A Special Child--Samantha

Last Saturday, I planned an outing, an adventure so to speak, with a little girl that I got to know through helping at Good News Club at her school. Her name is Samantha, but she prefers to be called Sammie.

Sammie is in second grade, and is very intelligent. However, she has some challenges. She has been diagnosed as being bi-polar. I had no idea that someone could have that diagnosis at such a young age. She apparently struggles at school, not academically, but socially. Her mother says her peers don't relate to her very well.

So, back to the adventure. I know, I know! Normally I would have some pictures to go along with this. Alas! I had my camara with me, but I guess I got so caught up in her fun and excitement, I forgot to take the pics.

We went to the "Naked Pottery Cafe"; it is a pottery studio where you can go and pick out a piece of pottery and paint it. Then they will fire it and glaze it for you. Sammie picked out a hand-held mirror (it had a depressed circular area to put a mirror in it). She decided to make it for her mom. I worked on a little candy dish.

Her choices of colors were interesting, and it was fun just to watch her work. She finished hers before I was completely finished, so she wanted to know if she could do something for her dad. She picked a little trophy cup for him.

In the car, she told me they had been studying "folk tales, tall tales, legends and fables" in school. I asked if she had a favorite one. She proceeded to tell me the story about a magic rooster--in great detail, probably word-for-word like she'd heard it.

It was a fun day! On the way home, she said she could use a "little snack" so we went through MacDonald's and got her a small hamburger and juice. (She doesn't drink sodas and very few sweets as she has some food allergies). She was a totally happy camper.

I will pick up the pottery when they get it fired and glazed, so possibly I will get some pictures when I take her treasures to her.