When Eli’s birthday finally arrived, Elijah and I were proud of the job we had done in making our son such a big present. I had made him some new clothing too, but when he saw the train he was no longer interested in anything else. This made the grandparents a little leery of how the young boy would accept their gifts. My parents spoiled him with a tricycle, which he promptly begged to ride on the patio. So as not to insult his parents, Elijah made Eli sit still for Abraham’s and Naomi’s gift. They got him a small molded plastic yard pool from the hardware store in town. I was shocked at the gift, since they were not known to shop for gifts—they firmly believed in hand-crafted items. Eli whined until Elijah and Abraham agreed to fill it with water so he could splash in it after he rode his new trike.
****
The following weeks were filled with harvesting and canning bees between the women in the small community. My sister, Rachel began courting Elijah’s cousin, Daniel Zook. At fifteen, she was a year younger than I had been when I began to court Elijah. My husband didn’t think it was a good idea, but I reminded him of how eager he and I had been when we wanted so badly to court before we were allowed. I figured that as lax as my father was getting on his courting rules, Molly might be only twelve when she got herself a beau. I tried to voice some concerns to my father, but he had a mind of his own and I could see it was made up.
As the months wore on, Rachel seemed more grown up, and she and I actually began to have a better relationship. She had even helped Nadine and me with the canning, which was not like her. Nadine and I both could see that Daniel was taking the rebel out of our little sister. I was personally glad to see her settle down and be more of a lady than the tomboy that she had been most of her life. My mother nearly worked over-time fashioning dresses that would replace Rachel’s usual wardrobe of trousers and collared shirts. My father commented that it was nice to have his daughter back. He even joked with her that she could pass her old things on to Cameron or even to Sam when he was big enough to wear them. She didn’t appreciate those types of remarks in Daniel’s presence, but my father was never one for using manners in front of company.
****
In the spring of 1985, I gave birth to our third child—a son, which we named Simon. He was a weak child, and Doctor Beiler spent more time at our home that first six days, than I had seen him in all the years I’d known him.
After he had survived his first week, I thought Simon seemed to be a bit stronger. One afternoon, after nursing him, he fell asleep in my arms; I held him and watched him sleep. Suddenly, he fell limp in my arms, his coloring appearing slightly bluish around his mouth and eyes. I jiggled him slightly, causing him to cough and spit up. My heart fluttered for a moment, and I wondered if he had stopped breathing. I held him most of the remainder of the day, and even watched him sleep much of that night. I didn’t mention it to Elijah at the time, for I wasn’t certain if it were uneventful, or if it was a life-threatening occurrence.
In the early hours of the morning, before even Elijah stirred, I sat in the wicker rocking chair out on the balcony that was off our bedroom. I nursed Simon, and held him, willing him to grow stronger. The sun began to peak over the clouds that had formed along the horizon, painting the sky with the most glorious, majestic hues. Sparrows were busy building a nest in the treetops that spread out close to the balcony. I strained my neck to watch them working without disturbing them. As I watched the birds and wondered what God had in store for my baby’s life, I was reminded of some verses I read in my Bible in the book of Matthew.
Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than sparrows.
With the rising of the sun, came the promise of a new day, and I knew without a doubt that my baby’s life rested in God’s hands.
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LITTLE WILD FLOWER
Book Two
Don’t miss the continuing story of Jane and Elijah…just when Jane thought her life in the Amish community couldn’t get any better, tragedy strikes the Zook farm. Jane is suddenly lost in the world she created with Elijah, and flees to her home town in search of the past she left behind so many years before. But coming face-to-face with the pain of her childhood sends her running back to the very community she now feels disconnected from. Struggling with the decision she made at the age of fifteen that changed the lives of her entire family, Jane must now determine if she can continue to live in the Amish community, or if she will try to salvage the past she still craves. What she discovers as she reunites with friends she left behind in her teen years will make her stronger, and bring joy to her life again…
THE TAMING OF A WILD FLOWER
BOOK THREE
Don’t miss the exciting changes in Jane’s life as she and Bradley pick up their friendship where it left off when they were children…perhaps there are some changes in store for them as well in THE TAMING OF A WILD FLOWER, BOOK THREE in the Little Wild Flower series.
THE ANNIVERSARY
(Christian Romance)
Sam and Sadie Marie are about to go through the motions of celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary for the sake of their family and friends who are waiting to surprise them at the country club that Sam had redecorated to look like the dance-hall where they first met. When a severe lightning storm knocks the power out at the country club, Sadie Marie finds herself backward forty years in time to the night when they first met, but Sam is injured and doesn't remember her. If given another chance, will she choose Sam all over again, or will they go their separate ways?
MILK MAID IN HEAVEN
(Christian Romance)
Mitch Rutherford works the graveyard shift at a dairy farm within the prison work-release program. His only focus us on his upcoming release from prison, until he meets Emily Stuart, the farmer’s daughter just weeks before his release. Unwilling to compromise his release date or his friendship with Ethan Stuart; his boss and Emily’s father, Mitch struggles with his faith and his growing friendship with her. When tragedy strikes the dairy farm, Mitch must work together with Emily to prevent her father’s business from collapsing. It is then that Mitch feels he cares for Emily more than he is willing to admit. Will Mitch risk everything just to win Emily’s heart?
Little Wild Flower, Amish Romance/Amish Fiction/Christian Romance Page 18
