Fun and Fabulous February!

I'm excited that it's February - a truly fun and fabulous month. I love it. The second month of the year - already. It is, of course, the month of love, since Valentine's Day is on the 14th. That date helped make February National Heart Month. It's also Black History Month and International Friendship Month.

But I like it for a host of other reasons, too. First of all, it's short. I like that. When I was working, payday came sooner, and that's always a good thing.

Next, it's the birth month of my precious grandson, Nigel. (That should really be the first reason, but my 'progression-thinking' skills appear to have been shortened, probably by the shortness of the month. That sounds like a good reason, don't you think?)

Here are a few other truly great reasons to celebrate the month of February:

1. Feb. 2nd - Groundhog's Day. (Now who doesn't just love to wait to see what that adorable little rodent is gonna say about the length of our winter?)
2. Feb. 3rd - Elizabeth Blackwell was born in 1821.  She was the first female doctor in America.  (Oh, and there is something called the 'Super Bowl' going on this year, too. At least, I think I heard that!)
3. Feb. 4th - Rosa Parks was born in 1913.  (Can you tell I was a history teacher?)
4. Feb. 7th - Charles Dickens was born in 1812. (Yes, I know I skipped a few days, but I just cannot put them all down!)
5. Feb. 10th - The ratification of the 25th Amendment in 1967 establishing the procedure for Presidential Succession.  Also, this year it's the Chinese New Year: the Year of the Snake! (I will not dignify myself to make any kind of remark about those two being together on the same day, but it really is kinda funny.)
6. Feb. 11th - Thomas Edison was born in 1847. (That's exactly 100 years before I was born.  Oops, did I say that?)
7. Feb. 12th - Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809.  (This year it's Mardi Gras - Fat Tuesday - definitely the quintessential fun, fabulous, February day!)
8. Feb. 14th - The afore-mentioned Valentine's Day.  (Expecting some flowers or chocolates? Skip those and go for something that lasts longer. Gold would be good - or diamonds!)
9. Feb. 15th - Susan B. Anthony was born in 1820. (We've certainly come a long way, baby Sue!)
10. Feb. 16th - King Tut's tomb was opened in 1923.  (What a 'Fabulous February' experience that must have been.  When asked if he could see anything as he made the first small opening in the tomb, Howard Carter could only utter, "Yes, wonderful things.")
11. Feb. 18th - President's Day this year - a national holiday honoring all of our Presidents. (I think I've said enough about Presidents.)
12. Feb. 20th - John Glenn orbited the earth in 1962.  (I remember that well. We all gathered in the school auditorium to watch it on a little bitty TV - as if we could actually see anything!)
13. Feb. 21st - My beloved grandson's birthday! (Nothing else matters on that day.)
14. Feb. 23rd - The U.S. flag was raised on Iwo Jima. (My Father was there with the 5th Marines and knew all six of the men in the famous photo.)
15. Feb. 24th - Steve Jobs was born in 1955.  (Too short a life for one so talented.)
16. Feb. 26th - William F. Cody was born in 1846. ('Buffalo Bill' himself!)
17. Feb. 27th - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in 1807.  (My students had to memorize "Paul Revere's Ride," but "The Song of Hiawatha" was always my favorite.)

These are just a few of the important events and historic dates that occur in February. I got most of the information given here at a site for teachers: www.theteacherscorner.net.  However, I found one mistake on their calendar: they had William F. Cody born in 1864 instead of 1846. (And this is a teacher's site? Oh, well. I guess that makes me not responsible for any other errors.) The rest came from my own head which is just chock-full of knowledge and....well, we won't go there.

Enjoy this wonderful month, as I plan to. It certainly won't take us very long to get through it!