- Hey boys and girls.
It's so good to see you.
Paxton and I have another story to share.
Say hey to Paxton.
Hey, Paxton.
We are so glad you are here.
So today, we're gonna read a story about being different.
Have you ever thought about what it feels like
when you stand out in a crowd because you're different?
That happens sometimes.
I mean, when I was in school, I was always the shortest.
And there's always the tallest in the classroom.
Sometimes there are those that wear glasses,
and sometimes there are those
that are really, really smart that can do math like crazy,
or can have beautiful handwriting,
different things in the classroom that sets them apart.
Sometimes there are those that are athletic.
They just can really, really do special stuff
as an athlete like gymnastics.
Again, I remember there were some girls when I was young
that had the ability to swing, walk on the balance beam,
swing from the bars,
and just do all kinds of really cool things.
And I was not nearly that coordinated
and couldn't get the hang of doing gymnastics.
But each of us have a gift.
We are all given something special that makes us unique.
And it's okay that we're not all the same.
We wouldn't wanna be all the same.
I mean, we were not designed to be the same.
How you know who's who, right?
But sometimes our differences set us apart
in ways we don't want to be remembered.
But there isn't anything we can do about it
because it's who we are.
Lilliana, the lion had problems with her differences.
And it kind of hurt her feelings from time to time.
And I remember again from being really short in school
that people would say somethings, or they don't mean to,
but sometimes they're just not nice things.
So we're gonna read a story today called
"Lilliana Moves to the Country."
And it's about differences.
I want you to listen, though, really closely
and watch what her differences are
and how we might react to them
should we be around them.
So here we go.
"Liliana Moves to the Country."
Liliana mountain lion made her way to the chicken coop,
her favorite place since they've moved to the country.
Putting her hand under the chicken,
she felt the warmth on the straw and then felt an egg.
Grasping it, she pulled it out
and placed it in the basket she carried.
Reaching in, she pulled out another
and squeezed her prize a little too firmly,
breaking the egg.
"Oh no," she cried just as her mom walked in.
Have you ever gathered eggs?
"Oh, don't cry Lilliana," said her mom.
"It'll be fine."
"I-I-bro-bro-ke-it-it," she stammered
as tears ran down her face.
"It's fine," said Momma Lilliana,
mountain lion hugging her.
"How many eggs have you found?"
"Just two."
"Well, let's find some more," said Momma.
"Can you count how many nests we have?"
"One,
two,
three,
four,
five,
six."
"Well done," said Momma grinning,
turning around to see Lilliana imitating the chickens.
Before she could stop laughing,
Lilliana was scratching the ground with her foot
and bobbing her head up and down.
And then Lilliana abruptly leaned over
and pecked the ground with her mouth.
Oh, standing up, she stuck her tongue out, covered in dirt.
"Oh, Liliana, you are too silly," laughed Momma.
"Maybe you should just feed the chickens
and stick with eating your own food."
Lilliana laughed as she tried to clean her tongue
while agreeing, "Uh-huh, nasty."
"I bought a new puzzle for you to try," said Momma
after helping Lilliana get the dirt off her tongue.
"We can work together on numbers and on shapes
when you come in."
Lilliana clapped her hands.
"Puzzle," she said.
Sitting at the table, Liliana looked at the puzzle.
"Can you hand me the circle?" asked Momma.
"Cul," Lilliana said handing over the piece.
"What about the triangle?"
Picking up the piece Liliana traced
the triangle shape with her finger.
"Good job," said Momma.
"Can you find the square?"
Searching carefully, Lilliana finally saw the desired shape
and place it in the correct space.
"Care," she said with satisfaction.
The next morning, Lilliana saw markers,
crayons and colored pencils on the table.
"What's that?"
"This is a kite, you get to color and decorate."
"Then we are going to put it together,
and then you're gonna fly it."
"I'm going to fly it?"
"You sure are."
Liliana clapped her hands with enthusiasm.
Concentrating on her work,
Lilliana missed the knock on the door.
"Come in Liam," said his aunt Layla.
Liam mountain lion looked at the kite spread on the table.
"What are you doing?"
He asked.
"Coloring Kite," said Lilliana
touching her chest to indicate it was hers.
"Momma said we put, gather and fly."
She continued talking more rapidly
than usual in her excitement.
"When?"
He asked.
"Tomorrow," said Liliana.
"My Paul was almost killed from that forest fire."
"I think I'd like to come along."
"Fine," said Lilliana, "colored too?"
"Sure."
"I think I'd even like to make my own."
"I have an idea" Liam said.
"How about I build my kite?"
"And then we take your kite and mine
and go to little feather Parking, finish them there."
"We can even invite some other friends
and make it a big, great gathering."
"Do you think your friends will like me?"
Asked Lilliana.
"Oh, Liliana
why would you ask that?"
Asked Liam.
"I don't know," she answered.
"Sometimes people just don't."
"My friends are great" said Liam.
