Leading With Gratitude & Love

This morning I'm finishing my slides for a Career Day presentation.

Here are some of the key tips that I'll be sharing about the writing process.

Tonight I'm off to the local library to preview Birdie & Mipps!

I think that our audience is in for a real treat, because their enthusiastically-engaging librarian Christina has agreed to play the role of Mipps on the walk 'n talk through the problem, and I. Can't. Wait! She's also got a fun Hello-My-Nickname-Is activity planned, so we'll all get to share our nicknames and/or a name we'd like if we could change ours.

Our book is currently at the printer now to be ready for its May 23 release. Here's its brief synopsis:

Afraid that calling his friend Patty by an unwanted nickname might have cost him their friendship, a young Mippers heads to his serenity spot to problem-solve. Enter his sister Birdie, who spots him on the ground and takes him on a walk ‘n talk through nature, not only to lift him back up but also to help him understand the significance of our given names and the kind, respectful use of nicknames. Savor every step of this sweet sibling stroll as they work together to heal a hurting heart.

Watch for it on Amazon and Barnes & Noble any day now.

Oh, and last week I had a fantastic time in WI as the guest author

at Willow River Elementary's 20th annual Young Author's Day.

It was such an honor to see Mr. Quigley's Keys on their library shelves.

Their counselor, the AmAzInG Sarah Flier, has helped create such a beautiful climate of compassion and caring in these hallways; words can't adequately expressed how warm and welcoming it is there.

On the way back to the airport, she gave me the beautiful blue mug just underneath the words keys and locks, which she made by hand for my mug collection, the collection she didn't know about. Serendipity at its finest, to put her heartprint on my already unforgettable day.

And if my happiness meter wasn't already off the charts, Julie Garnett read and recorded KEYS online {here}; it's such a special treat to hear someone else reading and reflecting on my words.

I'm feeling oh so abundantly blessed.

I also got to be a guest teacher one more time with the third-grade class that I served as a long-term substitute for this year; here are a few of the special treasures from their hearts.