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A Life Without Limits

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born this wayI’m not a big fan of reality  TV, but Kirstin and I discovered a show we really like. It is called “Born this way.” All of the people on the show have Down Syndrome, and it is one of the happiest, most uplifting programs I have ever seen on television. It is on A&E on Tuesday nights.

Sean is a young man in search of a girl friend. In last week’s episode, he went to Vegas to see Justin Bieber–without his parents. While there, he went on a blind date. The date went well, until Sean decided that he needed to get a tattoo. So he took his date to a tattoo parlor and chose the tattoo he wanted. His chaperone suggested that he call his parents for permission first. I love his mom, she was so cool about it. She didn’t tell him he couldn’t get a tattoo, but she did tell the chaperone that it was okay because he didn’t have enough money. Sure enough, when the shop owner ran his debit card, it was declined. Sean had to settle for getting a temporary outline of the tattoo.

Megan is a beautiful young woman who has lofty goals. She has her own business, called Meganology. It is a on-line business where she sells items she makes from cloth she dyes using ice. They are really very lovely and she does pretty well selling them. In one episode, she was meeting with her staff. There was no doubt who was in charge.  In last week’s episode, Megan and her friends traveled to Trinidad to attend the Down Syndrome World Conference, where she was a keynote speaker. Megan also has a very supportive mom, but she and her mom are at odds over one thing. Megan wants to move to Los Angeles to build her business–and live on her own away from family and friends. I can’t wait to see how that turns out.

The theme of the show seems to be “Don’t limit us.” Whether it is fighting to be in regular classes or to attend college, they all are equal to the task at hand. Like all young people, they have plans and dreams. They are not afraid of working hard and putting themselves out there to reach those dreams. Fortunately, they have families who support them and encourage them. Anyone who watches this program will find themselves believing in these remarkable people and rooting for their success.

It is tragically ironic that at a time when people with disabilities are being heralded as heroes, these very special people are in danger of being eradicated from the face of the earth. Medical advancements have made it possible to diagnose Down syndrome in utero. Currently, ninety-percent of the babies with Down syndrome are being aborted. When you consider all of the opportunities available today for people with Down syndrome, it is so sad to think that most of them aren’t even given a chance to live. Hopefully, television shows like this one will help stem the tide.

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A Happy Haunted Anniversary

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IMG_0641For our forty-sixth anniversary, Craig and I went to Jerome, Arizona for a night’s stay in the Connor Hotel. We had been advised that room 12 was their most popular room, so we requested it. It is decorated with antique furniture and a wonderfully comfortable king-sized bed. We found a cold bottle of champagne and a spice cake waiting for us in our room as an anniversary gift from the hotel.

For those of you who are not familiar, the town of Jerome literally hangs on the side of Mingus Mountain looking down on the Verde Valley. It began as a mining town in the late 19th century.  Soon great deposits of gold, silver and copper were discovered and Jerome became a boom town–growing from a tent city to a population of 15,000 by the 1920’s. Jerome was known as “Wicked City” due to the great number of saloons, gambling establishments and houses of ill-repute. During that time, the natural and human resources were exploited by greedy men who became instant millionaires.  When the mines closed in 1953, the population dropped to just fifty–earning Jerome the title “Ghost Town.”

Labeling a place a ghost town sparks the imagination and tends to make one’s mind susceptible to the powers of suggestion. Still, most of the residents of Jerome and many of its visitors have their own scary stories to tell. The Hotel Connor, for example, is said to be  IMG_0640 Haunted by Mr. Connor, the original owner. There are stories of people hearing laughter, parties, and things moving around.  Craig and I did not encounter any spirits I’m happy to say, but we did have an experience that left me wondering. After spending the night in our hotel room, we were getting ready to go for breakfast. All dressed, Craig was still without his shoes. I searched the room from top to bottom–even in unusual places like the microwave and refrigerator. I looked again and again in the closet, under the bed and under all the furniture. There were two large chairs in the room. After looking under them many times, I picked up each chair and moved it–still no shoes. Not sure what to do next, I was in the bathroom when I said, “Maybe a ghost got them.” I walked back in the room and there they were under the chair–the same chair where Craig is sitting in the picture above.

After breakfast, we went on a walking tour of Jerome. When I related the story of the missing shoes to our guide, he said, “I know which room you were in.” Then he told us about a man who put his wallet on a night stand. When he was ready to leave, his wallet was missing. After looking for it everywhere, he finally found it under a chair. Apparently ghosts like to play tricks on people. Maybe it’s just their way of making themselves known. I’m still not sure I believe in ghosts, but it was enough to make me keep an open mind.

