The News Team

Last week we were studying about knights and castles and one of the things which we learned about was the Code of Chivalry. If you are unfamiliar with it you can find it here. Also included there is the Rules of Courtly Love, which was nice refresher for anyone in a relationship with anyone. Last week Haiti was hit by an earthquake that causes major damage and took a lot of lives. Isaac wanted to help them.

We thought up a way to do a donation drive in our community. It started out by just posting a few flyers up in the stores and other areas. While I want it to sound noble and all that we are doing this, (and we want to do this, don't get me wrong), part of the project was helping Isaac with his social skills. Keeping eye contact, asking for help, accepting slight rejection (like the word NO), and working on fluidity in his speech.

I was so proud of our little community. Safeway donated a 25.00 gift card to him, another store is offering discounts if they bring in a donation, others let him post his flyer in their place of business. The Chamber of Commerce notified KNOP News 2 out of North Platte, so they scheduled an appointment yesterday to come out and film Isaac and our family for his project.

I rehearsed with Isaac most of the day on the questions they were going to ask him. We cleaned the house. Why is it on the day you are so worked up and nervous about something, its the day the kids are out of sorts, off medication, don't feel good or refuse to cooperate in any way? By the time the News got here, I was trying my best to not look like a stressed out freak of a mom with six kids.

She positioned us all on our couch. Then she handed Isaac a microphone. I got the giggles when I said "Kermit the Frog here, reporting for Sesame Street News." So much for not acting like a freak. Well, the laughter was good anyway, it helped with the nerves.

The anchorwoman that was filming this was very nice and very patient. Kendra Potter had a smile on her face the entire time, complimented and encouraged Isaac, and put us at ease. After our interview she filmed the kids playing a game and I noticed five of them were not even aware of her camera, or that she was stepping over 6 wiggly bodies to get a better shot. Except Simeon. Simeon had all his penguins in tow. He insisted Cody, his favorite, get filmed. At one point Simeon shouts out "Hi Mrs. Hendricks (his Kindergarten teacher)! Look! I'm so brave!" While she was filming the kids playing a game, Simeon was standing beside her with Cody, jabbering on about something. When she lowered the camera for a better picture, Simeon took that opportunity to inch Cody up to the side of the camera, then ease Cody around the edge of lens so it looked something like this:


see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Only, pretend the seal is a penguin. And the penguins are 5 unassuming kids playing a game.

They will air the segment tomorrow night on the 10:00 news. Isaac is going to be their Hometown Hero. Isaac seemed so at ease, not nervous, and pretty excited about it all. We have yet to get any physical donation in, but I hope after Sunday we might get some. We plan to take all of it to a collection point in Cheyenne WY.

It has been a pretty exciting week here in Ogallala. Its not too often that a news team shows up at your house. I know there are several ways to donate to the people of Haiti, but that Isaac can actually touch the goods, sort them, pack them and deliver them has a lot more meaning to him. I think *sniff*...he's on his way to becoming a knight!