Begin: to come into existence; to originate. (I love the dictionary!) So where did Alphabet Anatomy begin? Glad you asked.
I’ve been blessed with 4 very talented and handsome sons whom I love with all my heart. Of course I do!! Like most moms, I helped my sons learn their letters before kindergarten and continued to help them with reading and writing skills through the elementary grades. Branson is my youngest son (#4) and I’d become pretty familiar with the letters by then. One day I began observing the letters’ shapes and wrote Alphabet Anatomy’s rhyming verses as a way to help Branson recall the letters for writing. Branson is currently 17, so that was several years ago. Back then, I’d also written several poems and was selling them in the scrapbooking market so the verses came very easily. Once Branson mastered those skills, the verses were filed away.
Fast forward to early 2011; we’re moving and I’m cleaning out my file cabinet. Funny how things work out…. I laughed as I re-read the verses. Branson had become quite an artist so I asked him if he could make some drawings. He brought the letters to life so perfectly and I just knew they could help other children. So I made a mock book and brought it to our local library for feedback. The librarian praised it and said it was so creative and that parents had often asked for books on how to write the alphabet letters but she had not known of any. She said her daughter would love the book and encouraged me to publish. Can you imagine how happy I was? THE LIBRARIAN LOVED IT! I couldn’t wait to tell my husband.
Funny how things work out… and pretty amazing too. I began Alphabet Anatomy with rhyming verses as a way to help Branson, and he completed it with illustrations that can help other children. I am humbled and honored that I have this incredible opportunity to collaborate with my son to make a difference in our world. A child’s educational journey — a most worthy and noble cause. An answer to prayers? Oh, yes! That Branson and I can use our talents and abilities to somehow help others is an extraordinary blessing, and I am forever grateful…
