before i even start telling everyone how freaking great my time in hampton was…will someone please tell me if the hampton-dumont football team is 8-0?!?  did you win??  i was rooting for you at my signing and later on in the rv!  hope you guys won big!

okay, my stay in hampton was so awesome!!  it started thursday night as soon as my rv pulled into town!  i was invited to be a guest story reader to the kids in town at the kaleidoscope, the great bookstore in town. it was a pajama party!  so we all wore pj’s and kicked it on the floor.  i read two wonderful books to the kids.  after our pajama party, keri, the owner of the kaleidoscope, took me out to dinner to the new steak house in town.  a HUGE thanks to keri, paul, ted, marjan, rich, jeanie and maryanne.  i had such a nice time getting to know all of you.   and another thanks to everyone at pakota’s for my vegetarian meal!  and ted and marjan, my hotel suite was so wonderful!! 

NOW!  this morning i had the MOST unbelievable priviledge to hang out at hampton-dumont high school.  YOU ALL ROCK!!!  i can’t begin to tell you how MUCH fun i had meeting all of you and spending the day with you guys!  i am still floored at how kind, supportive and simply put, how COOL you all were to me.  the only thing i now need is to get a bulldog sweatshirt!   :O)))  and no, i’m not kidding! 

from the business & careers class to the english classes, to the great lunch at the bulldog cafe with the most wonderful book group!!  (abby, caitlin, ashley, barbie, lindsay and sIdney…i love you girls!!  and to alana, the one i missed at lunch!  am so glad we had the chance to hang out at the kaliedoscope!  and tricia, thank you for organizing everything!) 

to ALL of you at the school, students, teachers, everyone.  thanks so much for supporting me and before i go.  i really do look forward to hearing all of your thoughts!  so don’t forget to write me and let me know.  (that means you too, james!)

tonight at the kaleidoscope was SO wonderful!  i have met so many great people and you all were so awesome.  i can’t thank you enough for coming to keri’s store and checking out my book. 

so, hampton iowa, from the bottom of my heart…you guys have absolutely, positively made my week.  my month.  quite frankly, you’ve made my tour the very best.  i cannot wait to come back!!!  and i can’t wait to hear from all of you!!

much love being sent back to you all!!!