I'm Thankful For...

by Uncle Amon

couldn’t come fast enough! He was definitely excited to tell his class about his big pet parrot, Kiwi, and why he was thankful for him.

  Finally, Friday arrived. Kade’s nanny, Doreen, came to school with him. She would take Kiwi home as soon as show-and-tell was over.

  The first-grade classroom was bustling with activity, as kids and their pets milled excitedly around. After morning announcements, Mrs. Arnos invited her students to sit in a circle on the big rug in one corner of the room. She started show-and-tell by asking Andrea to talk about her brown-spotted puppy, Cookie.

  The little dog wriggled in Andrea’s arms as she spoke. “This is my dog, Cookie. I’m very thankful for her because she is a wonderful friend. When I’m sad or lonely, she cheers me up. When I’m sick, she lies on my bed to keep me company. And whenever I come home from school, she jumps up on me to say hello. Cookie makes me very happy!”

  Kade clapped along with the rest of the class after Andrea had finished. He couldn’t wait for his own turn! But he had to. It was Gray’s turn next.

  “This is my grandma’s cat,” Gray announced, showing off a big tiger-striped tabby. “His name is Grouch, because he’s grouchy a lot.” The class laughed.

  “Even though he belongs to my grandma,” Gray continued, “he’s kind of like my own pet. I’m thankful for Grouch because we can’t keep pets in my house. My dad is allergic to everything—even hamsters! But having Grouch at Grandma’s house is the next best thing!”

  After Gray, it was Min’s turn.

  “This is my goldfish, Flash,” she told the class. “Some people might not think goldfish are very interesting, but I don’t agree with them! I’m thankful for Flash because he is beautiful and shiny and lots of fun to watch, and also because I love the good feeling I get from taking care of him!”

  Finally, it was Kade’s turn to talk about Kiwi! He proudly carried the big green bird to the front of the circle.

  “This is my parrot, Kiwi,” Kade announced grandly. “I’m thankful for him for so many reasons. First of all, he is a great friend. He is funny and smart and likes it when I carry him around. He is also learning how to say some words and whistle different songs! But the biggest reason I am thankful for Kiwi is because I almost lost him once.” The class gasped loudly.

  “Last spring,” Kade went on, “I forgot to close his cage the right away, and Kiwi actually flew outside and into the big tree in our yard! But my neighbor spotted him, and she helped me get him down. I’m so thankful she did because I don’t know what my life would be like without Kiwi!”

  The class clapped enthusiastically as Kade finished.

  Then Kiwi loudly chirped, “I love you, Kade!”

  Kade grinned at his pet. “I love you too, Kiwi!”

  Now you take a turn. What pet are you thankful for? Remember, if you’re like Gray and don’t have pets of your own, you can always tell about a friend or family member’s pet!

  Just for Fun Activity

  If you’re thankful for your pet, show him or her by making these special toys!

  For a dog:

  Start with an empty 16-ounce water bottle. Remove the labels and make sure it is totally dry.

  Cut out a piece of soft, colorful fabric about twice as wide as the length of the water bottle and that will easily wrap around the bottle with a lot of overlap. (Old T-shirts are great for this craft, but make sure they’re clean and that you like the design! Also, an adult has to say okay before you can cut apart a T-shirt!)

  Wrap the fabric around the bottle so that it resembles an old-fashioned candy. (You can use two layers of fabric to make the toy last longer.)

  Tighten the ends and tie them off with string.

  Toss it to your doggy and show him or her how glad you are to have them as a pet!

  For a cat:

  Have an adult help you pick out and purchase a small amount of fleece. Cut the fleece into two strips that are about 3 x 9 inches long.

  Tie the fleece strips together, knotting them in the very center.

  Then cut each fleece end into smaller strips from the knot to the ends.

  Thread a few small jingle bells through random strips and knot again.

  Toss it your kitty and show him or her your cat-itude—I mean, gratitude!

  Annie’s Big Brother

  “John is so mean!” Annie complained, storming in from outside.

  “What did he do now?” Mom wanted to know.

  “He said I couldn’t play with him and Jaime!” Annie put her hands on her hips. “He said no girls are allowed in the treehouse right now because they’re having a secret club meeting! But the treehouse is mine too!”