 

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More Real-Life Handy Helpers

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Hector-Montoya-sold-his-Playstation-4-to-purchase-smoke-detectors.-www.yourblackworld.net_Most of us are familiar with the story of the loaves and fishes.  It is a wonderful example of the love of Jesus poured out for us.  The main focus is on the disciples who show their faith in Jesus as they pass out the food that feeds the large crowd. There is more than enough to go around with twelve basketsful left over.  It seems to me that there is one character in the story who is often overlooked–the boy with the original loaves and fishes. He had the foresight to bring food with him. He could certainly have eaten the food himself. Instead, he gave it to Jesus who multiplied his gift and used it to feed the five thousand. It is with this boy that I identify. Every day, I have the chance to do something that will make a difference in someone else’s life. Will I eat the loaves and fishes myself, or will I choose to give them away so that Jesus can multiply my gift? Here are some examples where a simple act of kindness had far-reaching results.

In Texas,  a nine-year-old boy named Hector Montoya made the choice to share what he had to benefit others. When Hector saw a story on the news about a house fire in which people died, he asked his mother why they didn’t have smoke detectors. She told him that some people can’t afford smoke detectors. Hector had three hundred dollars with which he planned to buy a PlayStation 4. Instead, he purchased smoke detectors to put in homes of some of his neighbors.  Because of his sacrifice, many stores chose to follow his example and give smoke detectors to people in need.

A nineteen-year-old college student heard about a man who had to walk twenty-one miles and take two buses to get to work each day where he earned $10.85. The young man set up a GoFundMe project to raise money to buy the man a car. The site raised over $350,000 which went to help the man and his family.  A  Ford dealership donated a car.

An eighteen-year-old whose grandmother was turning 89, decided to do 89 random acts of kindness in honor of her grandmother’s birthday. The acts included helping buy food for others and donating blood. She documented her efforts on a Facebook page and has become a role model for others.

Jesus has no hands or feet but ours. He is waiting for us to step up and share our loaves and fishes. Whether we call it Random Acts of Kindness,  Paying It Forward or Acts of Mercy, Jesus sees the good that we do and multiplies it.

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If I had been the only one

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It was Monday before Thanksgiving and I wanted a prayer for my weekly blog. I started thinking about what I wanted to say, but then I got busy and forget all about it. The next morning, this poem was in my mind, fully formed. I included in my post. Since then, I have prayed it many times. A few weeks ago, sitting in church, I began to visualize it as a slideshow. This is my humble attempt to make the slideshow a reality.

To view the slide show, click on the icon in the lower right-hand corner. It is a circle with four arrows.  At the top of the screen, click “Start Slide Show.” If it does not start, try clicking on the first slide.  After that, it should advance on its own. If not, continue clicking on the slides.

I hope you enjoy the show. It was really fun to make.

 

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Summer Hiking in Prescott National Forest–NO SWEAT!

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IMG_0634Craig and I usually take a little hiatus from hiking during July and August, but this year we decided to give it a try.

Last Wednesday, we loaded up our camping gear and headed for Potato Patch Campground at the summit of  Mingus Mountain. The next morning we tackled the Woodchute Trail.

We drove to the end of the paved road and parked near the restroom. Then we started up the dirt road for .7 miles to  the trailhead. As we walked, I realized that the dirt road was very passable even for my little Honda Civic. Next time I plan to drive to the trailhead. (On the way back, I was really, really wishing I had done that.)

Because the trail is in a wilderness area, we signed the register. After checking out warnings about bears and mountain lions, we opened the gate and passed through. The first part of the trail is through cool, shady pines–very enjoyable in the early morning. But soon we found ourselves hiking under the warm sun along a ridge. Far below we could see and hear cars on Highway 89-A. Reaching a saddle, we were treated to a double view. Looking east, we could see the picturesque Verde Valley stretching out toward  the Mogollon Rim. Turning to the west, there was the sprawling Lonesome Valley. It was easy to pick out the green sections that are Prescott Valley. Beyond that, we could see Granite Mountain and even Thumb Butte.

At the bottom of the trail, we re-entered the pines until we reached an area known as Rick’s Tank. Continuing on Trail 102, we made the steepest climb of our hike until we were on another saddle. Crossing the saddle, we came to a fork. The 102 continued to the left, but we took the trail to the right. Our trail soon came to an end on a steep cliff. The view from that point was the most spectacular of the day. There at the north end of the Verde Valley we could see Clarkdale and Sycamore Canyon and even the San Francisco Peaks. It was there that we ate our lunch, taking in the view and listening to the whistle of the Verde Canyon train.

