I've often heard you can't go back again. However, on my way to E 42nd Street in Des Moines I drove past ranch home after ranch home with the same style of backyards that my brothers and I often played our pickup games on in the suburbs of Cincinnati.

E 42nd Street was a middle class neighborhood that put me back in time and these kids were kids I had much in common - rough, loud, full of love, full of emotion, and certainly never a dull moment.

Cathryn Lang waited for me at 7:30 in the morning with her cart knowing I'd be carrying props and signed books. We headed quickly to Hoyt Middle School through a maze of hallways. Emily Arnold who was instrumental in getting all sixth-graders a copy of my book followed along with us. Double doors opened to a spacious auditorium. The stage had been prepared for my speech and the microphone was already humming.

The students piled in and we enjoyed a game of shadow baseball with much laughter in between. What even caused me to pause was the silence and attention I received talking about Erin and her baseball Hall of Fame success. I've found during this book tour that I've been able to reach the older students by explaining Erin's hardships while also letting them know how my daughter was able to push through in living out her dream. Students don't want sugar-coated, water-downed stories; students today want real, genuine stories with emotional meaning. With the age of the IPOD and MP3 player, it's nice to know that a good, old-fashoned success story is still of interest to middle school students.

After a thunderous applause I stood there in awe and felt so appreciative. But there wasn't time to bask in the glory, because I had to speak to the elementary students next. I met Mr. Lord, Brubaker's school principal, and he'd dawned his Chicago White Sox uniform with pride. He ushered students in and out of the cafeteria/stage room with the precision of a New York City policeman directing traffic.

I called on several volunteers to discuss their dreams and one bright student said, "I am going to hold the world record for yo-yoing ten yo-yos all at once on my ten fingers. The room fell silent when I talked about Creeper and his magic glass eye, which stole the show. I noticed several students closing their eyes to collect their fears.

I spoke to the gifted students at 11:00 a.m. and I explained to them through example how to create detailed, colorful sentences. We had fun partnering in teams. I am hopeful that several of these talented writers enter the Iowa writing contest because I saw some promising writers in the bunch.

Near the end of school day, I was asked to get more books out of my car and I heard over and over again, "Mom! I just got to have Dr. Mullen's book!"

I was then mugged by a crowd of enthusiastic students waiting for the bus. It was then I recalled what it was like living in the moment through these children's eyes.

They say you can never go back. Not true! My time to shine happened at Hoyt & Brubaker.

Thank you.

I had to take a northern detour from where I was staying in Des Moines to Humboldt, Iowa to speak to the students at Mease and Taft Elementary. Humboldt is twenty minutes north of Fort Dodge and can be reached on US 169 North. A nicely etched granite rock welcomes you to Humboldt. As I crossed over the Des Moines River, I saw two hearty fishermen braving the white-capped rapids and fishing for what I assumed were brown river trout.

My host was George Bruder who greeted me at Mease. We instantly became close friends having lived similar lives. He came from a large family and was born in 1960 in January, and I was born in 1960 in March. George wore a colorful baseball tie, and his enthusiasm for baseball got the kids excited about my visit. When he recalled Tony Perez, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan of the "Big Red Machine" I was certainly impressed.

The students certainly enjoyed themselves and even after our assembly I was having students tugging at my sleeve and wanting to tell me their most precious dream. The young lady who won the screaming contest became so frightened when she gripped Creeper's eyeball in the concealed bag that she was too afraid to scream.

At Taft we filled the middle school auditorium with grades 2-5. The students certainly enjoyed a game of "shadow baseball". The students cheered when I unveiled Erin's Team USA uniform.

George invited me to dinner at the local diner with his family and we were so engrossed in our conversation that when the food was finally served we had just seven minutes to "wolf it down" because parents were waiting our return. It reminded me of my days spent in the military where we had just five minutes to eat our breakfast before early morning marching drills.

We had a good representation at Parents Night and there were some terrific baseball door prizes offered to the attendees. After speaking for roughly 40 minutes I answered questions about writing and the book. After patiently waiting in the front row, I had a three-year-old raise her hand. I decided to give her her opportunity to chime in. She asked me, "When do you go bye-bye?"

I laughed and took this as my cue to say my final farewell to Humboldt.

I had heard that Harry Reasoner - co-host of "60 Minutes" - was a Humboldt native. In fact in 1972, Andy Rooney and Reasoner had created an ABC-TV documentary titled "A Small Town in Iowa." The story focused on the demise of Humboldt because of its youth leaving their small town in search of high-paying jobs in cities like Des Moines.