  Annie’s eyes filled with tears. “I remember when John used to play with me all the time,” she said, her voice trembling. “But now all he wants to do is play with his friends. He’s not even nice to me anymore! He yells at me when I touch his things, and he ignores me when I ask him questions.”

  “Oh, Annie.” Mom pulled Annie into her lap. “John’s just going through a stage right now. I know he’s a little impatient with you sometimes, and I’ve talked to him about that. I think he’s still adjusting to being in middle school now. But I’m sure he didn’t mean to ignore you when you were talking to him yesterday. He was busy with his homework. I don’t think he even heard you.”

  Annie jutted her chin angrily. “I wish he wasn’t in middle school!” she declared. “I liked him much better when he was in elementary school, like me!” Then, impulsively, she added, “I wish I had a different brother!”

  “Oh, Annie!” gasped Mom. “You don’t mean that!”

  “Yes, I do!” Annie answered stubbornly. She jumped to her feet and faced Mom.

  Mom sighed. “Sweetheart, I know your feelings are hurt. But I think that, if you give yourself a chance to look deep down into your heart, you’ll find that John is a good brother, and that you love him very much. He may not be perfect, but then again, neither are you. And I know you are thankful for him.”

  Annie wasn’t so sure, but she didn’t tell that to Mom.

  The next day after school, Annie’s cousin Nicholas came to visit. Nicholas was just about John’s age, but he was much, much nicer to Annie than John had been lately. Annie spent the whole afternoon playing with Nicholas. She was glad John was off at karate, so that she could have her cousin to herself.

  It was a beautiful September day, so the two of them spent the afternoon outside. First, Annie and Nicholas played soccer. Then they drew colorful designs on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. After that, they rollerbladed together.

  I wish Nicholas was my brother instead of John! Annie thought as she skated along. He’s so cool!

  “Let’s have a rollerblade race!” Nicholas announced suddenly. “From here to the corner. Ready, set, go!”

  Annie grinned. She was a great rollerblader, and she was sure she would win the race. At first, she pulled ahead of Nicholas in a burst of speed. But suddenly, Annie noticed a small rock in her path. She tried to veer around it, but she was going too fast! She ended up tripping over the rock and sprawling head over heels onto the sidewalk!

  She skinned her knee badly as she crashed to the ground, and her wound started bleeding. Annie gasped. Her knee really hurt, and it made her feel dizzy.

  “Nicholas!” she screamed. Then she buried her face in her hands and started to sob.

  Nicholas skated back toward his cousin. But when he saw all the blood, he turned pale. “I’m sorry you got hurt, Annie,” he said in a shaky voice. “But I can’t stand the sight of blood. You’ll have to stay here while I go get your mom.”

  As he skated off, Annie clutched her throbbing knee and brushed away more tears. She was surprised at the way Nicholas had acted. He hadn’t been mean or uncaring—but John was such a good comforter.

  Annie remembered one time in the winter when she had slipped and fallen off the icy treehouse ladder. It turned out that she had sprained her wrist, and it hurt like nothing had ever hurt before. But the mom
ent she fell, John was there by her side, hugging her, shushing her, examining her wrist, and then finally picking Annie up and taking her inside to their parents.

  The memory made Annie cry all over again—but not from pain this time. She was crying because she had suddenly realized that Mom was right: She was thankful for John. And not just because he had helped her when she was hurt. He had lots of other great qualities too. He told the best jokes, and he was generous with his toys, and he was very kind to animals. Also, he knew out to pick out the very best Christmas and birthday presents for his friends and family.

  I didn’t mean it! Annie thought. I don’t really want Nicholas to be my brother instead of John!

  Later that day, when Annie was home safe and sound, with bandages and ice on her knee, John poked his head into her room to see how she was feeling.

  “I’m sorry you got hurt,” he said. “I brought you these.”

  Annie smiled when she saw that John was holding a package of her favorite kind of gum, Watermelon Ripple. He had bought it at the drugstore just for her!

  “Thanks!” she cried happily.

  “You’re welcome,” John answered. Annie thought he looked a little uncomfortable. After a moment, he sat down on her desk chair and cleared his throat. “Um, Annie? I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry about not being the best brother to you lately. I should never have let middle school or my new friends keep me from being nice to my little sister.”

  Annie smiled. She felt happy from her head to her toes. “It’s okay, John. I know you