{"id":561,"date":"2009-09-21T12:44:00","date_gmt":"2009-09-21T12:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/2009\/09\/a-cousins-prayer-by-wanda-brunstetter.html"},"modified":"2009-09-21T12:44:00","modified_gmt":"2009-09-21T12:44:00","slug":"cousins-prayer-by-wanda-brunstetter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/2009\/09\/cousins-prayer-by-wanda-brunstetter\/","title":{"rendered":"A Cousin&#8217;s Prayer by Wanda Brunstetter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_l0Jv-SLk81k\/SrQv2zG0VXI\/AAAAAAAAC4Q\/i_IMkz4UsBc\/s200\/amish_woman_from_behind.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_l0Jv-SLk81k\/SrQv2zG0VXI\/AAAAAAAAC4Q\/i_IMkz4UsBc\/s200\/amish_woman_from_behind.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_l0Jv-SLk81k\/SrQv2kPS_sI\/AAAAAAAAC4I\/_9_6stjDyo8\/s200\/amish_buggy.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_l0Jv-SLk81k\/SrQv2kPS_sI\/AAAAAAAAC4I\/_9_6stjDyo8\/s200\/amish_buggy.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><br \/>I haven&#8217;t had a chance to read this book yet, but, I can tell you that I saw a lot of Wanda B&#8217;s novels during my Amish weekend &#8211; two days ago <a href=\"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com\/2009\/09\/lancaster-county-pa.html\">in Lancaster County<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;ll be posting a full review once I&#8217;m finished with the novel.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Chesapeake-Weddings-Romancing-America-Cecelia\/dp\/1602608024\/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&#038;s=books&#038;qid=1253538786&#038;sr=8-1\">~Cecelia Dowdy~<\/a><\/strong><\/em><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_cESuxv-WNX8\/SAad94Trj7I\/AAAAAAAAArA\/Yn05_E4V0fY\/s1600-h\/wild+card.jpg\"><a href=\"http:\/\/firstwildcardtours.blogspot.com\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190009307003588530\" style=\"FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_cESuxv-WNX8\/SAad94Trj7I\/AAAAAAAAArA\/Yn05_E4V0fY\/s200\/wild+card.jpg\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/a>It is time for a <span style=\"color:#990000;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/firstwildcardtours.blogspot.com\/\">FIRST Wild Card Tour<\/a><\/span><\/strong> book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books.  A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured.  The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old&#8230;or for somewhere in between!  <span style=\"color:#990000;\"><strong>Enjoy your free peek into the book!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>You never know when I might play a wild card on you!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"><strong>Today&#8217;s Wild Card author is: <\/strong><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div align=\"center\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:180%;color:#cc0000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wandabrunstetter.com\/\">Wanda E. Brunstetter<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:180%;color:#cc0000;\"><span style=\"font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;\">and the book:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:180%;color:#cc0000;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/1602600619\">A Cousin\u2019s Prayer<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">Barbour Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009) <\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div align=\"left\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:130%;color:#333399;\"><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\">ABOUT THE AUTHOR:<\/span> <\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_cESuxv-WNX8\/SrUDT5IPrpI\/AAAAAAAADNo\/2oPKTxbx-JM\/s1600-h\/wanda_sitting.jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 185px;\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_cESuxv-WNX8\/SrUDT5IPrpI\/AAAAAAAADNo\/2oPKTxbx-JM\/s200\/wanda_sitting.jpeg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\"id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383212569879096978\" \/><\/a>Wanda E. Brunstetter is nationally recognized as an expert on the Amish community, and her book sales have topped the three million mark. Her books White Christmas Pie, A Sister\u2019s Hope, and Allison\u2019s Journey topped Publishers Weekly Paperback Religion Bestsellers lists in 2008. Her books have also received other honors, including the 2006 Reader\u2019s Choice Award and the CBD Book of the Week. Brunstetter enjoys an uncommon kinship with the Amish and loves to visit their communities throughout the country.<\/p>\n<p>Visit the author&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wandabrunstetter.com\/\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><object width=\"320\" height=\"265\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/waBe_jmTh7E&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1&#038;color1=0x5d1719&#038;color2=0xcd311b\"><\/param><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\"><\/param><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\"><\/param><\/object><\/p>\n<p>Product Details:<\/p>\n<p>List Price: $10.97<br \/>Paperback: 304 pages <br \/>Publisher: Barbour Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009) <br \/>Language: English <br \/>ISBN-10: 1602600619 <br \/>ISBN-13: 978-1602600614 <\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color:#cc0000;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size:180%;\">AND NOW&#8230;THE FIRST CHAPTER:<\/span> <\/strong><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_cESuxv-WNX8\/SrUC6Q6kbcI\/AAAAAAAADNg\/GgIiXbhKz-U\/s1600-h\/CousinsPrayerCover-V3.jpeg\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 129px; height: 200px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_cESuxv-WNX8\/SrUC6Q6kbcI\/AAAAAAAADNg\/GgIiXbhKz-U\/s200\/CousinsPrayerCover-V3.jpeg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\"id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383212129587588546\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"OVERFLOW: auto; HEIGHT: 307px\">Prologue <\/p>\n<p>Katie Miller\u2019s stomach churned as she read the letter she\u2019d just received from her cousin Loraine:<\/p>\n<p>Dear Katie, <\/p>\n<p>      Wayne and I will be getting married the last Thursday of April. I\u2019d like you to be one of my attendants.