Thirty-seven years have passed and as I toured the small town of Humboldt I still saw it as a vibrant, thriving community with proud citizens appreciative of small-town farm living. In fact, George nudged me to write about Humboldt's new family aquatic center. What makes America unique are small towns like Humboldt, and I firmly believe that what makes the United States the place where dreams can still come true are these charming communities that have found their niche in our society.

Keep the dream alive Humboldt.

After dodging the Des Moines rush hour traffic I turned on a quiet road and my spirits were renewed when I noticed baseball fields and stacked bats at the entryway to the stellar park. River Woods is surprisingly out in the open and doesn't appear as if it is a city school. The previous week, the Harlem Globetrotters had visited River Woods and I-Hops had donated breakfast for the students. Pancakes, spinning basketballs and the Harlem Globetrotters - I had a daunting task ahead of me if I were to compete with such a formidable force of basketball celebrities.

Mrs. Lorentzen greeted me and was pleased with the number of book orders she had received. My chief source of revenue are book sales, and I receive zero sponsorship dollars for my travel expenses. So I was pleased that Mrs. Lorentzen had taken the time out of her busy schedule to help me in my pursuit of raising money for free books to be given away at Principal Park.

Our first challenge was in the lunchroom. The tables and chairs were in the way. The janitor and I had just 15 minutes to move all 20 tables and stack a few hundred chairs to the sides. It was a good thing we had completed the task in time because the K-2 students had arrived and I had about one feet from my audience to where I stood to speak. The closeness didn't seem to bother the students. We had fun and one young lady's dream stood out: She said, "My dream is to one day live in a mansion." After my speech was over this same young lady came up to me and said, "I wasn't telling you a joke. My dream IS to one day live in a mansion."

By the time I was complete at River Woods, I had just 30 minutes to drive back to the city for my next speaking engagement at Carver. Carver Elementary is impressive. It appears like a corporate headquarters and the Boys and Girls Club is attached to the school. The entryway to the school is open and airy and brings in warm sunlight.

Betty Wolfe greeted me and assisted me with my things to the new gym, which is as large as any high school gym. There were so many students for the first speech that we filled half the court. The students were so excited by being able to confess their dreams that I had difficulty sometimes speaking over the rush of noise. But when I began reading about Creeper and his magic glass eye, all the attention focused back on me.

What impressed me about Mrs. Wolfe is that she stayed for both speeches and I once glanced over her way and saw her holding one young student with the same care she might hold her own child. I was comforted by her compassion for her students.

I'm usually not biased when it comes to handing out free hats, but this one young man screamed with such intensity for the free X Games hat that when he was callled on to scream again he had lost his voice. Still my young actor persisted through a tiny squeal, twirled, and giggled uncontrollably with joy upon receipt of his hat.

I have been offered such a rare gift by so many students and teachers. However, sometimes these touching moments aren't direct. Sometimes the moment comes after my speech. I opened the large envelope that contained the book money along with special sayings I was supposed to autograph for the many students' books. The bundled five and one dollar bills along with the jingling of nearly twenty dollars worth of coins rendered me speechless because it wasn't too hard to figure out that this money was money students had saved up no doubt from weekly allowances.

Over and over again students have asked me: "Are you famous? Are you rich?"

I clutched the precious, tattered one dollar bills - with some five dollar bills having been taped or folded over and over again to fit in the slot of a piggy bank - and I thought about the students' favorite saying and finally breathed out, "Yes, I am famous. Yes, I am rich. At least in your eyes I am...."

Thank you River Woods and Carver for giving me your best and brightest.

Indianola is about a half hour south of Des Moines and can be reached by the I-5 bypass. Indianola is home to Simpson College and the National Balloon Museum and Ballooning Hall of Fame which receives 24,000 visitors a year.

When I arrived at Emerson in the afternoon, students were playing outside in the sunshine. My host was Mrs. Burris who wore her two daughters' softball uniforms. Mrs. Burris was excited by my visit and a bit nervous in trying to prepare for the speaking engagement.

I was introduced by Mr. Timmerman, the school principal, who was young in terms of managing a school of nearly 500 students. I found Mr. Timmerman a seasoned veteran, pleasant, and certainly caring for the students. The students were dressed in just about every Major League baseball uniform you can imagine. And the first student I called on wore a Cincinnati Reds uniform - which might have shown my biasness. Most of the dreams from the students centered around baseball and I have to admit I had some stellar athletes who performed the shadow baseball drill well.

