What an amazing day.

I spent two hours at a local church surrounded by volunteers, kids, and parents all wanting to do something to celebrate Dr. King's memory. Groovy Girl wanted to spend the day playing with a friend and I wanted to check out the service day event so we compromised peacefully.  We picked her friend up and attended the event together. They tied fleece blankets for a local women't shelter, they frosted cookies for  another organization, and they wrote letters, and drew pictures for the  military.  It was a joint effort between the Extension office, a volunteer group, and the church. 

I heard many kids and adults ask if this event would happen again next year and the answer was yes although looking to the closer future the director for the voluteer group said she would like to do a few activities over the summer.  Groovy Girl was not too happy to leave the house for the event as it is FREEZING here but she had fun with her friend and she ran into several other kids she knew.  She is the soical butterfly of our family and easily moves from activity to activity with out a worry as to where I am. 

There were more kids there than they expected so the activities went faster than they had planned.  The girls thought they would be actually making cookies not just frosting them and think that making cookies at home would be just the perfect way to end their playdate.  I love that Groovy Girl considers cookie baking a fun activity and is a bit snooty about the store bought variety; not that she'd turn either down but she appreciates a good homemade version.  For now though they are happily upstairs surrounded by American Girl doll clothes having a peaceful day indeed. 

Watch Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech hear and read this interesting Wikepedia article about the struggle to make his birthday into a national holiday.  I know that I carry out King's dream every day at school as I work to help students through education as well as a personal relationship with students that need a little (or a lot) extra kindness in their day.  Let freedom ring...

I haven't even focused on the inaugaration of President Obama today and I will later when my writing time is over.  Maybe we can watch the event as we make cookies.

And how have you spent your day...?