Page 26 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
The two of them scampered happily through the snow, chasing each other in big circles.
“That was wonderful,” Nora told River. “Thank you.”
“Whoa,”Pixie yelled, stopping in her tracks. “Look atthat.”
She pointed near one of the big trees, where a little red bird was hopping along the top rail of the fence.
“It’s a cardinal,” Pixie said. “Just like inFarmer Bear’s Christmas.”
“Wow,” Nora said. “You’re right. He’s a really pretty one.”
“If you look around, you might be able to find Mrs. Cardinal,” River told the kids. “They always stay close together. She’ll be a pretty brown bird.”
Pixie started spinning around and gasped when she caught sight of the other bird.
“Right there,” she whispered, pointing up into the tree.
Sure enough, there was a female cardinal on the lowest branch.
“Why is she brown?” John-John asked.
“Male cardinals are red,” River told him. “They look bright and pretty to attract female cardinals. But the females are always brown. It helps them blend in with their environment when they’re sitting on their eggs in a nest. That way predators have a harder time finding them, and it’s easier for them to stay safe.”
“Oh,” Pixie said, looking a little disappointed. “I guess that’s a good reason.”
“I want to feed them,” John-John said suddenly. “I want to put seeds in the feeder, like Farmer Bear.”
“I think we could do that,” River said thoughtfully. “Maybe we could go to the hardware store and get some things to build a bird feeder.”
He turned to Nora, and she sensed a deeper question in his eyes. She wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but the intensity of his dark gaze made her heart skip a beat.
7
NORA
Nora sat beside River in his truck that afternoon, feeling lighthearted about their activity.
Of course Pixie and John-John were overjoyed at the idea of building a bird feeder just like Farmer Bear’s. They were looking forward to feeding the cardinals, and Nora surely hoped that the birds would come when the project was done.
Right now, the two children were gazing out the windows looking very relaxed after their big breakfast and busy morning visiting with the horses.
I’ll have to get some lunch in them at some point,Nora thought to herself.
She found herself thinking about sitting at the table this morning, sipping coffee while River cooked with the kids.
She’d spent so much time worrying about helping the kids feel safe, taking care of their needs, and paying thebills these last few months that she hadn’t really noticed that she was getting worn down herself.
Having a moment to sit and relax had been lovely. And being given the space to notice how awesome the children were, without simultaneously making sure they didn’t fall off that crate or fling biscuit dough on the ceiling, was a gift she wouldn’t soon forget.
How did you do it, Alma?
Alma had made motherhood look easy, even though she had done it alone since shortly after John-John was born.
Some nights, after a particularly trying day, Nora would stare at the ceiling and wish she had done more to support her sister when she was alive and well.
Alma’s last gift to Nora had been the daily inspirational quote calendar she had handed to her on her birthday back in April. Sometimes, Nora felt like those quotes were her sister’s encouragement from heaven.
She had tucked the calendar in her bag before leaving the city, not wanting to go the weekend without it.
