the children into her kitchen. Virginia responded with a quick smile, a flood of thankfulness washing over her.
“You did? How?” She knew her mother, in one last, des? perate effort to allow her parents the privilege of remaining in their own home, had been searching out someone who was willing to be a live-in.
“I put a notice in several papers. I finally got a response. It looks quite promising. Papa and I are taking the train into the city tomorrow to interview her.”
“That’s wonderful,” exclaimed Virginia. “I’m so glad they won’t have to move off the farm.”
“Now, don’t get your hopes too high—it isn’t finalized yet,” cautioned Belinda.
Virginia nodded, but she could not let go of the hope. “It’s an answer to prayer,” she said with confidence. “Even the children have been praying.”
“Children are wonderful little prayer warriors,” agreed Belinda. “I sometimes think they can understand the mind of God better than we cynical, practical adults.”
Virginia looked out the window to the backyard where Martha and Olivia were busy with pails and shovels in the sandbox that Drew had built for his grandchildren. Perhaps it was true. Children had such simple, complete faith.
“Well, I do hope that is true,” she said sincerely. “Mindy has been pouring her heart out to God every night. She is so concerned for her mama. The mama she doesn’t even really know.”
“She might know more than you realize,” Belinda said softly. “Sometimes children remember more than we think.”
“Perhaps she does. It’s all so strange. Memory. Perhaps our past affects us far more than we think it does.”
Belinda turned to look at her daughter. “You’re worried about Mindy?”
Virginia stirred. “No … not worried. Not really. At least not at this point. She seems … seems to have things well sorted through. For being a child of nine, her perception astounds me at times. But I … I guess I worry that there may come a time when things … sort of pile up. She’s had a rough start in life, Mama.”
“She’s been more blessed than some. At least she was put on the right track early on. She has a family who loves her. She knows that.”
“I think she does. But she also knows that she wasn’t loved in infancy. That’s got to affect a child. Knowing you were unwanted. No matter how brief the time. She asked me about it the other evening.”
Belinda looked surprised. “Were you able to quiet her fears? Give her assurance?”
“I’m not sure.” Virginia placed James in the high chair and brushed her hand over his disheveled hair. “What could I say? I fumbled around for words. I couldn’t just blurt out that her folks had decided she was a … an impediment to their life and activities.”
“Of course not.”
“But it is true—nonetheless.”
“Because her parents were two selfish people who never allowed themselves to grow up has nothing whatever to do with who Mindy is. Her worth as an individual. She is a very special little girl with a … a sensitivity and awareness beyond her years. The world is a better place because of her being in it.”
“I know that … but does Mindy?” Virginia was on her way to the cookie jar to get a cookie for James. She turned to her mother. “I had never given it any thought … before Mindy. Does one ever fully get over rejection? I don’t know. Is the knowledge—the hurt—a tear that always remains? Is later love enough to erase all that? To undo it? I don’t know, Mama.”
“Mindy seems fine to me,” her mother replied, no doubt trying to ease her daughter’s mind.
“I pray that she is. I pray that she will remain so. But it … it still troubles me some. I mean … does one really ever know what is going on in the heart and soul of a child?”
“There are indicators. Signs.”
“But by the time the signs show up—on the outside—is it too late for the inside? I don’t know.”
“God can do miracles,
“You did? How?” She knew her mother, in one last, des? perate effort to allow her parents the privilege of remaining in their own home, had been searching out someone who was willing to be a live-in.
“I put a notice in several papers. I finally got a response. It looks quite promising. Papa and I are taking the train into the city tomorrow to interview her.”
“That’s wonderful,” exclaimed Virginia. “I’m so glad they won’t have to move off the farm.”
“Now, don’t get your hopes too high—it isn’t finalized yet,” cautioned Belinda.
Virginia nodded, but she could not let go of the hope. “It’s an answer to prayer,” she said with confidence. “Even the children have been praying.”
“Children are wonderful little prayer warriors,” agreed Belinda. “I sometimes think they can understand the mind of God better than we cynical, practical adults.”
Virginia looked out the window to the backyard where Martha and Olivia were busy with pails and shovels in the sandbox that Drew had built for his grandchildren. Perhaps it was true. Children had such simple, complete faith.
“Well, I do hope that is true,” she said sincerely. “Mindy has been pouring her heart out to God every night. She is so concerned for her mama. The mama she doesn’t even really know.”
“She might know more than you realize,” Belinda said softly. “Sometimes children remember more than we think.”
“Perhaps she does. It’s all so strange. Memory. Perhaps our past affects us far more than we think it does.”
Belinda turned to look at her daughter. “You’re worried about Mindy?”
Virginia stirred. “No … not worried. Not really. At least not at this point. She seems … seems to have things well sorted through. For being a child of nine, her perception astounds me at times. But I … I guess I worry that there may come a time when things … sort of pile up. She’s had a rough start in life, Mama.”
“She’s been more blessed than some. At least she was put on the right track early on. She has a family who loves her. She knows that.”
“I think she does. But she also knows that she wasn’t loved in infancy. That’s got to affect a child. Knowing you were unwanted. No matter how brief the time. She asked me about it the other evening.”
Belinda looked surprised. “Were you able to quiet her fears? Give her assurance?”
“I’m not sure.” Virginia placed James in the high chair and brushed her hand over his disheveled hair. “What could I say? I fumbled around for words. I couldn’t just blurt out that her folks had decided she was a … an impediment to their life and activities.”
“Of course not.”
“But it is true—nonetheless.”
“Because her parents were two selfish people who never allowed themselves to grow up has nothing whatever to do with who Mindy is. Her worth as an individual. She is a very special little girl with a … a sensitivity and awareness beyond her years. The world is a better place because of her being in it.”
“I know that … but does Mindy?” Virginia was on her way to the cookie jar to get a cookie for James. She turned to her mother. “I had never given it any thought … before Mindy. Does one ever fully get over rejection? I don’t know. Is the knowledge—the hurt—a tear that always remains? Is later love enough to erase all that? To undo it? I don’t know, Mama.”
“Mindy seems fine to me,” her mother replied, no doubt trying to ease her daughter’s mind.
“I pray that she is. I pray that she will remain so. But it … it still troubles me some. I mean … does one really ever know what is going on in the heart and soul of a child?”
“There are indicators. Signs.”
“But by the time the signs show up—on the outside—is it too late for the inside? I don’t know.”
“God can do miracles,
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