Mom is not sharing the Chocolate

Mom is not sharing the Chocolate

I get You!

Baby Jessica

Baby Jessica trying to crawl.

The Ride

Sitting next to her father, Annie felt like a princes in a fancy carriage. She imagined that her father was the king taking his daughter on a tour of their kingdom. As they approached a grove of trees, the wind picked up sending a cascade of pink blossoms across their wagon. Annie sighed with pure delight. God had heard her prayers and brought her father back to her. She would have to wait a while longer to see her Momma again.
She felt so safe sitting with her Pappa. She wondered about the bad men Pappa had mentioned.
"Pa, why are bad men after you?" she asked.
"I wont tell you the whole story," Pa said "but I will tell you that I saw them do bad things and they are afraid of me telling the authorities."
"What kind of bad things?" Annie asked.
Pa Chuckled: "You never were much for leaving things be." He looked serious for a minute and then continued: "Annie, do you remember Mr. McCallister? When we were on the cattle drive, I saw these men shoot Mr. McCallister, most of the other hands, and take his herd. These men aren't the kind to leave a witness. They have been hunting me and the other survivors ever since. That is why I couldn't come back before. I didn't want them to follow me here where they could hurt you and" he paused, looking sad "and hurt your Momma."
They continued on a for a while before he either of them spoke. Annie thought of all of the possibilities. She imagined Momma driving the wagon while her and Pa shot back at the riders coming towards them. Of course, in her dreams, they won.
Pa cleared his throat before he spoke. "I finally slipped in to town about a week back, after I heard that your Momma had passed." He looked grave. His eyes were dewy as he stared ahead. "I wasn't sure if I was going to retrieve you or not." He was completely honest; he had always been known as an honest man. "I wanted to make sure whether or not you were better in your current situation or not." He smiled down at her. Annie saw dirty wet streaks down Pa's face. He bumped her gently with his right arm. "Honey, I didn't want to leave you there, but I needed to know if you would be better off with those farmers or if I should take the chance that those men would find us. No one recognized me in town. I spent time in wandering about and listening to other people's conversations. When I heard that farmer grumbling about making ends meet with you being there and having just found out his wife was expecting, I knew you were safer and better off with me."
Annie silently snuggled in tight next to her Pa, thankful he had come to get her. They chatted happily for the rest of the day. Pa kept them going at a good pace all day, only stopping to rest and water the horses when necessary. Annie was so happy.
They didn't turn in until after sundown. They were on their way somewhere, Annie didn't know where. She would ask tomorrow. .

Today at ACE

I spent today at ACE. I jotted down a few notes to use when writing my blog tonight. As Saint Paul says: You are in my thoughts and prayers, always. Mr Judo is getting so big, like our Ica. It's fun to see how they are growing together.

I was using Heidi's pen to write down events of the day for my blog tonight; it's purple.

I was talking to Abi about something when she smiled up at me, saying: "You talk like a cowgirl." I asked her: "Why?" She responded: "'Cause you talk wild". Later she said that Jessica was wild. She is just a wild girl!

I watched Jessica crawl around the nursery at ACE. For a while, Abi was bringing toys to her and Judo. She is very helpful.

Colt, the little boy I watch, is starting to walk a little. He is now able to get into more things he is not supposed to. He kept trying to get up in my lap so he could get into the higher shelves.

It's so much fun as they are becoming more mobile. I don't know if you know who baby Eva is, but she is also walking now. Lot's of toddlers in the nursery.

The babies stay happier longer now that they can move easier on their own.
Judo napped in the other room for a while in Heidi's Moses basket. Later, Jessica napped in it. All these kids eating and playing with the same toys, I don't even want to know about the germs floating around on those toys.

By the end of Tuesday, Jessica sleeps so well. She is sleeping soundly right now. I should sign off and get sleep myself. I love you all, especially little Isaac!

Baby Scooting Forward

Uncle Chris noticed last night that Jessica (our Ica) is now scooting forward. Today, it's like her crawling legs are all ago... She was trying to pull herself up on the pink polka dot chair. Look how cute and how big she is! She will actually be crawling soon enough.















Lauren likes to sit in my lap while I am taking pictures or making videos. She is very sweet and has a great sense of humor.
Ben ran over to rescue Ica when she started to fuss...she was fine.

Ba Ba Ba

Jessica is getting big
and loud!

Photos for Ellie 2

I got to have Baby Bee (Jeremie's Little Brynlee) for a few hours the other morning. She is very sweet and loves her daddy...that's who she is smiling at in this photo. She is supper cute and supper sweet.
He came by for a break, while I was watching her, to tell her how much he loves and misses her when he is at work. How sweet! He is such a good daddy.
Jessica was really into her new friend. Baby Bee was not quite as excited about Baby J (Ica).






Uncle Chris was sitting on our front porch while I was making french fries (fresh from potatoes) so I took Ica out to him. I thought that this was soooo cute! She was "riding the horse" like she likes to do.
Of course, I had to take pictures. Uncle Chris doesn't mind as much when there is no flash or red-beam-of-death.

For Ellie #1

Jessica is really into books but she mostly yells at them because they don't do what she wants them too. I had Uncle Chris take a picture to show how big she is reading her book with Mom.

Grandma Sandy gave me that dress when we all lived in Sydney, Montana together. It might be time to let it go??? Maybe next year.






I took Ica out in the yard on Friday while we waited for Sarah (Earl) and Rumour to walk over here. It was a beautiful day, nice and warm. Ica loves the grass as long as she isn't all the way on it. She pulls it up and tries to eat it.