The roar from the crow during the Art of the Scream contest for the student who won the X Games hat had to be because I'd chosen one of the more popular students from the group. I had an enjoyable visit and this was just the trip I needed to prepare myself for visiting over 1200 students the next day in Des Moines.

When I arrived at Jefferson the parking lot was filled to capacity. Because it was close to six p.m. I assumed there was a sporting event going on. As soon as I arrived at the school, I noticed the cafeteria was full with Scouts and other students wearing baseball uniforms. The children were nibbling on hot dogs and chips.

“You must be Dr. Mullen,” I heard behind my back. “I’m Melanie Schroeder.”

I turned around to greet Melanie who was wearing a Cubs outfit. My Parents Night coordinator helped me with my things and showed me where I was to speak. I was to speak on a sunken stage with descending, green-carpeted stairsteps where students were to sit for my presentation.

As I was preparing for the speech, Melanie informed me: “We have over a 145 confirmed reservations, another 35 more confirmations, and just today over 20 more. In all, 200 parents/students have signed up to hear your speech tonight. This is the most we’ve ever had for one of these events.“

I then quickly deduced that the filled parking lot of cars, filled cafeteria of hot-dog loving students and parents had come specifically to hear me speak. I usually don’t get nervous, but I felt a quick surge of apprehension rising on the back of my neck. The reason why is because this was the first time I’d be speaking in front of such a large group of parents. I’d get a feel tonight on how my speech would be received by the parents at Jefferson.

The room quickly filled; the lights flashed on and off and suddenly all eyes were on the presenter. All went well including the “Art of the Scream” which received a joyous applause from the parents. But what touched me most was when I revealed my daughter, Erin’s, Team USA uniform to the audience. The crowd erupted in applause. It was then I knew my daughter and I’s story touched them in a positive way. The Iowa Cubs offered tickets to the Cubs game and I was asked to pick from the hat for the two lucky winners.

After the presentation, Melanie asked if I had time to sign a few more books at the parents’ request. Of course, I agreed.

After bringing a bagful of books back with me to the stage I was overwhelmed with warmth. Parents and children waited patiently in a line that snaked outside the auditorium door. I felt as if I had arrived.

One father who had two daughters in softball took pictures of me with his athletic girls and said proudly, “I hope my two girls can bring home a championship ring for me like Erin did for you.”

Another parent said, “I am having my daughter look Erin’s name up on the Internet so she can be inspired by all of Erin’s accomplishments.”

Several parents thanked me for sacrificing my time away from my family and farm to help inspire Iowa’s children to dream big. Over and over I heard compliments about my speech and how my message was right on track and what children today need to hear.

Thank you Jefferson. You have inspired me with your warmth and I now know that Iowa’s parents do believe that every child – including their children and even possibly they themselves – dream of greatness.

My days spent in Dubuque have gone well. My energy level was a bit peaked but I knew that Laura Oberfoell and the students at Hoover Elementary were expecting a big show.

Mrs. Oberfoell ushered me into the gym and asked if I wouldn't mind having individual pictures taken with the students who'd purchased a book.

Of course I didn't mind.

Mrs. Oberfoell who goes by "Mrs. O" organized the books by classes with such efficiency that she reminded me of a professional card dealershuffling a poker hand at Diamond Joe's. Both speeches went well and what was most interesting was a young boy who came up to me after the show and asked if he could have my autograph.

When I heartily agreed, the student pulled out a folded picture he had illustrated with care and asked me to sign his pencil sketch in the extreme left hand side. I signed his drawing as directed and then he folded his picture and placed it in his notebook. All was right in his world. Here was this author who gave him a memento to hold on to.

This young man's story is similar to several other stories I came across while in Dubuque. "We just never know," said the sister I had met at the Abbey, "what that one special favor you do for someone else that might just be the thing he or she needs to take hold of and just may change his or her life for the better."

Man the phones, Sister, you just never know who might need your loving hand.

Thank you Dubuque for all you have given me.

As so often happens I was invited to speak at Irving Elementary just as the students were arriving for the start of a new school day. The excitement was abuzz because "an author" was scheduled to speak in the morning.

Mrs. Moldenhauer met me at the gymnasium and already had the school's janitor set to help me with the boxes of books the students had purchased. The gym's bleachers were filled and Mr. Maloney - "Joe the principal" - (sorry couldn't resist) arrived in his Maddux Cubs uniform. Of course, Joe figured out quickly I was a die-hard Reds' fan and with him being a Cubbie's fan we had several stories to share of our two favorite teams who hadn't seen a pennant in many . . . many years.