<\/p>\n<p>Katie\u2019s heart pounded. There was no way she could go to her cousin\u2019s wedding, much less be one of her attendants.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWho\u2019s the letter from?\u201d Katie\u2019s grandmother asked, taking a seat on the porch swing beside Katie.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cLoraine. She\u2019s getting married in April, and she wants me to be one of her attendants.\u201d Katie almost choked on the words.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThat\u2019s wunderbaar. I\u2019m sure you\u2019re looking forward to going.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie shook her head. \u201cI don\u2019t want to go.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThink how disappointed Loraine would be if you weren\u2019t at her wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie\u2019s gaze dropped to the floor. \u201cI can\u2019t go back to Indiana, Grammy.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cLoraine and Wayne have been through so much. Don\u2019t you want to be there to share in their joy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie shivered despite the warm Florida breeze. If Timothy hadn\u2019t been killed on their way to Hershey Park last fall, she\u2019d be planning her own wedding right now.<\/p>\n<p>        \u201cKatie, did you hear what I said?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie nodded, hoping she wouldn\u2019t give in to the tears pushing against her eyelids. \u201cIf I hadn\u2019t freaked out about a bee in the van, Timothy, Paul, and Raymond would still be alive.\u201d Katie drew in a shaky breath. \u201cJolene wouldn\u2019t have lost her hearing, either, and Wayne would still have both of his legs.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cYou\u2019re not to blame, Katie. It was an accident. It might have happened even if you hadn\u2019t been afraid of the bee.\u201d Grammy touched Katie\u2019s arm. \u201cYou need to accept it and go on with your life.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI\u2013I don\u2019t know if I can.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cTimothy wouldn\u2019t want you to continue grieving for him. He wouldn\u2019t want you to blame yourself for the accident.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cYou\u2019ve said that before.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThen you ought to listen.\u201d Grammy took hold of Katie\u2019s hand. \u201cLet\u2019s go inside so you can write Loraine and let her know you\u2019ll be at the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI\u2013I\u2019m afraid to go. The thought of traveling alone scares me. I don\u2019t think I can deal with all the painful memories that are there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWill you go to Loraine\u2019s wedding if I go with you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWhat about Grandpa? Would he go, too?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Grammy shook her head. \u201cHe has things to do here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie couldn\u2019t imagine what things Grandpa would have to do. He was retired and spent a good deal of his time at the beach. <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWhat about it, Katie?\u201d Grammy asked. \u201cWill you go to the wedding if I go along?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie sat for several seconds, thinking things through. Finally, she gave a slow nod. It would be easier going back to Indiana with Grammy along, and as soon as the wedding was over, they\u2019d come back here.  <\/p>\n<p>Chapter 1 <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt sure is good to have you home,\u201d Katie\u2019s father said as they headed down the road in his buggy toward Uncle Amos and Aunt Priscilla\u2019s house. He glanced over at Katie and smiled. \u201cYour mamm said Loraine was real pleased when she got your letter saying you\u2019d be one of her attendants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie clutched the folds in her dress as she stared out the window. She didn\u2019t know why she felt so edgy. She hadn\u2019t felt like this when she was in Florida. She\u2019d been depressed after Timothy died, but not quivery inside the way she\u2019d been since she\u2019d climbed into Dad\u2019s buggy. She was grateful they didn\u2019t have far to go.<\/p>\n<p>      Dad motioned to what was left of the barn they were passing. \u201cTake a look at the devastation from the tornado that hit this past winter. That terrible storm affected nearly everyone around these parts in some way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cNo one was killed, though, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cNo, but some were injured, and the damage was great. Many, like Wayne\u2019s folks, lost their homes, barns, and shops. It\u2019s a good thing the house Wayne started building before he lost his leg didn\u2019t sustain any damage from the tornado,\u201d Dad said. \u201cSeveral of the men in our community finished it for him, and Wayne\u2019s folks have been livin\u2019 in it ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWill they continue living there after Loraine and Wayne get married?