#thankfulthursdays Continue Nov. 12

· by · in Blog. ·

I’m thankful for the memories of my time in college at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas and the friendship of my Sigma Kappa sisters. It was fun touching base Sunday evening at the banquet honoring those of us who joined 50 years ago. (Boy that number is hard to wrap my head around!) FullSizeRender(59)Not having close ties to my high school because I was only there two years with my closest friends being Air Force Brats (who are who knows where), attending the sorority gathering filled a gap.

It was fun to meet such smart committed young women. FullSizeRender(60)  Brandi Reid, Chapter President and  Abbie Kinder, VP Alum Relations

I’m thankful for the family members we have in Wichita Falls and getting to visit with them.    while attending the Junior League Christmas Fair Sunday afternoon. Wichita Falls is the setting for the 4th book in The Second Chances Series. (I did buy a couple of gifts for the grands and the daughters!. 🙂 )

FullSizeRender(61) My great niece Avery West &  me in front of one of the many Christmas trees.

When Bob and I visited a month ago for his 50th high school reunion, we spent quite a bit of time wandering the campus. I took many pictures of what I hope will be the setting of another future book. I’m thankful that when Bob served on the Board of Regents, he fought for the beautiful arches that are a distinctive mark of the buildings.FullSizeRender(62)

I’m thankful for the good people who support the Parents as Teachers program in Texas, the US, and many countries around the world  including Canada, Great Britain, Germany, China, West Indies, Virgin Islands, Australia, and New Zealand.

Our pastor asked us to find what we were passionate enough about to get involved. For me it’s Parents as Teachers. After many years in the public school sector wearing many hats, I’m convinced that if all families had access to the support of this program, not only would our schools be better but our world would be better.

From a FWISD flyer about the program: PAT is an evidence based program located at the school and in the home. The curriculum is based on reliable and current research in areas of child development and neuroscience and addresses the five areas of school readiness that play key roles in children’s success in school as identified by the National Education Goals Panel. Those are: physical well-being and motor development, social and emotional development, approaches to learning, language development and cognition and general knowledge.

Trained parent educators are located at schools, but spend most of their time doing home visitation. Weekly Learn and Play sessions are held at the school for parents and their children. Sometimes these programs are in childcare settings. In the US, there is recognition of the value of home visitation programs and funds are available in ways they haven’t been before.

Monday, I attended part of the PAT Annual Conference in Dallas earlier this week where  my good friend Julie Miers, the FWISD PAT Coordinator, received an Impact Prize for her program, which is the largest in the world!!!

FullSizeRender(64)Charles B. Mullins, MD received the Jeanette Watson, Texas PAT Advocacy Award from (L) Elaine Shiver, Director Texas PAT and (R) Lyn Clark, President MHAT

It was fun meeting parent educators from the UK Janice Saunders and Pauline Penfield. (Helena Fairfax, I told them about you. 🙂 )

FullSizeRender(58)Pauline Penfield from the UK and Julie Miers

FullSizeRender(63)  Janice Saunders from the UK & Janet Newton, PAT Program Consultant, Kansas State Department of Education.

Here are links to the Texas program http://www.txpat.org/ and the US program http://www.parentsasteachers.org/

I’m thankful for our many Veterans who we honored yesterday. You can read my post on the subject at my Sisters of Suspense blog. Here’s the link. http://sistersofsuspense.com/2015/11/11/november-11-is-veterans-day-in-the-us/

I’m thankful to attend the author signing at the Lewisville Public Library this evening. I hope if you’re in the vicinity you’ll stop by.

And lastly, but not least, I’m thankful and happy to share with you the cover for ACT OF TRUST, The Second Chances Series, Book 2. Act of Trust(2)

So tell us about a program, a concern, a charity, a something that you’re passionate about and thankful to be involved with.

Love to hear from you.

8 responses to “#thankfulthursdays Continue Nov. 12”

  1. What a lovely post, Marsha. The PAT program sounds a wonderful thing to be involved in. That’s good that people from the UK were there, too. It’s great that educators can learn from each other and support each other in this way.
    And I love the cover of Act of Trust! It fits really well with the other books in the series.
    Good to be reminded of how much we have to be thankful for. Thanks for posting, and best wishes on your next release.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hey, Helena. Yes, It was lovely getting to meet your compartriots. So fun to hear the speech. My friend Julie was over in England last year training in Bedford, I believe. Glad you like the cover. Sure hope I can get the book out before Christmas. Thanks so much for stopping and for all your support. 🙂

      Like

  2. The new book cover is chilling with the drops of blood spattered on the letter. Love it! PAT sounds like a great program for support beleaguered parents who want their kids to have a great learning experience. Being involved in worthwhile activities like this enriches the retirement years of our lives. And yes, my DH and I attended our respective 50 year HS reunions too this past spring and fall. I don’t know where the time went. Really enjoyed re-connecting with classmates and re-visiting our hometowns. Did I mention I was only 8 when I graduated HS????

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hey, JQ. LOL yes, I was only 8, too, when I graduated. LOL I like how you think. Glad you had a great time at your reunions. Someone asked me if the blood droplets were becoming a pattern. I said maybe just for the series. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by. Look forward to hosting you next Tuesday. 🙂

      Like

  3. Marsha, it sounds like you had a wonderful college experience. One of my most fun times were during my college years.

    PAT in a way sounds like a program I designed and implemented when I was a Public Health Nurse. It was the first Health Check in the Home program in the State of Wisconsin. It had all five key areas you mention and was mostly educational, plus physical assessments. It was successful then. I wonder if the state still has the program.

    I’ve loved all of your novels. I always want to say mysteries. That’s what I looked for and they are for me.

    Best wishes to you.
    Susan

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hey, Susan. I remember you talking about your Wisconsin program. I bet the two have merged now or at least work hand in hand. Its all about reaching kids and parents as early as possible. That’s the key. If legislators would just wake up, they’d see how cost effective this kind of program is. Some have and I’m grateful for that. Your next book is coming out in just a couple of weeks right. Love to have you on my Tuesday Author Chats if you’d like to drop in.Thanks for stopping by. It’s always good to hear from you.

      Like

    • Hey, Vicki. Yes, this was three jam packed days. Quite fun to reconnect. I stayed in two different hotels on two consecutive nights. Don’t think I’ve ever done that before. Interesting. I appreciate you taking time to stop by.:)

      Like

Leave a comment