comes. We get to choose what we want to eat and we get to stay up late sometimes. She doesn't even worry about all of the chores so much...because we are so busy having fun. Well, she sorta worries about the chores but she makes up other chores that are different I think. She tells us stories about when our mom and dad were little. Plus, she really really likes pizza and so do I.

It's just that tonight, I miss my mom and dad. Other states are so so far away. I just wish I could be there and see them for a minute. That's all. I would just peek in and give them a hug and look at them. And they would be right there. And I would be right there.

I don't like missing people...and I don't like far far away states. Cept, my aunt Lacey and uncle Trevor live where my mom and dad are. Why can't we all just live by each other and not have to have that sad stretchy feeling? Plus, what if my aunt Lacey has her baby tonight and what if mom and dad get to see it and I don't? What if the baby looks around and wonders where I am? What if it yawns a cute little yawn for the first time and I can't even see it yawn?

Mom usually reads me a story or else dad will make up one about hobbits and things. I know that I am getting big and can read to myself...but it isn't the same. I have little tears, and I keep turning my pillow case over again and again, but it won't make anything change very much. Don't cry Hadley K. I think the tears mean that I am a little sad...but maybe they mean I am happy too sorta. Because when I think about it, I am happy that I have such a good family and so that's why I miss them all the way through to the other side of me. And I will see them soon. And they said they would bring me a surprise! And I thought that would be great... but now I think they are the best surprise!

I better go to sleep. Grandma said we could go feed the ducks tomorrow. I love to feed the ducks! They have little duckling babies right now at the park. They are sooooo cute. I hope Uncle Trevor will send us pictures of their baby. Maybe it will have dimples? I don't even know what it looks like. Grandma said that it might come to earth tonight! I want to be there so much. I will miss everything. I don't even know what color of blanket they have for their baby. It seems like earth is a far far away place from Heaven. Maybe little babies cry because they miss Heaven. I would hold that little baby gently and kind so it will feel happy to be here on earth.

The best part of all will be when my mom and dad come home. We will blow up balloons and make a humongous sign. It will say: WELCOME HOME! ...and we will tape it to the garage door to surprise them. And then they will be home.

I can't wait to give them a gigantic hug. When I think about it... about far far away, and about that baby, and about my mom and dad, and the missing things and stuff...

I wonder if maybe that's how Heavenly Father feels about us?

Best Friends!

I drew this picture of Luci because she is my best friend.

I have lots of friends. It is great to have lots of friends. Then I can know who I am talking to at school, and when I go to the swimming pool, or the library, or the grocery store. I can say, "Hi Shandra, do you remember which color Ms. Clay said that we should color Austria with?" Or, "Jann, how do you do a flip off the diving board without hitting your head?" Or, "Megan, where did you get that book? ...and is there another one like it?" and stuff like that because when I can't remember what mom wanted at the store then I can go ask Mrs. Carter who has a cell phone and she can call mom and ask. Friends are good because then their faces are familiar and you know where you are and things.

But...a best friend is even different than that. Way much different I think. You never EVER have to wonder if your best friend will invite you to a party...because if you can't come...there wouldn't be a party.

Sometimes, best friends like different stuff to do...but mostly, they choose something to do together anyway or take turns choosing and then you both like different stuff! A best friend gets two drinks of water every time. A best friend shares the popsicle right down the middle. When a best friend breaks a cookie, you get to choose which part you want first. If there is a double rainbow, then you run to call your best friend so they can see it too.

If you have a sad day...a best friend will try to think of something to cheer you up, or if that doesn't even work...then that friend will be quiet with you. Even if you are a little mad, a best friend will forget what you said right then. They just forget the words, cuz' they know that those bad words don't really fit on you anyway.

A best friend asks you questions about what you think...and then they listen. Mostly, people say, "how are you?" and then they keep going and are almost gone before you say, "fine". But I don't think "fine" is even a real answer. Fine about what? Fine is like OK. It's almost like saying nothing. A best friend looks right at your face and wants to know how you really are. Are you happy, sad, mad, glad, surprised, scared, tired, lonesome, funny, or do you have a secret, or a present, or a cold, or a new book?

That must be why I have Luci for my best friend...and I know she is. Her grandma even knows my name and that I can jump the rope at least 74 times usually. Luci likes my favorite colors, PLUS, her favorite colors.

A family is like best friends too, I think. My mom and dad and brothers get it about me. They know what I like and what I don't. They help me with the mathy stuff. They all watch my favorite movie sometimes too.

