Chocolate Milk Tuesdays

I don’t think Margaret should go to the front of the line just because she was born into an ‘A’ family. I didn’t ask to be born into an ‘S’ family. Margaret Allen is marching right up to the tippy top front of the lunch line with a big letter A right where it matters.

I’m Hadley K Merit Shay, with a big S where it counts and a big H where it doesn’t.

From about the Q’s on back, we may as well have brought our sticky peanut butter and honey lunches from home.

We can all smell the cookies.
We get what the word ‘singed’ means.
We know who burnt the cookies.

I think the lunch ladies wear those hair nets tight on purpose so we won’t recognize them later in town and point them out to our parents. I don’t know if they can’t smell burnty things, or if they just smile big to pretend it all away and hope we won’t notice.

I figure those cookies will be served just about when the Q’s group gets to the tray window….which really means the R group since there are no Q names in Ms. Clay’s class. Which really means that Monte Rasmussen, Neil Reed, Martha J. Rolland, and I, will get way dark brown, peanut butter cookies that should have come out sooner, and they shall no longer be ‘sumptuous’ or some word like that, and that Skyler Tayman, and Misha R. Wheatley will probably not even get cookies at all. I don’t really blame those ladies for sneaking the good cookies before us kids come to the lunchroom. They probably deserve it with all the loud trays banging around all day. I just blame having to be near the end of the line everyday because my last name begins with ‘S’ and is: Shay. That’s all.

Same with recess. Margaret Allen and Shelly Bensen always get the best swings because Margaret runs out quick from the front of the line and grabs two swings and winds the chains and won’t let go for Shane Atkins or nobody no matter what they have to trade.

Same with the spelling Bee. I forgot how to spell all of those words by the time they got to the Shay part of the class. If you really want pretty much the truth, I probably practiced my spelling list as hard as Cody Burch who, as we speak, has a spelling trophy on his dresser at home. And they were hard words. VERY HARD. And I was prepared and ready. But you can’t be ready forever you know.

Oh no. OH NO! Don’t tell me. There is no more chocolate milk! You-have-got-to-be-kidding! This is Tuesday and I always have chocolate milk on Tuesdays. This is my one day each week to have a real school lunch and now it is all ruined! It is all burnt and missing and ruined. My mother will be glad about this. She really thinks milk should be white that’s all. So it took a lot of time to help her understand about my chocolate need on Tuesdays. And now this! I used up all of my best begging energy for nothing. I should have asked for a horse instead.
“Come on, Luci Megan”, I grumped to my best friend as we trudged from the ‘pick up your tray here’ window. We looked down at our sloshy peaches, stringy beans, our noodle whatever you call it, white regular everyday milk, and our burnty cookies, and then slowly found a double place to sit at our table. We accidentally looked over at the small brown carton on Margaret’s tray and we both sorta felt like crying.

“Stay calm.” I whispered to Luci. “During this tragedy, we must stay calm, because we are not in kindergarten anymore you know.”

Luci muttered a half-hope: “Maybe our moms will let us take lunch tomorrow again since it didn’t work out so good today?”

“It’s not in the budget Luci.” And I sighed a little, like my mother. With Luci and me, I always have to be the strong one. My mind was running races for a good idea to make us feel better about our lives. “We have to think of something to fill its place; something to cheer us up until next Tuesday Luci. It doesn’t help to act like we just got poisoned when things don’t go our way. We can’t just sit here and look at the deep deep hole of what didn’t go…we need to fill it up with something else instead.” My Grandma always says stuff like that. But chocolate is a big hole to fill and burnt cookies are a yucky thing to smell. So, we better think of something really really fantastico.

Right in the middle of a mouthful, I got a great idea! “Luci, we have to separate out.” Luci looked at me like a question mark without words. “I think I have an idea and you need to trust me because we have to separate out for about two days. But I will write you notes and stuff and tell you what to do and you are still my best friend.” Luci just sat there a bunch bewildered as I picked up my tray and moved to the other end of the table.

Maybe I should have given her more information so she would finish her peaches at least. So I hurried back to her end of the table and whispered quick: “Luci, we are going to get our names to the first of the lines for a change. You didn’t choose to come to an “R” family”, and then I thought about it a second. Maybe she did. But even so, I don’t know if we knew about the alphabet and lunch lines and stuff until we came to earth and so my plan was still a good one.

"Anyway, Luci, we have to stand up for truth. And the truth is: that sometimes, we people at the back of the alphabet should be at the front of the lines. If our teacher thinks two of us thought it up by ourselves, then it is more than if we say it together in one group. Get it?” I don’t know if she did, but after I got back to my tray, I peeked out of the corner of my eye and saw her eat one more bite of beans.

