1. My Friend Brenden Authors: Diana V. Kimberly I. Sean M.

2. Page 1 It all started when my parents and I took a weekend retreat to Camp David. I was only six years old when my life got flipped turned upside down.

3. Page 2 When our vacation was over, we took our car, “The Beast,” back home to the White House. We saw an orphanage while traveling through Mineville, a very small city on the outskirts of Washington D.C., and decided to pay them a visit.

4. Page 3 My father told me that he would read them a book, and talk to them a little about what he does and why he does it. He also tried to explain to me how these kids my age had lost their parents and had to stay there. But he never could have prepared me for what was about to happen.

5. Page 4 As we walked into the orphanage I couldn’t get over the smell that it possessed, a muggy place that was infested with mold and mildew. Although the smell was strong outside it didn’t seem to be as strong inside.

6. Page 5 When the children assembled in the living room, my father couldn’t stop staring at one little boy in the back. As my father began to read, weather outside changed dramatically. The sun vanished and rain clouds took it’s place.

7. Page 6 As my dad finished reading, “The Beast” wouldn’t start. He told me that until help came we would be staying put. I headed outside to play on the jungle gym when I saw it. The thing that would change my life forever.

8. Page 7 Peaking through the window in the backyard I could see my mother and father sitting at a table talking. From the doorway emerged the young boy from earlier. The one who my father couldn’t stop looking at.

9. After my dad has told Brenden about all that that long story about how the “three branches of government are divided equally and how he has to sign a bill before it’s made into a law” stuff, we settle down for the night. So unlike my bedroom in the White House; it’s plain white, one bed and one nightstand. I couldn’t stand to be an orphan.

10. The next morning we wake up and go down to eat with everyone else. This was the first time we met any of the other orphans. The first thing I see is a long table (I want to say there’s about 20 kids) with people eating. At the head of the table is Daddy. And of course he’s talking to Brenden, AGAIN.

11. I mean how much could a 8 year old want to know about the government? I could tell from across the room that’s what they were talking about because Daddy always get’s this real “I’m very smart” look on his face when he talks about it. I know that face from when he told me all of those facts about the branches of government.

12. I walk hesitantly over to the old lady serving food. “You want some dear?” she asks. “Yes please.”

13. I went over with my food and sat beside mom. She said that Daddy was talking government. I told her I felt repleacd and that I missed talking to my own dad about government, being that he IS the president and I AM his own daughter. She told me to make nice and go talk to Brenden.

14. Brenden and I have become brother and sister. Literally and figuratively speaking. My father adopted him from the orphanage and he now lives in the White House with us. He’s very smart and we share our knowledge about the government and how it made us brother and sister to everyone we know.

15. Every Friday, we go to work with our father. While he is in meeting, the Vice President, Harry Johnson, teaches about the government. Last Friday he taught us about the branches of the governement.

16. Brenden’s favorite was the legislative because they establish laws, and adopt them. He also

17. My personal favorite branch is the executive branch because it has to do with Daddy and his cabinets,departments.