Naomi’s Christmas by Marta Perry

when she wanted to make Naomi laugh.
    Nathan and his father came in a few minutes later, causing her to shrug off her perplexed
     thoughts.
    “I set the table, Daadi,” Sadie announced.
    “Gut, gut,” Nathan said, hanging up his coat.
    “I helped, too,” Joshua said.
    Naomi set the tureen of beef stew on the table. “I thought perhaps he had his own
     outside chores to do, but he wanted to help his sister.”
    “That was kind,” Nathan’s father said, ruffling Joshua’s hair. “Everyone helps, and
     then no one has to do too much.”
    For some reason Naomi didn’t understand, that comment seemed to annoy Nathan, to judge
     by the look he cast his father.
    “There will be plenty of time for outside chores when the boy is older,” he said,
     his tone gruff. “Let us sit down, before Naomi’s fine meal is cold.”
    “It’s mostly Libby’s fine meal,” Naomi said. “She had everything cooked before we
     returned.”
    Did Nathan see the disappointment on Joshua’s face at hiscomment about waiting until he was older? Why wouldn’t he be training Joshua in work
     around the farm, something that surely was natural? Her brothers had been helping
     Daad at his age, just as her sisters had been helping her. That was how kinder learned.
    She slipped into a seat at the side of the table and found that Ezra King, Nathan’s
     father, was surveying her with something like approval. Perplexed, she bowed her head
     for the silent prayer before the meal. Usually at this point she mentally recited
     the Lord’s Prayer. Today she found other words filling her mind.
    Guide me to understand this family and their needs, Father. Lead me to put aside my
     own selfish concerns and see how to help them.
    She finished just as Nathan raised his head, the silent prayer ended.
    Over the meal the conversation was mostly about the beehives. Mainly it was Ezra who
     seemed interested, plying her with questions, which she willingly answered. It was
     nice to find someone who wanted to know about bee-keeping. Her own family, other than
     Isaiah, usually thought of it as Naomi’s rather odd hobby, even though they cheerfully
     ate the honey.
    By the time Nathan and Ezra went back out to work, Joshua and Sadie had picked up
     on their grossdaadi’s interest.
    “We want to see the beehives, Naomi.” Sadie carried her plate to the sink without
     being asked. “Please can we see them?”
    “Ja, please,” Joshua added. “We never saw a beehive up close before.”
    Much as she welcomed their interest, Naomi hesitated. “Suppose we wait until tomorrow
     to visit the bees,” she said.
    Sadie’s face puckered, and she looked ready to make a fuss.
    “You see, moving is very hard on bees,” Naomi added quickly. “They like to have their
     hives in the same place, year after year after year. Imagine how hard it would be
     for them to wake up and find they’re in a different place.” She could see Sadie’s
     quick imagination working on that image. “If we wait until tomorrow to visit them,”
     she continued, “they’ll have a chance to get settled down. Then they won’t be bothered
     by our visit. All right?”
    They nodded.
    “But what will we do this afternoon?” Sadie added. “I want to do something.”
    “We’ll make a letter to send to your grossmammi,” she said, remembering the promise
     she’d made before she’d realized that she’d be taking care of them. “Joshua can print
     the words, and Sadie, you can make a picture.”
    Sadie’s pout wasn’t quite gone. “I don’t know what to make a picture of.”
    “What about the beehives? You saw them when your daadi and I went past in the wagon,
     didn’t you?”
    Sadie’s face lit up, making her look so like Ada that it grabbed Naomi’s heart. “I’ll
     get the paper and crayons,” she said, and scurried from the room, to return a moment
     later waving paper and clutching a box of crayons.
    Joshua slid into a chair. “You’ll have to help me with the