I wrote nine good notes to Luci over the next two very very long (and I do mean long)days:

Note 1: “Don’t look at me too much Luci, or everybody will know we are making a plan.”Note 2: “Dear Luci, I miss you, but we HAVE to finish this quest for the sake of all the last of the alphabet people all over this school. Stay true, whatever you do!"
Note 3: “Ok Luci, you will finally be happy for TODAY IS THE DAY! Just go up to Ms. Clay and ask if the back of the line can switch with the front.”
Note 4: “Oh, I forgot to tell you to do it between spelling and reading, so it won’t be so OBVIOUS…if you know what I mean.” That one had 4 smiley faces at the bottom. I could tell that Luci was starting to get nerves going.

Note 5: “What do you mean you don’t know what to say?”
Note 6: “Just act normal Luci. Don’t pass out now. Just act like real people and go to her desk and say, ‘Hi Ms. Clay, I was wondering if we could sometimes put the Z people where the A people are or something.’ Luci, you will know what to say, I don’t have any room to write any more words on this piece of pa…”
Note 7: “Don’t worry so much Luci, PALEEEESE! Just take a breath. CALM DOWN!, It doesn’t matter your words as long as you say them absolutely perfectly right, ok?”
Note 8: Luci, just get it over with. Maybe my mom will let me buy you a bunny or something good for your birthday! Just do it!”
Note 9: You did it! You are so brave and you are my very very very best friend…ok…ok, now it is my turn…ummm…what do you think I should say?”

I stood on my tippy toes and peeked in the window. Luci Megan didn’t like our plan so much anymore, but she was a good sport because her birthday is coming up and so she is sorta thinking about presents and about being happy to help. “Hold still Luci!” There was Ms. Clay at her desk. She was correcting spelling and she was alone. I held on to the bricks and tried to steady myself back down. Oh No. That is really what I call Mud. “You know Luci, it wasn’t very easy for me to balance on your back either ya know.” I had to say that because when she got up she would see what I was seeing right then…and it was mucho mud on her pant knees.

Oops. “Stay here Luci!”

I took a huge deep breath and hurried into the school and into our room before the bell would bring everybody back from recess. “Hi Ms. Clay.” It isn’t polite to interrupt even if my idea was more important. And then I just stood there, wishing I wasn’t there, while she finished the spelling page she was on. Finally after about three years, she looked up, over the top of her glasses at me.

I took a giantic breath: “Well, I was thinking about a new creative innovation of a huge idea for our school.”

“That’s nice of you to think about our school,” she smiled. Tell me about your idea.”

And so I told her all about how Skunks and Tyrontasorousas and other back of the line animals might be nicer if they weren’t always last and stuff. Scientifically, I wonder if we should put the Alphabet backwards just to see if all the letters should feel important. She was squinting a bit. I think she was wanting to really understand where I was coming from with this and I was all of a sudden not so sure and so it was a huge relief when that bell rang right then.

Next thing you know…Ms. Clay is announcing to everyone that we will change things up a bit on Monday. Well, believe me, after waiting all weekend for Monday and changing things up a bit…we CERTAINLY did. Luci and I and all of the R-Z people got to give our science reports first. Yikes! I thought I had two more days…and my ants had not even found the sugar yet! Then, we got to be first to lunch. WONDERFUL, except the hurry, hurry, hurry, people are waiting behind you all day, part. After art, we got to be the first to clean the sinks. WOOEY! I couldn’t remember all of my spelling words with everyone looking at me at the front of the line. Drats! We got out first to recess, but that meant we had to ‘check out the ball and be responsible to bring it back and check off our names or our names were on the list’! When I was in my old spot, I didn’t even know a list exists.

It was an exhausting Monday. Luci and I walked home from school, tired as cats in the sun. The front of the line isn’t really what we wanted is it Luci?” I complained, “It is a guinea pig place to be, don’t you think Luci?”

She just looked at me and threw her hands up in the air, “You are such an all or nothing Hadley K! First, you are at the back and now you are at the front. Now what?” I had to think a really really long time. But right in the middle of remembering about all the mud on her pants, I burst into a giant smile: “Luci! I have a plan.”
“Oh no, Oh no,”she hollered and started to run.

“Luci,” I shouted, “we really need to be in the K-R group!” She was already running up her walk and before I could tell her that I would write her really good notes, she ran into her house and shut the door quick.
I couldn’t even hardly believe myself! The very next day, Luci and I, and all the alphabet ends are smack dab in the middle of the lunch line as if Ms. Clay had read my mind. “This is my kind of people Luci, I was meant to be in the K-R group. There is no fun in being at the first or last of the Alphabet but this is heaven.” (Well, it’s probably like Telestial or something, cuz’ I was thinking that Celestial would mean we were home and school was out for the summer or something like that.)