The temperature that day was eight-five degrees, which wasn’t too IMG_0633unbearable. Our hike was eight or nine miles round trip, which was not too exhausting. We were certainly grateful for the shade when we found it and glad to get back to our campsite for some rest.

When it comes to summer hiking, I would recommend Mingus Mountain as an excellent choice. There are lots of trails to choose from and many with much more shade than the Woodchute.  The Butterfly trail is one of my favorites.  The trailhead is also at the summit, on the east side of Highway 89-A. Take the dirt road for about a mile. At a hairpin turn, you will find the trail begins on the left side of the road just beyond an old concrete dam.  It is a short, easy loop through the cool pines.

Hopefully we will get in a few more summer hikes before September when we will begin the challenge of Hiking Spree 2016.

 

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Bark in the Park

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dog parade

Amber had spent an hour trying to dress Domino for the parade. First, she put a straw hat on his head, but he shook it off before Amber could tie the ribbon under his chin. The blanket she put on his back was only there for seconds before he used his teeth to remove it. In the end, Amber had to settle for a flag bandana tied around his neck. Her brother Kyle brought Domino to the park just as the dogs were lining up for Bark in the Park. Amber and Beth Anne would be leading the parade. Since Beth Anne didn’t have a dog, she borrowed Cher from the Andersons. Clarisse had dressed Cher for the event in a red, white, and blue tutu with a patriotic flower on top of her head. Even the leash was red-and-white–striped with blue stars.

            Fifteen dogs would be participating in the parade. There was a Chihuahua dressed like the Statue of Liberty and a mix-breed dog with a patriotic collar and a big red bow tied around its bushy tail. There was a pug who looked embarrassed to be wearing a crocheted red, white, and blue cap and booties. Jennifer was there with Tigger, who was wearing a tie-dyed T-shirt just like her owner’s. A schnauzer named Bosco was dressed like Uncle Sam, complete with a top hat and tails. His owner, Mrs. Brooks, was anxious for the parade to begin. She told Amber that she had to help her husband, the town butcher, set up the hotdog-eating contest. Bringing up the end of the parade was a basset hound named Wilber, whose belly almost rubbed the ground as he walked. He was wearing a banner that said, “Happy Fourth of July.”

            The parade began just ten minutes late, with the dogs cooperating more or less. The stroll around the park would take only about twenty minutes, even allowing for nature calls. Everything would have gone off without a hitch except for one oversight. Mr. Brooks, who was preparing for the hotdog-eating contest in the picnic area near the parade route, momentarily left a tub of hotdogs on the ground while he went to get the buns. It was Bosco who saw it first, or maybe he smelled it. Mrs. Brooks did her best to hold him back, but the desire was too strong. Tearing the leash from her hands, he made a beeline for the tub of hotdogs. Once the other dogs saw what Bosco had in his mouth, there was no stopping them. They raced to get their treat—all of them, that is, except Cher, who only ate gourmet dog food, and Wilber, who waddled over at his leisure to find the tub empty.

            “I’m so sorry,” Mrs. Brooks apologized over and over. “I’ve told Craig not to feed him hotdogs, but he does it anyway.”

            The dog owners grabbed the leashes and attempted to pull their dogs away. Dogs snapped and growled and chomped on the hotdogs until every scrap was gone.

            “It looks like Bosco is the winner of the hotdog-eating contest!” Walt said, laughing.

From The Handy Helpers: Red, White, and . . . Bloopers.

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It might not be funny, but all you can do is laugh.

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when you were youngMaybe I’m more sensitive than I should be, but I can’t help feeling bad when Craig and I are out in public and something happens. My daughter-in-law, Vikki, said I have no reason to feel bad about anything that happens, but somehow I can’t help it.

Recently, Craig and I were in Costco. He was wearing a large pair of binoculars around his neck, and a lady began questioning him about it. “Why are you wearing binoculars,” she asked. “What are you looking at in Costco?”

Craig seemed unaware that she was talking to him. I was thinking just be thankful he’s wearing pants. Anyway, neither of us responded to her questions. We just kept walking. This was the third store we had been in that day. Since no one else had commented on the binoculars,  I had forgotten all about them.