I was met by jubilant kindergartners whose dreams of becoming horseback riders, wearing golden shoes, and "morphing" into birds hit the older students like a cheering wave at the ballpark. By the time I got to the second grade students so they could confess their dreams, they were so excited that they nearly leaped to the front of the stage. Of course their dreams were more like their idols things like football, basketball players, and dreams of being singers/actors.

The 3-5 grades enjoyed the fishing at Creeper's Pond story and many brave souls stood up to volunteer to put their hand in the bag with what they believed was Creeper's glass eye. We certainly had our share of fun and it was because Mr. Maloney is a principal who puts the interest of his students first. I believe this is why these students were so respectful and easily approachable.

As a speaker/writer I can confess that Irving is a school I'd have enjoyed attending because creativity is fostered each and every day. I left Irving like a skipping Leprochaun who had just found his potful of gold.

George Washington Carver is another new school five miles outside of Downtown Dubuque. When I arrived at the school, the students were being off loaded from buses. Mrs. Duehr, the coordinator of the event, and I nearly slammed into each other as I entered the school office. Mrs. Duehr introduced to me to the principal, Mrs. Stephans, and after a nice discussion about the school, Mrs. Stephans politely dismissed herself because she already had a student in her office that needed a gentle reminder about school policy.

After the K-2 students took their seats on the polished gym floor, I got them excited by calling on students to tell me their dreams. We had a young girl who hoped when she grew up that she could live with the monkeys. A young boy who hoped when he grew up he could become a cookie. One young girl who hoped to live on a farm and one young boy who hoped that his mom and dad would have another 4 children because he wanted to have 5 brothers in all. And then there was a young girl adorned in glitter who wanted to be a rock star and another young girl who wanted to become a mermaid. After my speech about living out their dreams I was nearly tackled by a flock of students who wanted a group hug. I am always touched by the energy level and curiosity that our K-2 students hold inside at their age. It's as if when I allow them to share their dreams it's like I am allowing them to confess their most intimate thoughts to their fellow classmates. Unlike Santa Claus who offers children presents, my speech allows them to share their future gift - which I believe is more special than any material possession.

I then had a young boy in grades 3-5 who outscreamed the young ladies to win the Iowa Cubs hat. He sat there politely until I asked for his help with the campout skit. The students were troubled by Jake socking my daughter, Erin, in the gut when she was eight and wondered if the story was true. When I told them that it was true, they asked why Jake would do such a thing?

Instead of explaining my interpretation on why Jacob socked Erin, I let the students know that Erin and I focused on the more important issue, which was to develop Erin's baseball talent so she would be considered a skilled baseball player - and in the end that was the more important issue at hand.

My day with the students at George Washington Carver was met with enthusiasm and I especially enjoyed the warmness and openness of the students who came away with a better understanding of the price of personal sacrifice and what it would take for them to live out their dreams. Nice job Carver Cougars! You hit a home run in my book.

Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey is located just off US 52 and Abbey Hill Lane. Unlike Hershey's where its costs 5 dollars for a parking space, there are only a few places to park and there are no tour guides waiting or gigantic roller coasters. The candy factory isn't open to the general public, but this shouldn't discourage tourists from making a pilgramage to this holy place. Because what you realize when you enter the monestary is the love these sisters have placed in the Abbey and the simplistic, daily-ritual of living the nuns have been called to serve.

Sister Regina who I first met in the gift shop was one of 13 nuns who started this new abbey in 1964. The reason the monestary sends 13 nuns is because Jeusus had 12 Disciples during His service to teach the word of God. Sister Regina's original monestary was Wrentham, Massachusetts and the reason she was called to Mississippi was because there were over 70 sisters living at Mt. St. Mary Abbey and it was time to create a new foundation.

This isn't an easy task because sisters make a solemn vow to live in one communal monestary their entire life. While this may appear counter-cultural, the sisters believe it isn't because they aren't sacrificing one life in deciding the life they have been chosen for. Rather, monastic living is considered a community of persons who live a life of solitude in divine worship of God while supporting the needs of each other as a community of workers.

The sisters rise at 3:30 a.m. and hold prayer vigils at 3:45 a.m. Prayer is held 7 times a day in between working at the candy factory or organic farming 550 acres. As Trappistines, the nuns follow a religious order that dates back over 1500 years and was amended in 1980.

