AMAZING Anaheim!!

Dateline. Anaheim CA. 2010 NAEYC. Sunshine. Record-setting-high temperatures for November. Safe arrival. Just a hop, skip and a jump across the country to land in the glowing, celebration setting of all things fantasy-like. Palm trees basking at the airport. Turn left at the main entrance to Disneyland and go a few more blocks down to the Convention Center -- where dreams really do come true. This is my seventh NAEYC in a row to make a presentation. My very first time, seven years ago in the rotation, was also here in Anaheim. A lot can happen in a mere seven years.

The first time I flew out to Anaheim, I came for a heartbeat...... without a hotel reservation. YuLing Yee from Akron, had promised that I could bunk in with her (unofficially.) Her flight got incredibly delayed and while I was awaiting her arrival, just biding my time in the lobby -- Mary Wonderlick from Chicago, waltzed through and gave me the key to her room. Seriously. Thousands of people milling about and Mary offered me a spot in her life raft.

This return to Anaheim felt triumphant on so many levels. I had my own room reservation!!!! Big triumph number one, right at the top of the list. [Thank you Zaner-Bloser!!] In the time since I first presented at NAEYC I have released THREE picture books as author/illustrator and I've released three more albums of recordings as well. AND I have a new project looming on the horizon with Redleaf Press arriving to the world early 2011! That's not to mention that both daughters have gotten married, we've added 6 grand-children to our tribe, moved, built a little place in Florida, been diagnosed with Breast Cancer -- TWICE -- had mongo complications from the treatment to the BC, resulting in Lymphodema/compression garmentS et.al..... well you get the picture. A lot has happened since I was last in Anaheim. So arriving back to the blue skies and palms was a celebration, in and of itself!!! Yippeee-ki-o!!!