When Rumour and Sarah finally got here, Rumour wasn't sure if she wanted to come over and see us or not. She was standing close to the safety of her stroller.



Eventually she came over to us and then ran around the yard. She really liked the tulips but didn't want to pose with them!!! :-(







She sure is getting big and is so sweet. Yellow is a good color for her. The yellow tulip and yellow onesie are a very good combo.

Sarah came over to get yarn. She all ready knits and now wants to learn how to crochet. Her mom is teaching her how to crochet now, but told her to get some bigger yarn than what she was using for her knitting. I told her I knew where she could get some yarn for pretty cheap: free at my house. We had a nice visit; Sarah went away with 5 skeins of yarn. Now I have just a little more room for yarn. :-)

Abi & Ellie

For some reason, I can't make a comment on your post. It doesn't love me, but I love your stories! I can't wait to hear why Anne and Catherine are being called down to see their father! Love you!

Pa

"Pa!" She screamed again and again. Her shrieks of delight turned into tears of joy. He gently untied her hands and feet before scooping her up out of the wagon bed.
"Pa." she sobbed again into his shoulder as her tears continued to pour out. Her whole body was shaking with excitement, as was his. He brushed his hand lovingly over her brown tangles and squeezed her tight as he mumbled: "Annie, Annie, Annie. My sweet little Annie."
Pulling away from her, he laughed then said "So, my girl, you want to sit up, do you?"
She looked up at him. He looked older, much older than just a few years. His beard was rough, his hair was shoulder length and greying about the edges, but his brown eyes were as bright as ever she remembered them. He set her down gently.
"You ready to go now?" he said, smiling with his eyes, his lips turned in amusement.
He always did like to surprise her. This, though, was above and beyond any joke he had ever played on her and Ma.
"Pa," she scolded, "Why didn't you just come get me during the day? The McMann's are sure to worry, and I doubt they would begrudge me going with you."
"Dear little Miss, there are things you can't understand right away. I assure you that those nice farmers will get over worrying about you soon enough. All that I can tell you now is that there are bad men out there hunting me. If it became known that I was seen around these parts, they would hear about it and come hunting me. As of now, no-one knows to connect you with me. You are just another orphan who ran away. Those farmers couldn't hardly afford to keep you, especially now that they have another one on the way. You disappearing is a blessing for them, and for me." He looked sternly, but lovingly, down at her. "My girl, My sweet girl" he said again as he lifted her to the seat of the wagon. She scooted over to make room for him next to her. He pulled himself up, grateful to be sitting next to his daughter once again. Annie slipped her arm around Pa's. "He ya!" he bellowed at the horses.

Bumpy Roads

Annie's head bumped back and forth with the movement of the wagon. She wasn't sure if it was night or day with the burlap sack pulled over her head. All that she could smell was musty grain and dirt with a slight hint of horse poop every now and then. She could feel that the wagon was traveling fast from the movement of her body back and forth in the bed of the wagon. Aside from the noises of nature, the rattle of the wagon bumping it's way over the rocks and ruts in the earth had been the only noise she had heard since she was taken last night.
Annie wondered who kidnapped children in the back of a wagon? Surely a single horse would be more effective in a kidnapping scheme? The driver of the wagon hadn't spoken a word to her from the moment he had kidnapped her til now. She assumed from his strength, and his familiarity with hog tying, that it was a man who had kidnapped her.
Annie's father had disappeared years back while on a cattle drive, so when Momma died a few months back, it left her alone in the world. A local farmer and his wife (the McMann family) had taken her in when Momma died. It was summer, hot and dry summer, and since the McMann's cabin was small, they had her sleep in the barn. They were nice enough people, not her parent's, but nice enough.
The barn was where she had been taken from. Annie had been sleeping restlessly in the hot barn when she suddenly woke-up with a hand over her mouth. It seemed like it took a second for her kidnapper to put a bag over her head and to hog tie her. He picked her up, one hand sort of holding her head close to his shoulder while covering her mouth, the holding up her legs. She could hear the burble of the creek and felt occasional bumps and whacks from branches. The kidnapper then carried her over his shoulder for what felt like a short while sneaking through what must have been the wooded area down by the creek behind the McMann homestead. She was then tossed unceremoniously into the back of a wagon, where her journey began. She had tried at first to free herself but only found the ropes getting tighter around her ankles and wrists. Also, the bag over her head was not a new one, so all the dirt and grain particles were getting in her eyes and mouth making hard for her to breathe.
For Annie, it seemed like a long time tossing back and forth about in the wagon bed. For a while she contemplated escape routs, but it came down to her inability to free herself. She was getting tired of hitting her head and bouncing about. Mostly, though, she was tired of being quiet. Annie was a good worker, good reader when she could find something with words written on it, and good at following orders, but she was not good at being quiet. She remembered that her Momma would say that the only time she was ever quiet was when she was sleeping. She smiled to herself, breaking the silence by yelling: "Can I sit up? I am sure getting tired of bouncing back here with this bag over my head?"
There was a muffled guffaw as the wagon slowed down and then pulled to a stop.
"Whoa. Whoa. Pull up now." came a hauntingly familiar voice.
Annie heard a groan and felt the wagon tip slightly. The sound of boots hitting the dirt and then bag was removed from her head. The light was bright in her eyes. It took a minute or two for her eyes to adjust to the sun light, but when she could see, she knew the face looking down at her.
"Pa!" Annie let out with an excited scream.