Sister Regina offered me The 1980 Rule of St. Benedict to read. When I noticed some Holy Cards for sale at the gift shop, I told Sister that we received Holy Cards like this from our nuns as a reward for doing something good in school. I told Sister that we were able to use the Holy Cards as a "get-out-of-jail" pass whenever Mom caught us doing something wrong. We'd hand Mom a Holy Card and were given a reprieve for the heinous crime. Sister offered me a handful of Holy Cards (hopefully not because she sensed I was amiss for a wrongdoing).

Sister Regina was very kind and a patient listener. She and I bonded well and near the end of my visit she said, "God is strong within you. I can feel His spirit." It was what I needed to hear. In truth, though I am surrounded by thousands of children during my speaking engagements most of my time is spent alone in hotels. Perhaps this is the connection Sister and I felt for each other. She and I are living lives of isolation and yet our desire and commitment remain strong. Our beliefs are in serving as we believe we have been called to do.

Sister invited me to Midday Prayer service. The religious prayers were sang in psalm and helped to renew my spirit after a tenuous and grueling book tour schedule. Abbey Church was designed simply with no ornate glass-stained windows. The altar was built from stone and the crucifix was very simple in its wooden design. A brass urn carried a single flame in remembrance of Jesus Christ's sacrament to mankind.

Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey is a place of worship, a place of healing, and a place of spiritual peace. You feel God's love in all the nuns do through their daily worships of Christ. If you're in need of spiritual renewal you will be welcomed.

My journey north to Downtown Dubuque via White Street revealed old, red brick buildings that must have at one time been used for storage of goods offloaded or onloaded on barges heading south down the Mississippi River vir the Port. However, one new brick building stuck out in its pristineness. Prescott Elementary is only a few years old and it still holds that "new car smell".

My host, Jean Weber, was waiting for me at the office and greeted me with an enthusiastic smile. She said that most of the students had never met an author of baseball stories and were looking forward to my speech.

The level of cooperation I received couldn't have gone better. I was even able to have 4th and 5th graders confess their dreams to me. Just saying out loud what they wanted to do with their lives livened up the crowd, and I had three cooperative actresses give me their best screams. My story of my own daughter, Erin's, baseball success was well received and one the students hoped to relate to. My speech ended with a sparkle of attentiveness and thankful students who left the carpeted library with freshness and vigor to their steps.

Perhaps a new school in the heart of Dubuque does indeed make a difference in the way children perceive themselves. I know I felt refreshed in such a well-built school.

Thank you, Prescott teachers/students - especially my Cincinnati Reds' fan.

The city of Dubuque was founded in 1833 and was known as "The Key City" for its prime location in Iowa and it being nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River. Julien Dubuque was the founder of the city and Mr. Dubuque was a fur trader with the Indians until he found something even more bountiful to barter - lead - a chief metal used in the making of buckshot. For a few years, Shot Tower produced lead shot during the Civil War until a rival manufacturer drove the brick tower out of business.

Dubuque is known for its Grand Opera House, Diamond Jo Casino near the Port of Dubuque, and Greyhound Park Casino and a few other notable landmarks. However, at Five Flags Center near 4th & Main Streets, terriors, beagles, poodles finely groomed, and just about any other breed of dog you can imagine was competing for goodies and doggie treats. While the dog owners and handlers jogged in circles with their prized cannines for the right to call their pooch Best in Show. I have to admit I enjoyed the show - especially when one Carin terrior growled and grimaced for its right to be considered Best in Breed ( I believe it bullied its way to the podium).

It was hard for me to imagine that prior to 1985, downtown Dubuque had a 55% vacancy rate. A consortium of businesses joined together in a Dubuque Main Street Program and helped revitalize the city to its current robust luster - just in time for a clandestine of dogs to soil its bushes and fire hydrants.

Somehow I believe the city will survive the dog invasion just as it survived the floods of 1965 when the Mississippi River didn't recede for 30 days. There was only one bridge that was usable for a hundred miles north and south of Dubuque then.

Grab hold because today in Dubuque, it was a dog's life.

I've noticed when I speak to rural community schools that the level of excitement intensifies because many of these students haven't ever seen what they call "a real live famous author".

Mrs. Johnson coordinated the special event for both elementary schools. I heard from youngsters who wanted to be soldiers, fairy princesses, models, vets, fire fighters, and mothers some day.

