The "Come-Back" Kids!

NAEYC Orlando. 2011. Peabody Ballroom.
Annual NAEYC Friday-night tradition.

Meet Mimi Brodsky Chenfeld. She is the Arts-Mother-of-us-all. She is three parts mentor. Two parts coach. One part muse. Twelve parts inspiration. Ninety-nine parts guts, PURE GUTS....... and goodness gracious how many more parts are there to this woman? This is Mim sharing her spotlight and stage with me, her young protege and upstart. This is Mimi and me caught "dreaming" together -- in sign language. This is Mim + moi caught having a moment.

Mim has invited me up onto her grand stage. This is Mimi & me serenading the campfire circle of teacher-peer-friends at the conclusion of an amazing international gathering of talent, learning, sharing, stretching and growing. (Allen took the picture from the back of the packed ballroom, testing the camera's telephoto close-up capacity.)

I knew that she wanted me to lead the group in a gathering of my theme song, "You're Wonderful." I knew that it would be emotional for me, as I was worn out and battling a garden variety-cold with some laryngitis thrown in from talking 10 hours a day for 3 days straight. I knew that when I get worn out I tend to get emotional. Sharing the stage with Mim, following our sing-a-long, I described us as the "Come-back Kids." Some in the audience were familiar with each of our stories. Some knew one of the stories. Some had no idea.

Mim was driving her car and was T-boned by a truck. Literally in intensive care: shattered. How many broken bones? Just a blink ago. I on the other hand have had my innocence shattered by early Breast Cancer & it's ramifications & complications. Not once. Twice. Yet we have put the wheels back on our respective buses, regrouped and picked up the torch again and again and again and again to carry it forward. To carry it for children. To carry it for teachers. To carry.

I went digging in my blog's archive and found a picture of Mim during her rehabilitation phase, when we attempted to surprise her with a video-filming & outpouring of LUV...... but she got wind of our gathering and came to the party in person, riding her wheel chair with enthusiasm!!! I checked the blog's log date. It was less than two years ago!!!! (Click here to read that posting and see her amazing gathering of supporters in tie-dye..... all of Columbus: Ballet Met, GCAC, JCC, folk dancers, writers + poets + children et. al.) Only occasion -- ever --when Mim was at a loss for words.

Mimi and I have leaned on one another more than once. She calling me with delightful news to lift my spirits after my various surgeries. Me stopping by after Howie's funeral with projects to share. It's a mutual admiration society obviously -- our cheering one another forward. As long as life goes on, ya just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Tonight I've learned that one of my new blogging buddies has received harsh news. As a youngster of 33, she has just received her second diagnosis of cancer-of-the-tongue. Rare to begin with. Unheard of to receive a second diagnosis with her youth. My heart is heavy on Mandy's behalf. She has created a blog-linky, to have us share our experience with cancer. To share some encouragement. To offer support. To come together. How truly amazing that I have the picture of the "Come Back Kids" captured together just last night.







What's my advice/insight to Mandy at the news of her second diagnosis? 

1. Allow yourself to feel ALL of your feelings and then 'let-them-go.'
2. Allow others to show their love & concern by giving them assignments-of-support.
3. When in doubt, ALWAYS fill yourself with hope.
4. Stay busy with tidbits that make you happy. Focus on those details.
5. Gather stories of "over-coming" for quick reference on overcast days or sleepless nights.
6. Expect people to say some wacky-stuff, know they mean well, then let it go. Forgive.
7. Find as many things to laugh about as possible: ie watch re-runs of your favorite comedies.
8. Add to your bucket list and focus on all of the amazing adventures that still await.
9. Remember to take good care of yourself in the whirlwind: baby steps -- prioritize.
10. Exhale deeply. With regularity. Then exhale again. Rinse and repeat. One step at a time.
11. Take a notebook to all of your medical appointments. Advocate for yourself!!!
12. Dust off your 'faith' circle of support, now's the time to go even deeper.

Readers. As a writer of a blog I know just how much it means, having a comment written on a blog post. How about hopping over to Mandy's and leaving a comment of support? How about 'following' her blog in the sidebar? If you're a fellow blogger -- how about joining the linky and sharing your thoughts and insight? We can make a difference to each other. We can connect through the cloud, by parting the clouds. We can be part of the come-back. I bet it would mean a lot to Mandy. I know it would mean a lot to Mandy.

Today as everything in the NAEYC exhibit hall was winding down, a very caring participant from last night tracked me down in my booth. She came to express her appreciation for my candid emotions of last night. She told me that it's all together too easy to sit in the audience of the 'big performers' and assume that we are in the spotlight because we've lived an 'easy' life and have had no 'distractions' from our talents or 'disruptions' to our goals. She was grateful to know that both Mimi and I have battled through hardships and that she had no idea of any of that history, until I got choked up. She told me that my candid sharing gave her hope -- to know that we are in the business of "over-coming + triumphing" offered her encouragement.

