half-way point

So I am half-way through my three-week school visit tour of TX. For the last week and a half, I have been visiting the schools of Frisco where the first five episodes of the TV show DALLAS (remember, "Who shot JR?") were shot.
Apparently, the producers of DALLAS rented the house and location from a Frisco owner who had built the house for his wife who was a fan of GONE WITH THE WIND. Unfortunately, after the first five episodes were shot, the house burned down and before the owner could finish rebuilding he and his wife got divorced, she took the insurance money, the producers went elsewhere and he was stuck with an unfinished house. And it is still unfinished to this day. I think that is the story. It sounds like something from the DALLAS soap opera itself, doesn't it?

However, the drama that I have been experiencing at the schools has been on the very pleasant side. There is nothing like hundreds of students calling out, "GraceLin, GRACELIN!" as I walk through the halls. Suddenly, I feel like a rock star.

And that is only because the wonderful Frisco librarians have prepared the students SO well for me. The librarians not only read my books to the students but did my book crafts and activities. Like my coloring pages,


my kite making activity, and

the dim sum
and fortune cookie lesson suggestions.

It was amazing! And it made all the difference in my presentations. Without the students' excitement fueling me, there is no way I could keep up my presentations. Yay, Frisco students! Yay, Frisco Librarians! Yay, 1.5 weeks!