"I know they will love you."
"Come on, it will be fine."
"If you're sure," replied Lilliana flashing him a big smile.
"If they love me, I love them too."
Taking Lilliana's hand,
the next day Liam said "bye aunt Layla,"
as they were leaving.
"I'll catch up with you in a bit, little bit."
Said aunt Layla, offering snacks for everyone.
The sun was shining in the clear blue sky as Liam
and Lilliana made their way through
the Buffalo grass lawn softly in the breeze.
Paxton, Prairie dog, Heartland horse, Roscoe raccoon,
and Eli elk could be seen coming across the field
each carrying their very different kites and art materials.
"Hi everyone," said Liam.
"This is my cousin Lilliana."
"She, aunt Layla, and uncle Lucas
just moved to the area to be in the country."
"Hi Lilliana" said Heartland.
"I like how you've decorated your kite."
"Thank you" said Lilliana.
"Not finished, I haven't even started yet."
"Come on, let's sit down and get started."
"The sooner we finished decorating,
the sooner we can fly them."
Sitting near each other,
the friends spread out their kites and materials
and began creating designs on their kites.
"Why does Lilliana look like that, talk like that?"
Whispered Roscoe leaning over toward Paxton.
Lilliana stopped coloring and looked at Liam
and then at Roscoe and Paxton.
"Lilliana has down syndrome" said Liam.
"What's that?"
Asked Roscoe his face skew.
"Well," said aunt Layla walking up just at that time.
"I can answer that."
"Oh," said Roscoe in surprise catching his breath
as though he'd been caught misbehaving.
"Down syndrome is a condition some children are born with
because they have one more chromosome than most children."
"How many chromosomes are we supposed to have?"
Asked Eli.
"Most children have 46,
but those with down syndrome have 47."
"They have a second copy of chromosome, 21."
"Often, they're visible differences everyone can see,
especially in their face."
"But there are health issues related to the heart
and the way they digest food,
even hearing and eyesight difficulties."
"Other issues include a delay in growth and with speech."
"So sometimes they use hand motions
to help them say what they want to say."
"These special children sometimes learn more slowly,
but that doesn't mean they don't learn."
"Lilliana can laugh, dance, run and play,
count numbers and share her thoughts
just like all of you."
"It just takes her a little longer."
"Looks at Heartland, I finished my kite."
"Mine too" said Paxton.
"I'm done said Lilliana."
"It's beautiful" said Eli.
"It's time to fly them" said Liam.
"The wind is perfect today, a really nice breeze."
"Are you finished Roscoe?"
"Yep, I'm ready to fly mine too."
Picking up their kites,
the friends added last minute touches,
readying their treasures to fly in the air.
Keeping their strings wound in their hands
and holding onto their kites, the friends ran
and let their kites be swept up by the wind.
"I don't know if I can do it" said Lilliana.
"I'll help you" said Liam.
"I will choose you" said Paxton.
"When we get yours up, then we will fly ours."
"That's kind of you" said Lilliana's mom.
"You help her get her kite up
and I will keep it up there."
"Run with me" instructed Liam
as the three started crossing the field.
Liam ran beside Lilliana and helped her with her string
while Paxton held her kite.
Feeling a gust of wind,
Paxton threw the kite up into the air
while everyone kept running.
"Keep holding the string" coached Liam.
"I'll let go once we get it high enough."
"Momma look" shouted Lilliana excitedly.
"Momma, fine, beautiful" she added with contended pleasure.
"Yes it is" Momma said coming to her side.
"Thanks fellas, it's time to get your kites up there too."
In just moments, the sky was decorated
with all the beautiful kites
and the friends enjoyed the rest of the afternoon
chasing the wind with their flying masterpieces.
So have you ever gone kite flying?
Sounds kind of fun, doesn't it?
But more importantly,
have you ever noticed that sometimes
children do look differently than you?
Sometimes they're in a wheelchair,
sometimes they walk with a cane or crutches,
sometimes in extreme cases some of them
don't even have hands to be able to fly a kite.
These children are all special children.
Doesn't mean they can't learn,
it doesn't mean they can't be your friend,
it just means they're different
and that's perfectly okay.
It's not something that we should frown upon,
it's not something we should be afraid of.
It's something we should remember makes them special.
And when we give our heart and friendship,
then they will recognize the fact
that they really are special
and their disability, their difference
doesn't bother us at all
and it shouldn't.
So the next time you're shopping or in a classroom
where there's a child that is maybe a little bit different,
it's perfectly fine.
And its especially perfectly fine
if you make friends and be a friend to that special child
because just like you, being very, very special,
every child in that classroom,
every child on planet earth is very, very special.
And I am so thankful that you very special friend
joined us today.
We are glad, Paxton and I
that you spent some time with us.
So that said, we're gonna go,
but we will be back.
Can you say bye to Paxton?
Bye Paxton.
We will see you later.
Thanks again for being with us.
We are so grateful, bye.