I think it's awesome that Heavenly Father knows to put us with our best friends when we get to earth. And I am glad that I live by Luci too.

Sometimes, I worry about my little kids and really really hope that they will like me alot too when I grow up into a mom and when they get to earth.

At the swimming pool last week, a boy yelled at his mom, "I don't like you!" And I just stood there because he said it again! ...and I couldn't hardly move. He was yelling his head off, and his mom was getting all red, and they didn't even see all of us watching them and so I threw my diving stick in the water and jumped in the water real quick so I couldn't hear them. But when my bubbles came, up I popped, and I saw the mother go huffing into the restroom. The boy was still mouthy, (like any of us cared that his swim time was up), and it was waffle awful. But, that made me think alot about someday when I have kids...and I really really want them to like me.

I will be the best mom that I can so they will treat me good and write me notes and stuff. I will let them have ice cream and I will help them make their beds and I will take them swimming and to the library and I will make them dinner and tell them about the scriptures and teach them how to say their prayers and then they will never be too lonesome or want to YELL. I sure hope I don't get yeller kids. That would be awful.

I just hope I get best friends sort of kids. That's all.

Soccer Teams play Soccer

My brother came home pretty mad. He threw his soccer ball against the fence right by where mom and I were weeding our garden. "What's up Zach?" (Moms just know about when boys throw their stuff at fences.)

"I'm tired of people who can't learn the rules. It ruins the game for everybody."

Mom pulled up another weed and said, "Sounds like today didn't go so good, huh?"

Zach was really mad...cuz' he said the name of a kid and then something bad about him...which is totally against our family rule.

I won't put the kid's name in my journal, but this is what Zach yelled right before he went in the house: "__________ acts like we are playing baseball and he catches the soccer ball with his hands and when he gets tired he just sits down like he is on base or something! If he wants to play baseball...then he should go play baseball." He sorta slammed the screen door a little.

"Wow-sers!" I said, "He is M-A-D!

Momma looked over at me: "He'll feel better after dinner. I know he was looking forward to today's practice and it sounds like it didn't go so great for his team. Too bad when people don't do their best to support the teams they choose to be on."

I pulled up a giant dandelion. "I understand about that because remember last summer when Luci and I had our club and we had matching blue shirts and then one girl (whom I will NOT name) wanted to be in our club and we said, 'Sure!' "Do you remember Mom?" I pulled up another dandelion. "And then that girl decided that she didn't want blue shirts...she wanted to wear a pink striped shirt. I had to be the strong one and tell her that this was a blue shirt club and if she wanted to wear a pink striped shirt that she should go find a pink striped shirt club. That made sensible to me. But she just wanted to change all of the rules and tell all the kids at school what was wrong with the blue shirt club and she came to our meetings and she always complained about not getting to wear pink striped shirts. Is it kinda like that Mom?"

"I think it's alot like that Hadley. Could you hand me those clippers?"

And then I remembered something that they said at school. "Mom, do you know what some people are doing?" She clipped off one of the old raspberry stems. "Some people want to be on a marrying team but they don't even want to get married!" Mom looked over at me on that one. "What did you say?" "I said that there are alot of people who carry signs and get all mad because they want on the marrying team but they don't want to get married. They just want to call it married but there isn't a mom and a dad and that's what married is. I saw all about it on our TV at school. I say if they want to wear polka dot pajamas then go ahead and join a polka dot pajama team don't you mom? But if they want to join the marriage team, then find a mom and a dad, right mom? They can't change the rules that are already there."

"Hadley, you are right. There are enough letters in the alphabet for them to make up their own name for what they are doing and to have their own team." Mom stopped and looked at me. "Honey, please tell me about the programs that you see at school, ok? Now let's go in and get some dinner started."

At the supper table, Zach told dad all about his practice and how one boy had to ruin it for everybody. "You can't touch the ball with your hands! That is just not Soccer!" Zach raised his voice. Dad and Zach talked about the rules for soccer and the rules for baseball and so it was hard getting the potatoes passed over to my side of the table. Then Zach said the boy's name again and that he wishes that boy would just quit soccer and join another team. Dad said, "Hey, fella, (he says that when he has to slow Zach down a bit), "be careful about using his name all mad like that. It's true that we don't like what he's doing at all, especially if he knows better. He must learn the real rules to the game and quick or he will hurt the whole team...but he is still a real person and we will not ruin his name in our home."