“Anyway, here we are Luci, right in the middle and so we get our chocolate milk and we are a bit squished but it is worth it, isn’t it Luci. And we don’t have to check out balls for recess, or wait a long time for our turn, or be first to spell or last to leave and so this is the best, huh Luci!”

And then we were about up to the tray window, and life was like blissfull and everything, until I spied the crate of chocolate milk. I added quick in my mind. Oh No! Don’t tell me. Oh NO! What is up with this? Only this one Tuesday all week and only four brown cartons left. What is up with this? Only 4 CARTONS of Chocolate Milk! I speed counted: Monte Rasmussen, Neil Reed, Martha J. Rolland, and me. I had to think quick.

“You know what Luci, I don’t think the middle of the alphabet is all that people think it is. It is just squish, squish, squish. I liked it better when we were who we are, sorta.”

Yikes! I thought. I was only two people away from the last chocolate milk in the whole wide school. I thought about how that delicious creamy chocolate of wonderful would glide past my happy tongue all the way down to my toes. OH NO! For a second, I wanted to grab that chocolate milk and run. I’d hide behind the playground tree and drink it all by myself.
But most of all, I didn’t want a chocolate page to ruin my whole 'Angels with silent notes taking' book. After all, I WAS wearing my CTR ring on purpose.
“Luci, I have a splendiferous plan! We really really need to separate out. You stay here." Luci looked at me like a question mark without words. "Luci, I have a plan, you have to trust me; I’m going to the back of the line where we used to be. I think way back there is the best place in the whole alphabet for me. And Luci, you really are my very very best friend.”

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!

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!

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 Jayden?" (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?"

Jayden 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 Jayden 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 honey?"   "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. And some people just live in the same house and have kids and stuff but they don't even get married!  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, thank you for telling me about the programs that you see at school. And I want you to remember that not everyone understands everyone all the time.  People get to choose what they want to choose and we get to choose as well.  The important thing is that we can love everyone even if we don't like or understand their choices.   Now let's go in and get some dinner started."

At the supper table, Jayden told dad all about his practice and how one boy had to ruin it for everybody. "You can't just grab the ball with your hands anytime you want to ...he isn't even the goalie! That is just not Soccer!" Jayden raised his voice. Dad and Jayden 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 Jayden said the boy's name again real loud.and said he wishes that boy would just quit soccer and join another team. Dad said, "Hey, fella, (he says that when he has to slow Jayden down a bit), "be careful about using his name all mad like that. It's ok to NOT  like what he's doing, especially if he knows better. Maybe he just doesn't understand about all the rules yet, 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 his team and about their decisions and why each player does what he does and He knows how to help the best. You just support the coach...because he is the one in charge and He knows all the rules.  Your part is to be friends and I know that you can do that.  He will learn the real rules about Soccer sometime because it is true that Soccer Teams play Soccer...and it is all set up and has been the same for all time. Anger doesn't help any team son. I think most people are trying their best and our part is to be kind.  We want that kind of a world, right?   Jayden was quiet and then he finally nodded his head yes. What Dad said just makes sense.   WELL, alrighty then--my turn f i n a l l y:

"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 AGAIN that I might never get dinner!)  But,  Everyone just stared at me; no one passed anything!.  OH. YEAH.   I was SO HUNGRY that I had almost forgotten the rules for that!  Manners 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 pass the food!"
Then everybody passed me something all at once and we all laughed. What a team!

Crushes and Stuff

Something very wonderful happened right after morning recess two weeks ago on Monday. But it is a totally top secret. No one can know. Not anybody. And I told Luci Megan because she is my very best friend and so she should know about my stuff. And then I had to tell Alayna because she knew something was on my mind when... well, I sorta started to giggle. That’s all. Well, and Candice because she told me a secret about when her grandpa bought a new goldfish after her little brother accidentally swallowed her other one and so I owe her back a secret by now. But that’s all. NO ONE ELSE! Only Kira. I had to tell Kira because she let me use her special sparkly eraser last Tuesday when Ms. Clay said I had to stay in for last recess and practice spelling. I missed the new jumping song that Beatrice told everyone else at recess. Hmm! Maybe if I just tell my secret to Beatrice then...

