Maria and the fish

Maria has always loved animals - all types. When she was young and lived on the farm, she was always looking in on the animals to see what they were doing. She would feed old vegetables to the pigs. She would chase the ducks and chickens. She could often be found holding the kittens and petting the cats. She loved her father's dog, Chip. a large black Labrador with the sweetest temperament.

About once a month or so, Maria's father would go fishing on the weekend. He would go out early on a Saturday morning and would be gone almost all day, returning just before dinner. Being that she was so small, Maria was unable to go with her father and would wait at home with her mother and her brothers and sisters. Maria was always excited when her mother said her father was bringing home fish.

While Maria's father was fishing, he would place any fish he caught in a bucket filled with water to keep them alive. When he returned home, he would transfer the fish to a filled bathtub. Maria would watch the fish swim around the tub with delight. She would get so excited, she would babble to her brother and sister about the fish and smile and giggle all the while. It was always a treat for Maria.

Maria never knew what happened to the fish when they went bye-bye. However, the family always enjoyed their dinner on those nights.

Maria of the winding blankets

When Maria could not play outdoors because of rain or snow, she loved to play make-believe. She had quite an imagination and did not need much in way of toys or props to amuse herself.

She would wrap herself up in blankets and scarves and shawls and become the main character in her own stories. It might be a fairy princess in a castle, or a nun in a convent in the Alps, or the woman from the Bible who wiped Jesus' face. Maria was always lost in her stories and would entertain herself fairly well.

One day, during a rainstorm, Maria twirled the blankets around her and draped one over her head. As she marched slowly down the center of the living room, her brother Miguel was passing by. With a quizzical look on his face, he asked Maria, "What are you doing?"

Maria was shaken out of her make-believe land and answered matter-of-factly, "I am getting married."

Miguel said, "Wait - I have an idea. I will be right back."

Maria was stunned as Miguel never paid much attention to her and rarely wanted to play with her. So she waited patiently.

Miguel returned shortly with his Sunday suit on. He even had a fake flower in the button hole. He looked at Maria and said, "I will be the groom."

At this point, Maria's sister, Juanita, passed by and caught on quickly to what was happening. Juanita wanted to join in and quickly wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She said, "I can be the priest and marry you!"

Miguel found a box of silk flowers for Maria to hold. Juanita found a Bible to hold. Then Miguel and Juanita sang out the wedding march as Maria walked down the aisle again. "Don don duh don, don don duh don..."

Juanita performed a wonderful ceremony and Maria's mother took a picture of the wedding party afterwards. Maria was delighted that her older brother and sister spent the afternoon with her and her imagination.

Second Grade

Maria lived in a small community with one elementary school. In this school, there were only a few classrooms for each grade. Many of the teachers worked in the school for a very long time. Maria's older sisters and brother went to this school before Maria and knew many of the teachers. In fact, Katrina (Maria's oldest sister) had the same second grade teacher as Maria - but five years earlier.

Now it is important to note here that Maria and her brothers and sisters all looked very much alike. In fact, sometimes it was hard to tell Maria and Katrina apart in old photographs.

The first day that Maria went to second grade, the teacher called role to start the day and to get to know her students' names. When she called Maria, Maria raised her hand and said. "Here." The teacher looked closely at Maria. Then she said, "You look very much like a little girl I taught before named Katrina."

Maria smiled and said, "Yes, Katrina is my older sister."

The teacher smiled and moved on to the next name on the role.

Over the next few months, Maria was happy in school, but disappointed that the teacher never called on her for questions. In fact, the teacher barely said Maria's name ever.

One day, Maria's mother was called into school for a parent/teacher conference. Maria's teacher had scheduled a meeting with Maria's mother to discuss Maria's progress in second grade.

Maria's mother came home very worried about Maria. She asked Maria to sit down and asked her why she was not listening to the teacher. Maria's mother told her that the teacher has repeatedly called her name and Maria has ignored her.

Maria was surprised and said, "Mother, I do listen to the teacher. I always answer the teacher when she calls my name."

Maria's mother was baffled. She called the teacher and talked with her some more. In the middle of the conversation, the teacher asked Maria's mother to encourage Katrina to pay more attention. It was at that moment that her mother realized that the teacher had been calling Maria - Katrina.

Maria and her mother had a plan. When Maria returned to school, she began to answer to both Katrina and Maria. When he teacher would call Katrina, Maria would ask her if she meant Maria. The teacher began to realize her mistake and Maria was never accused of not paying attention again.

May Day

When Maria was small, she lived in the northern state of Michigan - a state where there are proper seasons. As you may have guessed, Maria loved the outdoors, especially during the spring and summer. She loved the soft breeze and the bright sun. She loved the smell of rain showers and fresh grass and blooming flowers.

Maria would roam around the farm, picking fruits and vegetables whenever she was hungry - whatever was in season. She would always look for flowers to braid into crowns. She even thought dandelions were beautiful in a braided crown. When the bluebells would bloom in the side garden, she would sing the rhyme:
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With bluebells and cockleshells and pretty maidens all in a row."
She especially loved the heavy sweet lilacs that grew on a vine on the side of the house.

On May Day, every year, Maria would roll a large piece of paper into a cone. Then she would tape or staple a handle to the top of the cone. She would walk around the farm and gather all the flowers she could find and would fill up the cone. Then she would hang the May Basket on the doorknob, ring the doorbell and quickly hide in the bushes.

Maria's mother would open the door and look around to see who was there. Then she would see the May Basket and her eyes would light up with surprise and she would smile. Maria always giggled, unable to contain her excitement and happiness.

Maria's mother would take the flowers inside and place them in a vase on the counter. Maria would come indoors and her mother would point out the flowers saying, "Maria - look what someone left on the door!"

Maria would smile big and say, "They are so pretty."

She never told her mother who left the flowers there.