Eva leaned around the backseat and looked out the front windshield, watching other kids getting out at the carpool line. “Mom. No one else is dressed in pioneer clothes. I thought you said it was Laura Ingalls Wilder day today?” Eva stated. “It’s fine.” I nonchalantly added. Somewhat distracted, I said, “I am sure all the kids dressed up are inside. Go ahead and get out so you’re not late. Have a great day! Off she went, dressed in her pioneer dress, apron, and sunbonnet.
It turns out Pioneer Day wasn’t until next Wednesday! When Chuck heard about what I had done, he responded, “You didn’t think to double-check a dress-up day?!” “No!” I declared. I am too busy trying to ensure I don’t forget Tyson in his carrier and digging mac’ n cheese out of the pencil sharpener that Charlotte jammed in there!” Chuck just shook his head.
Thinking of my child sitting in her class as a lonely pioneer, I loaded the little ones back up in the truck and headed for her school to give her some regular clothes. I knew she would appreciate my efforts.
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“Lola, No!” I yelled as the phone flew through the air. I had stepped out on the back porch to phone Chuck and ask him if he could bring home a bag of rice to go with supper. Tyson was napping, Charlotte was jumping on the trampoline, and Eva was sitting at the kitchen table, finishing her spelling words. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Lola, who was jaw-locked around one of our bunnies that had gotten out.
The girls each got a bunny last year for Easter. Secretly, no one expected them to last this long, but here I was in the middle of dire circumstances!
The phone landed somewhere in the yard as I took off to the fenced-in area near the bunnies. I grabbed Lola by the collar and pried the bunny from her grasp. He was still alive, scared but alive. I had Lola in one arm and the bunny in the other. I could see the other bunny dodging Penny, our young female Golden Retriever, and Peanut (Mr. P. as I call him), our young male Golden Retriever, as fast as he could. What was I going to do?! I was running out of arms and time!
I looked up and saw Eva running barefoot as fast as she could! Charlotte was hot on her trail, crying and saying, “My bunny! My bunny!” I yelled, “Eva, put this bunny in the pen! Hurry!” “Get Penny before she gets the other bunny!” “Here comes Mr. P! Get him!” “Charlotte, stay back!” About that time, Lola broke free from her collar and took off after the other bunny, leaving me standing there holding an empty collar. I took a chance, pummeled Lola, and held on for the ride of my life. Lola is a rather large female German Shepherd. Gentle as can be, but she wanted free for the chase. I held on with all my might, knowing I had one chance to save the bunnies!
Hanging on to Lola’s midsection, I continued, “Eva! Get Penny and put her in the kennel! Get Mr. P! I can’t let go of Lola!” “Charlotte, stop crying!” “Eva, hurry up!” Eva ran as fast as she could to keep up with my commands while I encompassed Lola. Overall this commotion, I could hear this faint voice coming from my phone, which lay somewhere in the grass. I heard Chuck say, “Oh. My gosh. This is going to be a massacre.”
We managed to secure the bunnies and save the tears. The girls and I sat in the grass and coaxed Thumper from under the shed. He was shaken up but happy to be caught and secured back in his house.
Later, after the incident, I was finishing up in the front yard when I saw Eva sitting on the front porch stairs. She said, “Mom. Thank you. You didn’t have to try so hard to save our bunnies. They aren’t even your favorite. But you did it anyway.” I thought immediately – No, but you kids are my favorite.
In a flash, I saw my father lean down and whisper in my ear, “You know you’re my favorite, don’t you?” I would beam with pride, thinking he liked me better than my sister, Brittney. Of course, I didn’t realize until I was much older that he was whispering the same thing in her ear, too. His go-to line when either of us girls would get jealous of the other would be, “Well, you know she’s my favorite.”
I walked and sat down beside her. “Eva, that’s what love does. It puts others’ needs above your own. No one could show us this better than Jesus.”
Not far from here is an Amish community my family enjoys visiting throughout the year. Riding the dirt roads and watching their horse-drawn carriages go by is fun. You can hear the horse’s hooves clip-clop along. Their houses all look alike, and everyone has the same essential clothing. At each house, the clothesline is lined with laundry, all hung in uniform order. Life is simple among the Amish. They believe that if they invest in their children until the age of nine, their children will invest in them for the rest of their lives. What a concept.
The following week, Chuck dropped Eva off at school. She was once again dressed in her pioneer outfit on the correct day. After dropping her off, Chuck parked and went inside the front office to ensure it was indeed Laura Ingalls Wilder day. Eva had a note to deliver to the front office, not knowing that her daddy was checking on her. She smiled big when she saw him.
A few days later, she told me about the encounter. She stated, “Daddy made sure it was the right day for me.” My eyes glistened as I thought of all the days Chuck spends undoing a lot of the mistakes I make—I keep this family on its toes. I can already tell that Charlotte will continue in my talent.
Smiling to myself, I decided to make sure Chuck knew he was my favorite, too.
And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. James 2:23
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