I'm grateful for her insight and her taking the time to come share it. I'm grateful that Mandy has chosen to use her experience to help educate others in the very midst of her own personal challenge. Mandy will be a ray-of-hope to others as they face challenges. There-in lies the one silver lining of challenges..... that we are offered an opportunity to become 'real' to one another.

Now hop over to Mandy's and become real. Thanks.

Debbie

Sue Nespeca & BOOKS!!!!

Canfield. Children's Literature Conference. Afternoon. Long time readers will remember how I occasionally can point to the very people who have connected-the-dots for me, taken me places, shared my name, suggested me to a committee, even created a whole event where I get to be on the stage and in the bright spotlight.............. I'd like you to meet Sue Nespeca. One of those quantum leapers in my professional life. I think at one time or another over the past fourteen years she's probably done each and every one of those things on my behalf.

Sue is brilliant on so many levels. She is ALWAYS on top of the newest picture books, but her real gift to the world of book-lovers is the way that she brings them to LIFE!!! From her portable music stand of ideas she's singin', she's drummin', she's rappin' and sharin' all of her variety of props to support bringing those books to life. Reach every reader.

She's rounded up an entire posse of her peeps for Gruffalo reader's theatre.

I've always been Denise Fleming's biggest fan. Her work is seriously amazing. EVERY time!!! Then I got to have dinner with her years back before the Pittsburgh Children's Literature Conference and we ended up spending hours laughing over all things books. So it was especially fun to see her latest enlarged on the BIG screen, being brought to life by Sue's supreme energy!! These two could do impersonations of one another. Talk about SHOUT!!! Talk about energy!!!

Sue + niece + Pete the Cat = WINNING TEAM!!!

The Skippy Jon Jones series is beyond fun. It's a favorite for my wonder-kids (grand children for new readers) who are lovers of books and lovers of four legged creatures. My daughter thinks perhaps I have contributed to the lyrical text in book series. Be certain to check-out Kid Lit Plus to find out all the latest from my favorite Early Literacy & Children's Literature Specialist.

Dynamic Deborah Duo

Movers and Shakers. Game-changers. Quantum-leapers. Meet Deborah Stewart up a little bit closer. She is a dynamo of vision which is awesome, but she is absolutely a visionary when it comes to action-on-behalf-of-children and for that I stand even more in awe. The fact that both of us are named "Deborah Jo" and have Indiana-roots just adds to my list of smiles and reasons to like her. Here we are at the Indiana AEYC conference this spring, where I've asked Mrs. Stewart to join my stage as I share my song and it's picture book format, "Tall Giraffe."

I happen to know that Deborah likes this particular song of mine. I know because she's told me. She told me from the stage of her workshop for NAEYC in CA last fall. In front of a packed room, standing room only -- packed room, Deborah saw me in the pack stacked in the back and brought me to her stage. She then suggested that we sing "Tall Giraffe" together. Which we did accapello. There was instant acclaim. Much applause.

When I saw her in my packed workshop, I knew turn about was certainly fair play. So here she joins me, channeling her best Vanna White impression to turn the pages so I can lead the teachers in the sign language sing-a-long.

There are people who have given me a hand-up. Given encouragement. Given support. Then there are game changers. Game changers are the ones, who by their sponsorship and care giving, by offering their connections and connecting the dots help me make a quantum leap forward. Deborah is a Quantum-leaper.

Life Changer: Arlana

Here we are!!! The two of us!!!! I can't believe that this is the only photo that I have of the two of us??? Thank heavens I have this one!!!! This is the woman who changed my life, everyone. Changed my life forever. Here she is!!! Meet Arlana Young. We are posed here smiling in a rest stop on a busy Italian 'interstate' the morning of our 'field trip' together, (we're headed to Reggio) the morning after I spent the day on her very own Army base(s), the morning following the family concert pictured below. [It will require a whole 'nother segment, let me just tell ya right now, to tell you the story of our field-trip day is a real whopper, even by Kweezletown standards.]

Through the years people have always asked, "How did you ever get that invitation?" They are asking in response to whatever amazing trip I am just reporting upon. Let me tell you, there are going to be a scadoodle of people that are going to ask, "How did you ever get to take that whole tour through Europe??"

The one word answer? Arlana.

The story behind the short answer?? Arlana and Renee and Allen.

NAEYC in 2009 was held in Washington DC. At the last possible moment we realized that my real-life pal Renee Sutherland didn't have lodging for the event & she bunked in with me. She gave a workshop on Conscious Discipline, that same ramp-up day as our presentation on the Arts and Movement & Music. We met up at the absolute end of the kick-off day in the Exhibit hall for it's grand opening festivities. As we are leaving the Exhibit hall via that very over-crowded escalator, Renee turns to me and says, "One of my workshop participants could be a real resource for you..... and she's from Italy."