"I think the coach will take care of it. He probably knows all about the problem and how to fix it the best. You just support the coach...because he is the one in charge and He knows the rules. When this boy 'hands' the ball, remind him firmly that he CANNOT do that in soccer. Just so he knows that you are not angry with him...but you do not like what he is doing. He has to learn the real rules because Soccer Teams play Soccer...and it is all set up and has been the same for all time...then after all you can do...leave it to the Coach. Anger doesn't help any team son!"

"N-O-W ...can you pass the potatoes," I said and then added very quickly, "...And the salad and the chicken and the rolls and the carrots?" I knew if they started to talk about different teams and stuff AGAIN that I might never get dinner! Everyone just looked at me, but no one passed anything. OH. YEAH. I was HUNGRY and I had almost forgotten the rules for that! Manner rules have always been the same ones and will always be for all time...no matter how hungry I was.

FINE.

"P-L-E-A-S-E!"

Then everybody passed me something at once and we all laughed. What a team!

What about MY PLANS?

Today was one of the worst days in the history of the world. It started out very very good and then it all got all ruined.

Luci and I were ready for swimming lessons a whole month or 3 weeks ago. My stuff was all layed out on my dresser. Mom even got me some pink lemonade lip gloss. We counted down every day until the final day. And the final day was this morning. I called Luci on the telephone to tell her that it was almost 9:00! Our swimming lessons start at 9:30 a.m. (that is the morning time...because then there is p.m. and that is 'past morning' and that's how I know).

"Mom said I just have to fold one more set of towels and put them away and then she will be ready to take us," I told Luci. "We will pick you up really really quick! Don't forget your paper and your towel and your money."

I folded all of those towels in a winky dink! I was so excited because Luci and I could go to swimming lessons every week for life and it would be so fun. Luci is not so brave with holding her nose and jumping in...but I could help her. Luci is not so brave about opening her eyes under the water...but I could help her. Luci doesn't even want to jump off the diving board on the last day...but I could help her! Luci doesn't know what treat to buy after swimming lessons...but I will show her for SURE! and maybe she will buy a banana popsicle just like me. Or a Chico Stick or red licorice or maybe Dots. Yeah. She will buy Dots. But I will get a banana popsicle...cuz' Dots just stick to my teeth...that's all. I like the colors and all...but they aren't that great. Swimming lessons are the best part of the year. Well, that is...they WERE the best part.

Now for the worst day in the history of the world part. We had our papers signed by our parents...yup. Towels...yup. Money...yuppers! "Okay then," the lady with the whistle and orange sun-visor said, "let me S-E-E just a minute h-e-r-e, and she looked up our names from last summer and that made me so excited because last summer we got Mrs. Janter and she is the best swimming teacher in the galaxy and she let us jump off the high dive two times last year and she let us toss some colored noodles in the water and then we would dive in after them and they were every color you could think of. Plus, she let us take the foam-boards down to the deep end once and we got to paddle all the way across the pool and when we did, she gave us a coupon and it was for a free movie for our families! BUT NOT TO BE!
"Hadley K Merit Shay is in the Guppies class this summer...so follow that sign to your teacher...and Luci Megan, you are in the Minnows class...so follow that....

WHAT?! This CANNOT be happening! We paid REAL money for this. Luci is my best friend. I felt like my crayons in car window sun.

W-A-I-T just a minute here. "MOMMMMM..." I sighed my best sigh e-v-e-r. So mom talked to the orange sunvisor lady about friends and stuff and the lady pushed her sunglasses up tighter and said that somebody else had figured it all out and she was just the inbetweener and could NOT change a thing. She didn't feel bad, or even hardly look at us, or blow that whistle which is supposed to save kids lives. That's what I wanted to tell her. But she turned to the next kid in line and pretended that Luci and I were not drowning in sad. My feet were stuck to cement.

Mom explained to us that we could still go to the lessons together and we would still have matching towels and we could still get a small treat after lessons together and still come home together but I said, "Maybe we should just quit these swim fin bin lessons together." How could they do this?

Mom took us aside and said that we needed to make a decision. If we quit, then the money would just go down the drain. But it was up to us. I couldn't understand why they would just throw our money down the drain. Mrs. Janter would be very mad about that. She told us that we should never bring small things into the pool because of the drain and if it got all plugged up then we were through. Oh My!

Luci just looked at me. How could she learn to swim if I wasn't there to help her and stuff? Now...she would never open her eyes under water and it was all that sun-glassed-orange-sun-visor-whistle-lady's fault. I bet she doesn't even have children and I bet she doesn't even make cookies for them either.
"Okay, Luci, just go to the Minnows and be brave...and remember...DON'T RUN...because Mrs. Janter knew somebody's uncles cousins friend once that fell...remember Luci? Oh, and meet me right by the Guppies sign when you are done."Then, I gave mom a hug, "Thank You for taking and paying...but MOSTLY for telling that 'take our money lady' that Luci and I are friends...even if she didn't listen." Mom said that everything would work out and that she thought we had made the right choice to stay and take the lessons. And really...I sorta think we did...too. But I was still not happy about it.

