Lovely, Wonderful Thoughts

"You just think lovely, wonderful thoughts," Peter explained, "and they lift you up in the air."
 ~ Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie

Someone once asked me, without knowing my serious obsession for children's books, what my lovely, wonderful thought would be if I were to fly.  I think my soul giggled at that moment because after all, Peter Pan is one of my favorite children's books ever, and I think that is a wonderful question to ask someone! What would make me fly?  After a couple of minutes I decided on three things. And it is true, in the toughest of times I go to those three and even if it is not 100%, my heart is lifted up in the air.  After this Summer of Love I am completely exhausted.  On the heels of another wonderful weekend with family, I found myself down in the dumps on my return flight.

However, as I pulled onto my street I looked up at the electrical wires and there, dangling as if Hurricane Irene dropped them there herself, was a pair of high-heel ruby red slippers. As they twirled, they glittered from the rays of the bright California sun. Seemed almost poetic after a weekend of cyclones...there's no place like home!  And then I remembered that question that made my soul smile and knew it would be ok.  Today, I have all three happy thoughts to shoot me up amongst the stars.

1.  Music.  Adele has been singing my thoughts lately and everywhere I went today I heard her music.  In the car, on the plane, in the grocery store, even a lady blasting the heartfelt words from her car as I was walking to my apartment.

2.  My family.  I mean, look at this picture.  How could you NOT fly??

This is HOWE we do it!

3.  Children's books.  Ironically, I was blessed with a bunch today!  My good friend Afton, from Boston, sent me a box of books for my classroom.  These used to be a part of her 4th grade classroom and she decided to pass them on to me now that she is pursuing other dreams.  It was a lovely surprise to be greeted with a box full of terrific books when I got home!

I also found a long-lost gift card to a local bookstore I had never visited. Vroman's is a store in Pasadena and I had heard that it is a force to be reckoned with.  Armed with a mission to soar, I petted Nikolas James Pumpkinhead hello, grabbed the gift card, and hit the road.  This store is amazing!  Their selection of hard-cover picture books leaves most local bookstores in their dust. I picked up some winners today.  Some of you have wondered what I look for in a children's book.  Well, this entry would be way too long if I described why I picked each book. Sooo, in the next few days I will share one lovely, wonderful thought about each book and maybe it will bring a big goofy grin to your soul!