\u201d Katie asked.<\/p>\n<p>      Dad nodded. \u201cAt least until their own house is done.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      Katie knew from some of the things Loraine had said in her letters that she and Ada hadn\u2019t always gotten along so well. She wondered how things would be having them both living under the same roof.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cLook at the Chupps\u2019 place.\u201d Dad pointed to the left. \u201cThey lost their barn, his buggy shop, and the house. Only those who\u2019ve actually seen the destruction of a tornado like we had here can even imagine such a sight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie gripped the edge of the seat. \u201cI don\u2019t understand why God allows such horrible things to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      He shrugged his broad shoulders. \u201cIt\u2019s not our place to question God. His ways are not our ways.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie clamped her teeth together in an effort to keep from saying what was on her mind. Dad wouldn\u2019t understand if she told him how angry she was with God for taking Timothy. He\u2019d probably give her a lecture and say it was Timothy\u2019s time to die, like he\u2019d said to her on the day of Timothy\u2019s funeral. <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cDo you know how long you\u2019ll be helping at Loraine\u2019s?\u201d Dad asked.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cProbably most of the day, since I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a lot to be done before the wedding. You can come by sometime before supper and pick me up, or I can ask someone to give me a ride home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI don\u2019t mind coming back for you. I\u2019ll be here around four, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThat\u2019s fine, but if we get done sooner, I\u2019ll just ask for a ride home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cSounds good.\u201d Dad guided the horse up Uncle Amos\u2019s driveway and directed him toward the barn. When they stopped at the hitching rail, Dad turned to Katie and said, \u201cHave a good day, and don\u2019t work too hard. You\u2019re lookin\u2019 kind of peaked today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI\u2019ll be fine, Dad.\u201d Katie climbed out of the buggy and headed to the house. She wasn\u2019t fine at all. It seemed strange being back here again. She\u2019d only been gone from home a little over six months, but it seemed a lot longer. <\/p>\n<p>      She noticed several people in the yard, pulling weeds and planting flowers, but didn\u2019t see any sign of Loraine or her folks. She figured they must be in the house. <\/p>\n<p>      When she stepped onto the back porch, she drew in a shaky breath. She wished Grammy or Mom would have come with her today, instead of going shopping in Shipshewana. Katie figured since Mom and Grammy hadn\u2019t seen each other for several months, they probably wanted to spend some time alone. <\/p>\n<p>      Just as Katie lifted her hand to knock on the back door, it swung open. Loraine stepped onto the porch and gave Katie a hug. \u201cIt\u2019s so good to have you home! Danki for coming. It means a lot for me to have you and Ella as my attendants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cDanki for asking me.\u201d Katie forced a smile. In some ways, it was good to be here, but she felt as out of place as a chicken in a duck pond.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI just wish Jolene could be here, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cShe\u2019s not coming?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cHuh-uh. Her aunt\u2019s been dealing with carpal tunnel on both of her wrists, and she recently had surgery to correct the problem. Jolene thought it\u2019d be best if she stayed in Pennsylvania to help out.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThat makes sense. But do you think Jolene will ever come back to Indiana?\u201d Katie asked.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI hope so.\u201d Loraine opened the door and motioned Katie inside. \u201cElla and her sister Charlene are in the kitchen. We decided to have a snack before we head out to the barn to help decorate the tables for the wedding meal.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      When Katie entered the kitchen behind Loraine, she saw Ella and Charlene sitting at the table. <\/p>\n<p>      Ella jumped up, raced over Katie, and gave her a hug that nearly took Katie\u2019s breath away. \u201cIt\u2019s so good to see you! We\u2019ve all missed you so much!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie smiled. \u201cI\u2019ve missed you, too.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWould you like a glass of iced tea?\u201d Loraine asked.<\/p>\n<p>      Katie nodded and took a seat at the table.   <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cHow about a piece of my sister\u2019s appeditlich friendship bread?\u201d Charlene motioned to the plate of bread on the table.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI\u2019m sure the bread\u2019s delicious, but I\u2019m not really hungry right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cAs skinny as you are, you oughta eat the whole loaf.\u201d Charlene\u2019s eyebrows lifted high. \u201cAre you sure you\u2019re not hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie shook her head.<\/p>\n<p>      Ella shot her sister a look of disapproval, but Charlene didn\u2019t seem to notice. She was busy cutting herself another hunk of bread.