School for Andrea

By Eileen Ross

Seek learning even by study and also by faith (D&C 109:7)

What a special day for Andrea! She was going to school for the very first time.

“I painted a picture of a tiger,” she said, racing into the house after school. “I listened to a story about a big brown bear, and I even have my own hook for my jacket. Can I go to school again tomorrow?”

“Yes,” her mother replied.

The next day when Andrea came home, a smile covered her face from ear to ear. “We went on a nature walk,” she said. “I found three bugs, two sticks, and a purple flower. I even have a new friend, named Samantha. Can I go again tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Andrea’s mother said with a smile.

The next afternoon, Andrea raced up the stairs two at a time. “Mom!” she hollered. “Guess what? We have a gerbil in our classroom. He lives in a glass case, and we named him Patches. I even drew a picture of Patches. Do you want to see?”

“What a handsome gerbil,” Mother said, admiring Andrea’s picture.

“Can I go to school again tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes,” Mother replied.

The next afternoon, Andrea skipped into the house and plopped down at the table for milk and cookies. “We saw a movie about a lost polar bear,” Andrea said, wiping her mouth after a big gulp of milk. “Samantha and I played ball at recess. I had sixteen bounces without a miss! Can I go to school again tomorrow?”

Mother nodded and bit into a cookie.

The next afternoon, Andrea sang all the way home from school. “Oh, Mom,” she said, hugging her mother, “I made a truck using scissors and glue and lots of colored paper. And you should’ve seen the tower I built with blocks. Before it fell, it was this high.”

“That’s a mighty tall tower,” Mother said, looking at Andrea’s upraised hand.

“Can I go again tomorrow?” she asked.

“I’m sorry, Andrea,” Mother replied. “You can’t go to school tomorrow.”

Andrea’s eyes widened, and her smile melted away. “But I want to go to school,” she said, blinking hard. “School is fun.”

Mother knelt down and put her arm around Andrea. “School is fun,” she said. “But you can’t go tomorrow.”

“Why not?”

“Because tomorrow is Saturday,” Mother explained with a hug.

“Saturday!” Andrea said with a laugh. “Oh, I forgot! But can I go to school again on Monday?”

“Yes,” Mother told her. “You can go to school on Monday.”

“Good,” Andrea said, and she raced outside to ride her bike.

Illustrated by Taia Morley