I wasn’t always slated for Alzheimer’s advocacy.
In fact, back in 2008 – after watching a CSI: New York marathon on TV…for ten school days straight…and doing very, very little else – I went back to school for my master’s degree.
In 2010, I graduated from the University of North Texas with a Master of Science in Information Sciences (a.k.a., a librarian’s degree) with graduate certificates in Youth Librarianship and Storytelling.
I chose these areas of study because I wanted to gain some expertise in something I love.
You see, I knew that Coach hoped to someday be a head football coach at the college level which provides a small, yet potentially impactful platform to create positive change in the team’s community. And then, when I looked inside my heart and my pretend crystal ball, I saw a deep passion for children and an obsessive love for reading.
Since that decision, Alzheimer’s Disease has attacked our family. Because we refuse to go down quietly, my public platform has taken on a life of its own.
Don’t get me wrong…I’m happy and proud and honored to shout “WE ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY MUST END ALZHEIMER’S” from the rooftops every singe day. You see, me and Coach, we are determined to help create a world without this horrific disease.
But I do still love children, I do still read obsessively, and putting it all together, I do still adore children’s books!!
Today, at Reasor’s (the Oklahoma version of HEB for all my Texas peeps), I bought my new favorite book:
Daisy-Head Mayzie by Dr. Seuss
The title and it’s similarity to my Angel Girl, Maci, grabbed my attention. On top of that, I could not understand how I have never heard of this Dr. Seuss tale. Obviously, I had to have it.
And now I love it!
The story is precious, about a beautiful little girl who discovers something different about herself, has to deal with the fallout when everyone panics over her being different, and then realizes that she’s lovable and valued and proud to be herself [and grow daisies on her head] after all.
But the main reason that it’s my new favorite is because just before bed my Coach and my Angel Girl stood by my side and looked over my shoulder while I read this book aloud to them. No phones in the room to distract, no TV’s with which to compete, just the three of us standing in the kitchen while I read Dr. Seuss out loud.
For me, that was a perfect moment.
The icing on the cake is the historical information about Mayzie and Dr. Seuss at the end of the book…which explains why I had not ever heard of this treasure.
The sprinkles on top of the icing on top of the cake? I get to read it all over again.
To my SonShine!
The next time he is home 🙂
Yes, he is now 20 years old.
Yes, he’s a big, strong, rough and tough football player.
Yes, he’s an uber-busy college student.
But he’s listened to me read 100’s of books out loud, and he’s a good sport, and he’s the world’s best son, so I know – just as Coach and Angel Girl did tonight – he will indulge me with this one: my new favorite book!
Love and hugs,
Ashli
* PS: please click here if you would like to support my efforts to #END ALZ –
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! A.
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