That was not the only incident that occurred in Costco. When he cleared a tray of sample snack bars. I apologized to the demo lady who said, simply, “It’s okay.” Later, when we were checking out, Craig insisted on going along with the cart rather than joining me on the customer side of the checkout stand. The person loading carts gave me a look that said, “It’s okay.” Thus allowing us to avoid a scene that had occurred on a previous Costco  trip.

“It’s okay.”–two simple words that say so much. It says, “I see what your situation is and I understand.” I’m not sure the person saying this has any idea how much I appreciate those simple words. They could be words spoken to a mom with small children in tow. It’s impossible to always predict and control the behavior of children. My situation is similar. I know there will be inappropriate behavior, frequent trips to the bathroom (not always in time) and the occasional temper tantrum.  The only alternative is to hide away at home like a clam.  Since we’re not ready for that, we’ll have to rely on the kindness and understanding of strangers.

That’s what happened recently. I had taken a short nap after spending half the day on our lawn tractor. When I woke up, Craig was gone. I went looking for him in the car.  I found him about a mile from our home, but he wasn’t alone. He had taken our dumpster for a walk.  It was my intention to have him walk home with the dumpster while I followed him in the car. But Craig, happy to see me, got into the car and wasn’t getting out. That left me with a problem–how could I get us, the car and the dumpster home. I tried putting the dumpster in my trunk, all the time knowing there was no way it would fit even if I could have lifted it. Finally, a very kind man in a nearby house, offered to take the dumpster home in his truck.

Since that incident, I have started locking our gate. That also prevents him from getting into our neighbors’ mailboxes. I’m not sure what will happen next, but I am sure that when the need arises, there will be a kind stranger who will come to my aid and simply tell me, “It’s okay.”

I know that I’m not the only one going through this, but sometimes it feels like I am. Thinking back, I can’t recall ever seeing a wife in a situation like mine. I’m sure I have, but I just don’t remember. That makes me think that Vikki is right. I have nothing to feel bad about.

(I know there are birds in Home Depot, feasting on bags of birdseed they break open with their beaks. A whole family of owls live in the Lowes. I’m sure I’ve seen birds flying around in Costco too. I think I’ll wear binoculars on our next shopping trip.)

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Happy Father’s Day from the Handy Helpers

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IMG_0457Last Sunday was Father’s Day, and I hope all the dads out there had a fun, relaxing day. The Handy Helpers wouldn’t miss this opportunity to tell their dads how much they love them. Here’s some of what happened in Bluesky on Father’s Day.

Melissa was on her way to the kitchen with plans to make breakfast for her family. It would be a Father’s Day surprise. Last year her dad had been stationed in Afghanistan. They wished him happy Father’s Day on Skype. He told them he had limp bacon and runny eggs for breakfast. Melissa promised that when he was home, she would make him some of her famous pancakes.

As Melissa passed her parents’ bedroom, she noticed her sister Trisha crouched in front of the door, holding a present between her knees. “Come on and help me with breakfast she whispered. Let Mom and Dad sleep as long as they can.”

In the kitchen, Melissa poured the ingredients for buttermilk pancakes into a bowl and handed Trisha a spoon. “Mix this up while I cook the bacon. I’m going to make it nice and crisp, just the way Dad likes it.”

As she watched the bacon sizzling in the pan, Melissa thought about how much their lives had changed in the two weeks since her dad had been home. At first, she was really excited about doing lots of things with him. But sometimes her dad was in a bad mood and just wanted to lay in the hammock in the back yard. Other times, he wanted to know everything she was doing. He expected her to ask permission to do things her mom always let her do—things like talking on the phone or fixing a snack. “He’s just trying to figure out what his role is in our family,” her mother had told her. “Give it time, and everything will work itself out.”

Melissa was trying to be patient, but she wondered if things were ever going to get better. “Good morning,” she said as her dad came into the kitchen. “Happy Father’s Day.”

“It sure smells good in here,” Cody looked at both his daughters working together. “Looks like you two have everything under control.”

“Happy Father’s Day, Daddy,” Trisha ran to him and put her arms around his waist. Cody bent down and kissed the top of his young daughter’s head.

“It’s sure nice to be spending Father’s Day at home with my girls.”

“Breakfast’s almost ready,” Melissa announced. “Better get Mom and Grandma,” she said to Trisha.

“Change your clothes,” Emma told her daughters as soon as they arrived home from church. “We’re supposed to be at the Smith’s at one o’clock.”