And yet what touched me most was when I spoke to the students at Ainsworth one young girl whose eyes were polished with tears said, "Dr. Mullen. What if I don't have a special dream?"

How sad to think that with all our modern-day advances that there are children who still haven't received a vision or a calling of their own self-worth. I assured the young girl that a dream would soon reveal itself to her and for her to always believe in dreams.

And then one astute child remarked, "What if I don't have a big dream like Erin's?" (My daughter, Erin, was fortunate to have lived out her dream playing as a champion baseball player and is in Cooperstown Hall of Fame.) I told the young girl that life is made up of small dreams and then when we succeed at these tiny dreams then bigger dreams are likely to follow. She smiled with enthusiasm knowing this.

Helping children strive for their dreams will help them gain the necessary discipline they'll need to succeed in education. Committing early in life to a dream will normally lead to educational success as a child's dream develops and grows.

I hope to one day visit Ainsworth again to see if this sad little girl has finally discovered her calling. I want to see her happy smile finally knowing her future is bright.

Just off I-80 about 30 minutes west of Iowa City is a working German Colony that had its roots dating back to the early 1700's in Germany. The religious leaders moved their community from Ebenezer, New York to the fertile lands of Iowa in 1855. The Amana Community of True Inspiration became the 7 villages of Amana and thrived for 80 years following communal principles and a self-sufficient society. The original climate required many hours of hard farming work and in the communal dining room a meal was served with no communication among diners. Meals were expected to be eaten in 15 minutes or less. The leaders decided who would tend the fields, who would cook the dinners, and who would go off to college to return to become doctors, etc.

In the early 1930's once the railroads were built near Amana, the younger population hitched a ride out west to return to tell family members what life was like outside of Amana. In an effort to keep the community in tact, the elders decided to allow for private ownership.

Joanna Schanz, of Schanz Furniture & Refinishing and known in the area as a gifted cane weaver and willow basket maker, told me that original members were allotted stock shares. One share was worth 7000 dollars and wasn't capable of being handed down to the next generation. Very few new couples could afford these shares so they were in essence split to where one share was like now worth 100 shares to make them more affordable. Mrs. Schanz lives in one of the original red-sandstone houses and at one time four generations lived in her home with her husband. Quality furniture is still hand-crafted in her husband's furniture store.

I continued my journey on to 220th Trail and eventually found Ackerman Winery where rhubarb and blackberry wine are still produced in stainless steel vats. Ackerman has won many awards for its sweet-tasting, fruity wines.

I stopped in at the Ronneburg Restaurant known for its authentic Bavarian foods. Tammy Frimm, the server who has been working at the restaurant for 8 years told me the restaurant's specialty is saurbraten with potato dumplings. Saurbraten is sliced roast beef marinated in vinegar and seasoned with gingersnaps and simmered in wine slowly for several hours and in the old days originally stored in the cold cellar for days before being heated and served. To complement the dish are potato dumplings that are specially seasoned and rolled into fifty-cent size balls. The meat has a heavy vinegar taste to it and one that I'd say requires an acquired taste. The dumplings do help minimize the tangy after taste. I was then rewarded with a slice of German chocolate pie, which was loaded with coconut and pecans and reminded me of pecan pie served at a Mullen's Thanksgiving.

After my meal, I journeyed past the Amana refrigeration plant that is owned and operated by Whirlpool. It seemed odd seeing a manufacturing plant of this size sitting squarely in the middle of farmland. I was told the original founder of the plant manufactured iceboxes and purchased the plant from the original members of the colony plant. The plant had once employed nearly 2000 employees but now was down to close to 1300 employees.

My final visit was to the Amana Woolen Mill that had been operating since 1857. At one time the mill had over 200 mechancial looms that weaved baby blankets, but was now reduced to a few machines used to attract tourists to its blanket shop. Only one operator ran the few machines remaining and because I once worked in a circular knit textile plant as an engineer, the operator was only too happy to offer me a nostalgic demonstration of his trade.

Willkommen means Welcome! in German. Many of the original sandstone homes remained in excellent shape, but it seemed to me like modern-day society was leaving this once harmonic community behind. Tourism dollars are desperately needed and the close-knit Amana communities are trying to keep the cultural alive. I can only hope this rich heritage isn't lost in the current economic crisis because our youth to need to know that we once were a nation of craftsmen who took pride in building products with our hands.