No kidding, on that crowded escalator, the person on the step in front of Renee, turns around and says "I think my ears are burning, did someone say Italy?" Meet Arlana.

Out of 20,000 people in attendance. Seriously. What are the odds that the three of us would be standing one step apart from one another on the escalator? You do the math. Then you thank the angels.

The three of us then ended up walking back to our hotel laughing all the way and the initial scheming was launched. That began the journey I am now reporting. Through follow-up email Arlana asked me to sign up officially through the USO to be one of their approved acts for touring. I began that official process in December. To tell you the truth I didn't really fit their format. How many performers are in your group? One. How many thousand people can you perform for: 5,000 or 10,000? A couple hundred? Not a choice. No where on the form did it mention anything about children performances, or early childhood staff development presentations or family concerts. The proverbial square peg and round hole conundrum, the land of Debbie Clement.

At that exact same time as my attempting to jump through the USO hoops for their audition process, much closer to home, I learned of my own second diagnosis of Breast Cancer. For real. Thud. Exact same time frame. My mind can only hold so much & can only process so much. I totally & completely & utterly & abo-so-lutely forgot about ever returning to the USO proposal & audition process. Never once crossed my mind again in the midst of the surgery decision making, complications of infections yada yada, Physical Therapy going, shoulder freezing, regaining my "life" year of 2010 to ever think of Europe. Never once thought again about any of it. I was thrown back into the survival spin cycle and was working hard to keep my nose above water. The truth is, I dropped the ball.

Then came NAEYC time all over again. Again in Nov. This time across the country in Anaheim. The exhibit hall is open over four days in length. It is a marathon intertwined with sprints. I stand smiling all day after happy day long. The experience is delightful & gruelling all mixed together. I look at my watch on Saturday and realize there are only twenty-five more minutes of smiling, greeting, striking up conversations, engaging & planting seeds left. Through my exhaustion, I tell myself, "I can do anything for 25 minutes." [Drum-roll, please.]

Just then, the very next twinkle, someone stops and notices my two quilts hanging on my little corner of the Zaner-Bloser booth. She says that she's a quilter.... we talk about quilting for a couple of minutes and then I go on to explain that these quilts are actually illustrations from my brand new picture book, "Red, White and Blue" and that the book is actually a song I'd written & recorded earlier. She freezes and the expression on her face is priceless. It is at that exact moment when we each recognize the other!!! And I begin to experience life is offering me another profound opportunity.

It's ARLANA!!!!!

What are the odds that a second time at NAEYC, in the midst of 20,000 other individuals that the happy universe of serendipitous odds would connect the two of us? You do the math!!!!!

She says, "Hey, I thought you were going to follow up with USO?" I respond, "Well, I started that and then very promptly was diagnosed with Breast Cancer..... but wait till you see my new book!"

The next words out of her mouth? "Forget USO. I'll just bring you over directly."

The rest is history. She put out an invitation to other bases across Europe to join our very own "USO-like" tour for the celebration of the "Month-of-the-Military-Child" and three other installations joined her base outside Vicenza to make for the whirlwind of a lifetime.

In retrospect..... it is the culmination of my previous 15 years of being the Rainbow-child that prepared me to enter this particular lottery. All of the incredible invitations over all of these years have prepared me for this one. I needed to be an "author/illustrator" to enter the lottery. Actually I also needed to have a picture book project filled with images of the United States of America flag to have my ticket selected for this lottery experience.

It requires an infinite amount of fairy-princess-wish-upon-a-shooting-star blessings to connect all of the dots together into one constellation. It takes good friends looking out for you to help connect the dots. Thank you Renee for introducing me to Arlana. It takes a good spouse to make all of the arrangements and connect all of the dots for the renting of a car, securing flight & hotel reservations and driving untold miles across new territory, schlepping boxes of books merrily along a new Continent, to connect the dots. Thank you Allen for supporting me through Arlana's brain-storm. It takes people in a position of decision making who have the perspective and clout to pull off the unbelievable and connect the dots. Thank you Arlana.

The short answer: Arlana. The longer answer? Renee, Arlana and Allen et. al. Where in your faith story and belief system do you allow for out-and-out miracles to weave together the fabric of your experience in every day life? Let the celebration begin!!!

P.S. It was Arlana that made arrangements for all of us to tour in Reggio. She made all of the strategic provisions for 14 of her staff to get to have a day of inservice and observation together.

P.S.S. Contrary to rumors we are not sisters. That was probably the most frequently asked question while we were together and apparently even asked prior to our arrival in Italy. For the record, I only have one biological sister and that is Rebecca, my co-illustrator of Tall Giraffe fame. Arlana and I are not even 'sistah's' of the great Breast Cancer sisterhood either (thank goodness.) We, me and Arlana, are only Sisters with a capitol "S" -- as in the sort of woman who affords you the opportunity to grow and to dream beyond your wildest imagination. It is truly wonderful to be a part of that Sister-hood.