February 13 – “V Day”

So apparently yesterday was “V Day” at Cailyn’s school.  Chris always checks out her homework and sends her over to me to oversee its actual execution.  Yesterday Chris asked her what was something that starts with the letter “V.”  Cailyn answered immediately and proudly, “Vaughan.”  That’s my girl.  Her assignment was to write the letter about ten times, five upper and five lower case.  Then locate and circle the letter “V’s” in a hodgepodge of letters.  Next she was to draw something that starts with the letter “V.”  And finally she was to write two sentences about whatever it was she drew.  Oh, and she could get extra credit for each sentence beyond two that she wrote.  I particularly like that last one.  Great practice for future writers.  What could possibly constitute extra credit in kindergarten, you may ask?  They earn “dolphin dollars.”  The school mascot is the dolphin.  They can then trade in those dollars for things like pencils or stickers.  And I just learned today that she most recently traded in some dolphin dollars for the privilege of bringing a doll to school with her for a day.  Never heard of that reward before, but I guess it works.

Back to the homework.  When we got to the part about drawing something that starts with a letter “V,” Cailyn really made me proud.  She raced over to the bookcase, reached for one particular volume, and announced, “Dictionary.”  There have been a time or two when we have resorted to that old faithful tool, so I was really proud that she went there first.  So together we perused the “V” section, looking for ideas for her picture.  Do you realize how few “drawable” nouns there are that start with the letter “V”?  Chris was lobbying for her to do a “Vaughan Self Portrait.”  I think I would have gone for “Vase” myself.  Much easier.  She toyed with “violin” and “vine.”  In the end, though, she chose to go with … drumroll … “Valentine.”  Of course.  She drew a little card and wrote in it “To: Sam  From: Cailyn.”  Hmmm.  Sam. 

On the back of the sheet she began writing her sentences.  “I gave Sam a Valentine” was followed by “Will I get a Valentine?”  Aaaand the inevitable question finally burst forth, strictly in the name of her father, of course, for I was certain he would want to know.  “So who is Sam?”  A shy grin crept over her face.  Her head kind of ducked to one side.  Oh, my.  She’s only six years old.  Where did that behavior come from?  That’s full-on coquettishness.  And then her answer, “He’s the one who made me keep talking at lunch so I didn’t get to finish eating.”  Um.  OK.  I had nothing else on that one.  Still don’t.  Any thoughts, Daddy?

Psalms 33:20-21 says, “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.”

Father, thank you for violins and vases and Valentines and Vaughans.  Amen.