I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak at both Cowles and Findley Elementary. I have never met a child who doesn't have a dream. And even as I am leaving schools I always have students come up to me and confess their dreams. It's like offering their dreams to me makes them that much more believable in the student's eyes.

Both Amy Moore, principal of Cowles, and Miss Brass, principal of Findley, have a better understanding of my Every Child Dreams of Greatness mission. And while I am fortunate to be offered children's dreams I have never sugar-coated or shied away from the reality of what it will take to live out a dream. I let children know that dreams happen only 1) If they believe in a dream, 2) Commit to a dream, 3) Put the time and effort in to such a dream and to be ready when the opportunity presents itself.

I give my father credit for his championing me on the hardships I'd have to endure in pursuing my dream. This is why children's books shouldn't dummy down to children - like fairies and mystical creatures will come to a child's aid just in the nick of time during life's hardships. Why? Give children hope but also let them know the truth about dreams so they can face their fears and doubts early in life - so that way they have the courage and conviction and know they have to take ownership of the dream.

My father said, "Chance is sometimes all we're given in life."

We shouldn't discourage children when it comes to dreams, but we should teach children the dream is hard fought and requires sacrifice and years of commitment.

My first school visit in Des Moines was met with excitement. Mrs. McFadden, the principal, made sure I had everything I needed including a wireless microphone. A hopeful actress gave us a riveting scream. A lefty pitcher showed us his talented pitching prowess. My two young readers read the Fuji-Dad scene like professionals. Greenwood Elementary certainly has its share of rising stars.

The school was built in the early 1900s but has been refurbished and its red brick and entryway look new. The homes that are nestled around the school are both elegant and classic in architectural style. We certaiinly had fun and it never hurts to hear one young girl screaming to her mother as she's just about to open her car door: "Mom! I got Dr. Mullen's book. And the other kids say it's great!"

Thank you Greenwood and Mrs. McFadden.

My Iowa book tour has been met with enthusiasm and my hosts at schools have welcomed me with open arms. It is a good feeling to know that Iowa communities appreciate your sacrifice and understand the importance of your literacy cause.

And yet, unfortunately, when I walked into Maple Grove - a new school with an impressive gym and state-of-the-art classrooms I felt like a stranger. Every school has its own unique culture and yet most teachers/administrators are open to new ideas/concepts - especially when the ideas involve inspiring children to live out their dreams. Initially, the assembly environment was subdued. I wasn't sure if I was going to come across with a little too much energy. But I threw caution to the wind and charged ahead for the students. What started as a cool shade of blue turned medium warm to red hot by the time I spoke to grades 3-5. I gave those students what I consider one of my most riveting performances and they did respond with enthusiasm. I even received some quiet compliments from teachers. I can't always predict how I am going to be perceived by the school's administration but what I will promise is to give all children the best I have to offer.

My journey to the middle school was warm and bright. Susan Wouters greeted me right as I entered the front door. I had met Susan at Applebee's with Becky Pashek and just like Mrs. Pashek, Susan Wouters is a passionate, gifted teacher who has a quiet composure about her that is appealing to middle school students. I then met Jill Urich, the school's principal. Mrs. Urich doesn't come off as an administrator who is only interested in state testing results. She is passionate and committed to helping students during an especially difficult time in their lives. Mrs. Urich offered me not only respect but was also a good listener - taking three hours out of her busy schedule to make me feel comfortable in front of her gifted students. We also reached out to problem behavior students who became engaged in the "Do-over" game high school students enjoy playing.

I was offered many compliments regarding the book and 100 students lined up and waited patiently for me to autograph their books. I understand the importance and need for strong guidance but what I have learned about children is that you do have to offer them certain freedoms so they can make mistakes. When we reason with students - classroom rules/school policies stop becoming "our" rules. The best learning environment is one where children respect the rights of their fellow classmates' opinions so they can start becoming involved citizens of a cultural diverse nation. Waukee Middle School teachers understand these important teaching principles and why I believe I was greeted with such enthusiasm by its students.

After my visit at Walnut Hills, I was energized to meet the students at Brookview Elementary. I was certainly not disappointed. The children were excited to see me. And what started the day off right was Mrs. Zwank's superb hosting skills. One student informed me that his dream was one day to become a food taster and his eyes sparkled just thinking about that glorious day. Another student said she wanted to be a chef and it seemed we had a perfect match!

The students loved the game of shadow baseball and the lucky winners of a raffle enjoyed sitting down to lunch with me.