Anyway, I was coming in from morning recess two weeks ago on Monday and I remembered my green and blue pencils since we had to finish our maps. They needed to be sharpened bad since we always use lots of green-is-for-land and blue-is-for-water. I wonder if those are Heavenly Father’s favorite colors because He uses those the most I think. Anyway, I started to look in my desk and there, right in the very front of me, was a paper folded a zillion times and scrunched up into a little square and the best part of all: it had my very own name on it! At first, I thought I was kidding, but no. There it was: To Hadley K. I super-shoved it into my pocket because maybe it was a love note! I had never had a love note before. Right then, my cheeks felt like the red pencil in my desk. The secret note was in my pocket and no one would watch me open it. I needed a plan.

My used up colored pencils could save the day. I grabbed them and rushed to the pencil sharpener at the back of the room. I started to sharpened the blue one and acted like that note was not even in my pocket just in case Cassandra or somebody was looking. But nobody was, because everyone was staring at Marley who had accidentally used a marker instead of lip gloss at recess. She had her hand over her mouth to cover up her giant mistake and the whole class was busy about her problem, so I sneaked my note and unfolded it out. To Hadley K, I have a big crush about you. From, Paul W. Wow! Oh My! That was a huge love note for me. I stuffed it back in my pocket as fast as I could.

With pointy pencils, I tried to walk normal back to my desk, but Alayna heard a little giggle and looked right at me. Maybe everybody was looking at me. I just looked at my map. This was my first time to know how hard it is to think and be in love at the same time. I accidentally colored a country blue and then my eraser made a hole in the middle of England, which finally got green, even though I was really thinking about other stuff. I sorta wished that the note had been from Ryan. He is so handsome and he has a golden retriever and his mom says hi to me on my way home from school sometimes; or maybe Zachary because he is really nice to everybody. He doesn’t run down the hallways or yell like a banshee on his way to recess and when he plays football, he catches it so good. Oh, and he says thank you when you accidentally knock his backpack off its hook and put it back. But I have to not think about that. My note is from Paul W. and that’s all.

For Family Home Evening that exact Monday, we wrote letters to my brother who is now called Elder Shay. He is on a mission in Brasil and he speaks Portuguese, except he also speaks our language too. I told him about my love note. Only because: #1: he is far away in a different country and #2: because my secret is not in Portuguese, so that makes it really really safe. I wrote: Dear Elder Shay, (but when he comes home after two years, then he is just Chandler again). I miss you. A really good thing happened! I got a actually real love note in my desk. It even has my name on it and everything. And then I copied my note so he could read all the words. And then I licked the envelope three times and it was yucky, but I had to make sure that nobody, and I mean nobody, opened it.

I was going to show my mom too, because it is 100 % A-okay to tell secrets to moms. Even when you say promise that you won’t tell anybody, you can tell your moms anyway because they don’t count; and plus, they can keep secrets real good. But my mom had to go to the hospital with the Relief Society and with a big plate of our F.H.E. treats right after our song and stuff because somebody broke their foot on some stairs or something. So mom brought out a plate of cookies for us, and told my dad to watch us really good and help us brush our teeth and say our prayers and then she gave him a big kiss and that made me know that my mom would like my love note alot. I stuffed my letter all the way to the bottom of the huge missionary envelope so my brother Chandler wouldn’t see it because he doesn’t get it (about love notes and stuff), and I just know he would tease me through all Eternity if he saw it. I put my real note back in my pocket and while I ate my cookies, I thought about places that I could hide it safe forever.

The thing is: that Paul W. thinks crush means kissing at recess. I like when he puts notes in my desk (or a piece of licorice). That is my kind of crush. He looks at me sometimes too and I pretend that I am reading my book…well, actually I sort of am reading my book, but sometimes I look to see if he is looking and if he is, then I hurry and look at my book but I don’t see the words. It kind of makes sense and it kinda doesn’t, but love changes things sometimes, that’s all. But kissing tag is not my sort of crush. I asked Luci what she was thinking about crushes because we saw Jeffrey kiss Violet right by the swings and then the bell rang and we were glad it did. Luci said that she didn’t want a kissing crush either because she saw Jeffrey kiss Margaret the Wednesday before that. Yuck! How real of a crush is that?! I was mixed up for a minute about it and so my mind was full and spilling over.

“I think I got an inspiration;” I whispered to Luci this morning, “because my brother, Elder Shay, wrote a letter just to me and it came all the way from Brasil and he told me he liked my letter and that kind crushes were muito bem (very good), because we should like everyone and he even said that once he put a whole candy bar in a girls desk. Then he said: Kind crushes are nice, but kissing crushes are for the one true person we find at college and take to the Temple after you come home from your mission in Brasil! Luci looked reliefed. I knew now why Luci and I were queasy when we saw Jeffrey and Violet by the swings. “And, at the bottom of the letter, my brother wrote: Te Amo! That means he loves me. And Luci Megan, he really does.”