The Minnow class got a really pretty teacher with a braid wrapped up on her head and purple sunglasses to match her purple swimming suit and it kind of matched mine too. I spied on that class because our teacher was late. There were six kids in my class and I only knew five of them...that's all. We couldn't even get in the water until our teacher came and so we watched all of the Minnows and Dolphins and Shark classes having fun and talking and plugging their noses and we just sat there. All at once a MAN teacher came to our side of the pool and yup...he came right straight for the Guppies. I just want to be a MINNOW! At least he had a blue and green and yellow and purple shirt on with little green fishes on it and so maybe....BUT NOT TO BE...he was climbing up the life-guard highchair...because next came orange-visor lady and announced that she was our very teacher.

I looked across the pool at Luci and she was pretending to have lots of fun because I saw her laughing at Angela and Angela is in our class at school sometimes and their teacher had all kinds of colored noodles. Pretty brave of Luci I thought. So when we got in the water and I could splash water in my face...and wash away one little tear...I decided to get brave too.We talked about all of the rules and this lady had LOTS of them. No Running. No Splashing. No Talking. No Smiling...probably. We got in the water and practiced going under for the count of 20, then 30. I can count really fast and so that part was easy. She had us float, and then try arm strokes, and then we held onto the side and kicked our feet for awhile. She had us say our names again. Then she whistled real loud and that means: 'Guppies get out NOW!'...because three little whistle beeps mean 'All Guppies slide to the Side'...and one little tiny whistle means: Listen Fish and DON'T make a Swish! We practiced those whistles over and over.

I peeked over at Luci and she was holding a salmon colored water noodle next to her happy teacher. Life is not fair. No matter what anyone says, I don't CARE! Life is not Fair. My mom always says that everything will work out right...but my day was all wrong.

Some days are just bad. It's bad when that lady won't even listen. When we don't get colorful water noodles. When we have to wait on the edge for a long time. When we don't even know everybody in our class. Plus, I think I got a little sunburn and they didn't have treats cuz' the vending machine was broken. They only had chips and pop and those are NOT good choices.

I am SAD and I am MAD. This is MY Summer vacation and MY Swimming lessons and none of it is working out like MY plans. I thought about when my hair was frizzy, when I didn't get my homework done, when Sienna didn't invite me to her Birthday one time, and last summer when I couldn't go to Luci's until I finished all the vacuuming, when I scraped my arm on the fence, when my brother got all mad at me because I got his best kite stuck in our tree, (like I planted the tree right there!) ... and the time I had to do dishes for two days in a row because I back-talked a bit to my mom about them, and when my best doll fell and broke her arm right off, and when I got the flu, and when I wanted a horse really bad, and when I lost my best book, and then I thought how ALL of MY IDEAS and PLANS get ruined ALL OF THE TIME and now I am in orange-visor lady's Guppies class and that is the worst of ALL the game.

I decided to sit on my bed and pout it out. And an idea just plopped right on top of my new pouty plans. It's about fish and water and stuff cuz' who wants to be a guppie? What about a angel fish or a dolphin, or big whale or something cool. And that's when the idea came. Not so much about swimming, but maybe about lessons probably.

I remembered about a Jonah scripture man that made great plans and nobody listened to him and so He got all mad and decided: Forget it! And then he got in a gigantic whale and had to think about things for three whole days. OH MY that would be very scary. And he finally got out and decided to do what is right even if it wasn't what He Planned or where he wanted to be. My dad says that sometimes our plans are not the Plans that are the most important and after the whale spit Jonah out he learned to be patient and to trust about Heaven's plan for him.
I guess I would rather be a Guppie than swallowed by a whole whale!

Maybe I better not be so MAD...maybe just a little mad.
Maybe I really should be in the Guppie class. Maybe if I am nice to the orange-visor-lady (I don't even know her name)...then maybe... she will be nice too? Maybe nobody made her cookies or listened to her when she was little. Maybe Not. Maybe So. (doesn't matter)... FINE.

I will listen to her billions of rules and stuff...and I will be kind...and maybe I can take her cookies at the very end of the summer with my thank you note...IF she lets us jump off the diving board at least three times...that is.