I now have logged many miles and have been living in hotels for nearly one month. My spirits are still high but there is that nagging questions: "Am I making a difference in these students lives?"

Mrs. Quam had her students write thank-you letters to me, which I am compelled to share:

Abi wrote: Erin's dream is touching - how you helped her through it. Then she made the team (Team USA). Traveled the world amd got a scholarship! It made me understand why to keep at it!

Brandon wrote: To me you seem like a very nice guy and I think your two kids would be proud to have a dad like you. I was wondering if I could have your autograph? If you decide to give me your autograph please mail it to XXX.

Meaghan wrote: How did you feel when your daughter came up to you and asked you to train her again? From you I learned that you always should follow your dreams.

Jacob wrote: Do you think if they had a dad and daughter baseball game and you went against Jake and his dad do you think you would win? I hope you publish more books.

Teachers and students of Brookview Elementary thank you for inspiring me with a second wind.

Since my mother's passing, birthdays remind me of how much I miss her. Every year up until my 46th birthday I always knew I'd be receiving a brown-wrapped package from UPS. Inside of the box would be a dress shirt, a bag of candy, and a birthday card from a very special mother.

However, now that Mom is gone I miss this subtle reminder that the world might not know me but there was always a loving mother who'd never forget my special day.

My birthday on Tuesday started out as usual - lousy. I pressure-wahed my car the day before and the books I had signed had gotten wet and I had to quickly replace 4 signed books that were beyond repair. They'd puffed up like yeasty bread.

Fortunately, when I arrived at Eason Elementary, Josh Manning greeted me with enthusiasm and made sure I had eveything I needed for my two speeches. The principal, Peg Erke, had taken the day off and was attending a state basketball play-off game. I was glad for her knowing that she came from a small town and the odds for her home team to have traveled this far to the state basketball playoffs was a miracle!

I spoke in a really nice gym and Josh was a perfect host. The students were really excited and several students had confessed they had read the Principal Park book and loved it. The younger students had dreams of being policemen, football players, and one special girl dreamed of one day becoming a fairy. I noticed her gym shoes had Tinker Bell on them. The older students enjoyed our shadow baseball game and we had ourselves a good time.

I then traveled to Walnut Hills and sat down with a group of students who had earned the right to eat lunch with me. One young boy opted to eat his cheese from his sandwich and the meat from his hamburger but left the bun in tact. One young girl had the perfect lunch - yogourt, a bagel with cream cheese, strawberry milk, and Oreo bites.

After a boxed lunch, I was summoned to read to Mrs. Gilchrist's class. After reading part of the last chapter of my book, I stopped so the students could ask me questions. A young girl asked me, "Dr. Mullen. When is your birthday?"

I paused in my response. I didn't want anyone to know it was birthday. I wanted it to go by unnoticed. But I also knew I couldn't lie so I finally confessed. "Today."

When it was time to speak to the students, I was charged because Becky Pashek - who was instrumental in persuading me to write this Iowa Cubs book through her commitment to support it by getting the Waukee School District involved in having me speak to 5 of her schools - had lined up Cubbie to attend the assembly. Mrs. Pashek played "Take me out to the ball game..." and the students joined in in the celebration.

When Cubbie walked in, the children sang, "Cubbie. Cubbie!" The roar was deafening and the cafeteria where I was to speak had warmed up immediately an additional ten degrees from the explosive energy.

When I asked the younger children their dreams, one young boy who was wheelchair bound responded that he wanted to be a transformer. It struck me and was poignant because if this child could transform his wheelchair then indeed his mechanical wheelchair could become like mechanical legs to help him walk upright. One girl said, "She'd like to end world hunger." What remarkable children!

During our shadow baseball game, Cubbie helped out by holding one baseball stealer on first base for me. I found it amazing how well Cubbie picked up on my cues. We worked well together in our engaging these students.

Then at the end, over 300 students sang "Happy Birthday" to me. I stood there red-faced and it was these students who helped to remind me that my birthday was still special even though Mom was no longer beside me.

After a nice dinner that Mrs. Pashek offered me at Applebees, I returned to the solitude of my hotel room at Heartland Inn. I opened a stuffed envelope filled with birthday cards from the students and the helium birthday balloons glowed neon orange under the room's lighting.

Life can certainly weigh us down. However, on this particular day I was special in these children's eyes. My mom taught me to never fear loving a stranger and in Iowa I have extended this love to many teachers and children and haven't been let down.

Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Becky. Thank you students from Walnut Hills for reminding me that birthdays are indeed special.