Now for the awful part. Luci told me that William told her, that Christopher said that Paul W. was going to kiss me at lunch recess. Luci and I hid by the scratchy tree, and yup! Here came Paul. I ran as fast as I could and almost tripped by the benches. I ran faster. Luci was trying to keep up with me but she plopped down and yelled: “Run, Hadley K, Run!” Then Paul grabbed my new sweater and made me stop. My face was the reddest pencil in the world because I was getting sad and mad too. “I’m not a kissing crush!” I yelled. “I liked your note, your licorice, and when you smile, and when you are kind, and that’s all!” He blinked a couple of times and wasn’t sure what to say. So I said it. I looked right at him, only 12 or 30 inches away, and of course, I tried to be kind, but truth is truth, and so I spoke my mind: “We’ll talk after your Mission Paul, because right now…you don’t even have your call.” And so it all worked out, and That’s All. ***************************************************************

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!

Attitude...that's all.

Here's the thing about the Lehi kids. Well, we were reading about the whole family last Monday and so I have been thinking alot about them this week.

First off, they probably had about four kids to start with and they named them Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi. They used to have kids names like that I guess. I have a cousin named Sam and that is a real name, plus, he is a good guy too!

Well anyway, they lived in Jerusalem which was their town and they liked it except for the bad guys. (And dad said they had lots of money and they lived in a nice home). Lehi was the father and Sariah was the mother. But then, one day Lehi had a dream and they had to get out of there fast...so they couldn't even take their best stuff.
I said, "Why did they have to leave so fast?" And Zachery said: "Because Jerusalem was going down." It was probably for sure because of the bad guys. But mostly mom said because Lehi obeyed.
It's a long story and it really happened and it is full of adventures and so we still get to know more about what happens later. I can't wait for the next part because I like knowing about that family.

My best part is: they got a Liahona! It was a little metal ball that they could hold. It was right by their tent and it showed them where to go. "Wow!" I said right outloud to my dad, "I wish we had one of those!" Zachery said, "It's like a GPS Hadley... we already have one." But dad said, "Not exactly like a GPS...because it only worked when they chose the right."

We read all about their problems and their trips and their tents and stuff. They had to go a long long way and they didn't have any cars. They were out in the middle of no where without stores or a house or their best things. I think that would be scary and lost for good. Those two brothers Laman and Lemuel were mean guys. They didn't even care what their dad or mom said sometimes. So...everybody was feeling really tired of the wilderness and all the wandering around and then they woke up and found the Liahona right there to help them figure things out! That part made me so happy! Momma said that The Holy Ghost is like a Liahona for us and we can know what to do and where to go...but it only works if we choose the right. And I thought, well ok then...I will.

I just keep thinking about those boys. The thing that gets me is that those brothers were awful. They made the whole family feel bad. But when I think about it...this is the part that really gets me. Those bad brothers walked just as far as Nephi and Sam. They helped put up the tents, they got all tired, they hunted for food, they had to go all the way back to Jerusalem because they forgot the family journals and stuff, they had to go in a ship for a long time...they did all of those things...just like Nephi and Sam. But they didn't get blessed the same at all. And I figured out the big diff. Laman and Lemuel just complained and complained the whole way. That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Nephi and Sam were happy and they did what their parents said and they trusted in the Liahona and it worked for them because they were nice. But NO! NOT Laman and Lemuel, they just had to make it hard for everybody. They did all the same work...for nothing...because they didn't get it!

Then I thought: OH MY! Life is really like that sometimes. Some people just complain... and (complain is the same as murmur). And some people just smile... and the smile ones get blessed and the murmur ones get in mega trouble. But everybody has to live and do everything. I think somebody should have told those brothers that they should just smile and obey because then they could be blessed better. They already did all of the hard stuff anyway.

Mom said that is called Attitude. She said if we are thankful then we won't murmur. So I was thinking all about that and I am going to write a big list about the things I am thankful for. Then when I feel sorta mean, I will just look at my list and smile instead. I already have to clean my room no matter what and take my dish days and lots of things.

OK, here goes:
I am thankful for:

Colors
Summer
Dad
Mom
my best friend: Luci
Brothers (well one...most of the time... and one... all of the time,
well...actually...both of my brothers because they are not mean  at least too much (like Laman and Lemuel)
markers
my birthday!
zagnut candy bar
going to grandmas 
raspberries
books
horses
my bike
and probably lots more but mostly I am going to smile and obey right now and go and eat dinner. I have to go eat it anyway... "Coming Mom!"

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.