“You’re not taking that cake!” Laura exclaimed as she looked at the food her mother packed to take to the Smith’s. There in the back of the Suburban among her mother’s superbly delicious red beans and rice, pecan pie, and pralines sat Laura’s not-so-nice-looking Father’s Day cake.

“Of course we’re taking it,” Emma said matter-of-factly. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“It just doesn’t look as good as I was hoping.”

“I’m sure it will taste great. That’s all that matters.”

Laura squeezed into the back seat along with the folding chairs her father had placed there. Her three sisters were already seat-belted into the middle seats, leaving her no choice. It was only a ten minute ride to the Smith’s, but Laura dreaded every minute.

As the Thomas’s pulled up in front of the Smith house, they saw Spike sitting in the front porch glider. He had his head down and was scraping his feet across the cement. He looked up as they pulled into the driveway.

“Hi,” Spike waved in their direction.

“How about giving us a hand?” Bill yelled  as he opened the clam doors on the back of the Suburban.

“Sure.” Spike came down the steps two at a time.

“Here,” Emma handed him Laura’s Father’s Day cake.

“Who made this?” Spike asked looking curiously at the cake in his hands.

“Laura did,” Emma told him.

Spike carried the cake into the house. Todd and Jennifer came out the front door to help Bill with the chairs he was taking out of the Suburban.

“Who murdered your cake?” Spike asked Laura as he set the cake on the dessert table.

“Nobody,” Laura said, surprised. “It’s supposed to be a shirt and tie.”

“Yeah,” Spike commented, “with a bullet hole in it!”

“I had a little trouble with the frosting, that’s all.”

“That’s a relief!” Spike sighed loudly.

“What do you mean?,” Laura asked.

“That’s frosting, not blood.” Spike pointed to the red stains on the cake.

From The Handy Helpers: Red, White, and . . . Bloopers!

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There’s more than one way to explore a canyon.

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DSCN0183Although I haven’t given up on my plans to camp at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, my failed attempt left me searching for alternative ways to enjoy the canyon. I discovered a fantastic opportunity to explore–not only the Grand Canyon, but Glen Canyon and Antelope Canyon–by air, land and water. It was an excursion offered by Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines and it is worthy of a spot on everyone’s bucket list.

Because our twelve-hour day would begin at  5:45 a.m., we decided DSCN0159to drive to the canyon the day before and stay at the Thunderbird Lodge–very nice accommodations on the canyon rim. We arrived at the canyon in time to enjoy a picnic lunch. After checking in to our room, we decided to use the shuttle to take the DSCN0169West Rim Drive. We usually avoid this option on day trips because it is so time-consuming, but since we had a free afternoon we gave it a try. It was a cloudy day, but no rain fell on us as we traveled from viewpoint to viewpoint, each more spectacular than the one before.

Up early the next morning, we had a short drive back to the airport in Tusayan. On our way, we were distracted by a group of elk–including a small calf, and were almost late for our flight. After a box DSCN0185breakfast, provided by the airlines, we boarded our ten-passenger plane and began the flight over the eastern Grand Canyon and into Glen Canyon.  Along the way, we enjoyed views of the Colorado River, and could see the rapids in many places. We flew DSCN0189over the famous Horseshoe Bend–a 260 degree bend in the Colorado River.

After flying over Glen Canyon Dam, our flight continued over beautiful Lake Powell, finally landing in Page, Arizona.  DSCN0201

The next leg of our journey was by land. We were loaded into the back of trucks that had been fitted with bench seats and driven ten miles into the desert. We arrived at a place that seemed pretty desolate. There we not a clue to the spectacular wonders we were about to see in Antelope Canyon.

DSCN0217Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon located on Navajo land. During the monsoon season,  water flows through the canyon and whirls around at up to thirty miles per hour. The result is a canyon one quarter mile deep filled with rock formations that can only be seen to be fully appreciated.  We were fortunate to have a guide who knew all the tricks to get the really superior pictures.DSCN0234DSCN0231

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Returning to the airport, we boarded a bus that took us to the base of Glen Canyon Dam.  There we climbed aboard our pontoon watercraft for a fifteen-mile, still-water float to Lee’s Ferry.DSCN0242

The rock formations along Glen Canyon provided spectacular views. Along the way, we floated through Horseshoe Bend that we had seen and photographed from the air.DSCN0264

Once again we had a very knowledgeable guide who helped us appreciate what we were seeing. He told us that the dark color on the rocks was oxidized manganese  called rock varnish. It takes about a thousand years for that process to take place. Our guide pointed out a place where the rock face had fallen away and some varnish was visible–indicating that the rocks had fallen a thousand years ago. DSCN0261

When we reached Lee’s Ferry, we left the Colorado River and began our three-hour drive back to the South Rim.

On each leg of our excursion, the guide asked where everyone was from. There were travelers from Australia and Brazil. Some people were from Florida, New Jersey,  and Minnesota. But we were the only ones from Arizona. It seemed strange that fellow Arizonans wouldn’t take advantage of such a superior opportunity–especially one in our own back yard.

 

 

 

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A Sneak Peek at Book Four

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rheddens_order_delivered_jpgI am busy working on the final chapters of book four–Not a Happy Camper. But I decided to offer a little sneak peek.

“Do it again, Gus! Do it again!” Rachel shouted, excitedly.

            Gus looked over the top of his newspaper. He used his tongue to push his bottom dentures out of place until they rested on his lower lip. Rachel giggled and jumped up and down, clapping her hands. Gus popped his teeth back in place and went back to reading the paper.

            “Stop bugging Gus!” Jeremiah scolded, “And pick up that mess!” He was referring to the crayons and coloring book Rachel had abandoned on the carpet in front of the television.

            “Okay, Jeremiah.” Rachel picked up the coloring supplies and placed them on the desk.

            “She’s not bothering me,” Gus said, laying down the paper. “I love to hear her laugh.”

            “She needs to behave properly,” Jeremiah insisted. “She can’t go around annoying people.”

            Daniel was working on a jigsaw puzzle Gus had given him. It was a picture of a farm with a big red barn and lots of animals. Occasionally little squeaking sounds came from Daniel and his head jerked. “Go sweep the front porch,” Jeremiah told him in a harsh tone. “You’ve gotta pull your weight around here.”

            “The dust on the front porch can wait,” Gus smiled at Jeremiah. “Let your brother finish his puzzle.”

            “We don’t expect something for nothing!” Jeremiah said forcefully. “Our parents raised us to pay our own way. As soon as I can get a job, I’m gonna pay you back every cent you spent on us.”

            “I’ve told you, Jeremiah, that you don’t owe me anything. I’m happy to help you kids. You’ve been taking care of Rachel and Daniel on your own and you’ve done your best. There’s no shame in accepting help. Besides, having you around brightens up my life. You’re paying me back just by being here.”

            Before the forest fire, Jeremiah had been living with his brother and sister in a little lean-to he had built in the woods. He fished and trapped to feed them. After Spike discovered their hiding place, he began bringing them food. When the fire changed directions and headed toward their lean-to, Spike and his friends hiked into the forest at night and rescued Daniel and Rachel who were alone because Jeremiah had gone into town.

            The story of the Cole children was a sad one. Three years ago, their mother died of cancer. Their father, Charles Cole, moved the family to Harrison, a small mining town south of Bluesky. He rented a tiny house and they were getting settled in their new home. Charles enrolled the boys in school. Rachel was only four, so he found a neighbor to care for her while he worked in the copper mine. Jeremiah adjusted quickly to the new school, but Daniel struggled. Some of the children teased him, and the teachers complained because he was disruptive. Charles tried to explain that the jerky movements and noises Daniel made were due to a condition called Tourette’s syndrome. There was nothing Daniel could do to control the movements or the sounds. Putting him under stress only made them worse. The teachers seemed sympathetic, but said they had other children to consider. Daniel had to remain quiet or he would be removed from the classroom. Daniel continued to have problems, so when Charles was offered a job as a wrangler on the Morgan ranch, he took it. Mr. Morgan gave them a little cabin to live in. Like the Morgan children, Jeremiah and Daniel were enrolled in an internet school since the nearest town was too far away. When she turned five, Rachel started kindergarten, going with her brothers to the big house every day to work on the computers. School was going well for all of them. It seemed that everything was looking up and then tragedy struck again. While riding the fence line, Charles was thrown from his horse. It was a day later when he was discovered. By that time, it was too late to save him.  

            Mr. Morgan didn’t want to, but he knew he had to let the authorities know about the children. Jeremiah was sure they would be placed in foster homes, and probably separated. That would be bad enough for him and Rachel, but he knew Daniel would never survive it. They had to leave the ranch. His only hope was to hide out with Daniel and Rachel. When he turned eighteen in nine months, he could get a job and raise his brother and sister himself. The night before someone from Child Protective Services was coming to the ranch, Jeremiah packed up his brother and sister and ran away.

The Handy Helpers series is available on amazon