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cDidn\u2019t you have a birthday last month?\u201d Charlene asked, her mouth full.<\/p>\n<p>      Katie nodded. \u201cI turned twenty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Charlene grabbed her glass and took a drink. \u201cYou\u2019d sure never know it. Why, you don\u2019t look like you\u2019re more than sixteen.\u201d She pointed to herself. \u201cI look older than you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie groaned inwardly. She didn\u2019t need the reminder that she looked young for her age. She couldn\u2019t help it if she was short, petite, and had the face of a teenager. At least I act more mature than my sixteen-year-old cousin, she thought. <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI got a letter from Jolene last week,\u201d Ella said. \u201cShe won\u2019t be coming to Loraine\u2019s wedding because\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cShe already knows,\u201d Loraine interrupted. \u201cI told her about Jolene\u2019s aunt when we were out on the porch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI wonder if Jolene\u2019s using her aunt\u2019s surgery as an excuse not to come home. She might be afraid that she won\u2019t fit in with the rest of us now that she can\u2019t hear,\u201d Charlene put in.<\/p>\n<p>      Ella shot her sister another look. \u201cI\u2019m sure that\u2019s not the reason. Jolene would never make up an excuse not to come to the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie\u2019s shoulders tensed as she shifted her gaze to the window. What would her cousins think if they knew she hadn\u2019t wanted to come home for the wedding? Did they have any idea how hard it had been for her to make the trip? Even with Grammy along, Katie had felt anxious on the bus ride. Every horn honk and sudden stop had sent shivers up her spine. She knew she couldn\u2019t have made the trip home alone. Even though she wasn\u2019t looking forward to riding the bus again, she looked forward to going back to Florida where there were no painful reminders of the past.<\/p>\n<p>      Loraine stood. \u201cWould anyone like to see my wedding dress?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Charlene\u2019s hand shot up. \u201cI would!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cMe, too,\u201d Ella said.<\/p>\n<p>      Katie nodded as well.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI\u2019ll be right back.\u201d Loraine scurried out of the room. <\/p>\n<p>      Charlene nudged Katie\u2019s arm. \u201cWhat\u2019s it like in Pinecraft? That\u2019s where your grossmudder lives, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie nodded as she fiddled with the edge of the tablecloth. \u201cAs you know, Pinecraft is the section of Sarasota where many Plain People have homes or come to rent. It\u2019s a nice community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cIs it true that there are no horses and buggies?\u201d Charlene asked.<\/p>\n<p>      Katie nodded. \u201cUnless they\u2019re going out of the area and need to hire a driver, everyone either walks or rides a bike.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cDo you go to the beach very often?\u201d Ella questioned.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cJah. Grandpa and I go there a lot. We enjoy looking for shells, and Grandpa likes to fish.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Charlene sighed. \u201cI wish I could visit Florida sometime. I\u2019m sure I\u2019d enjoy being on the beach.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cMaybe you can visit me there sometime.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Ella\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cYou\u2019re going back?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cOf course. My home\u2019s in Pinecraft now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      The room got deathly quiet. Ella and Charlene stared at each other as though in disbelief.<\/p>\n<p>      Katie figured it was time for a change of subject. \u201cWho did Wayne choose to be his attendants?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cJolene\u2019s bruder, Andrew, and Freeman Bontrager,\u201d Ella replied. \u201cWayne and Freeman have become good friends since Freeman and his sister, Fern, moved back to Indiana a few months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cFreeman opened a bicycle shop,\u201d Charlene added. \u201cMom and Dad bought me a new bike for my birthday in February.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cOh, I see.\u201d Katie stifled a yawn. She\u2019d had trouble falling asleep last night.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cFreeman won\u2019t be helping here today because he has lots of work at the shop.\u201d Charlene sipped her iced tea. \u201cYou should see all the bikes he has. I\u2019ll bet he\u2019d do real well if he had a shop in Sarasota, since so many people ride bikes there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cHere it is,\u201d Loraine said, sweeping into the room with a khaki green dress draped over her arm. \u201cI\u2019ll wear a full white apron over the front of the dress, of course.\u201d She held it out to Katie. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      With trembling fingers and a wave of envy, Katie touched the smooth piece of fabric. \u201cIt\u2013it\u2019s very nice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cAre you okay?\u201d Loraine asked with a look of concern. \u201cYour hand\u2019s shaking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie dropped both hands into her lap and clutched the folds in her dress. \u201cI\u2019m fine. Just a bit shaky because I didn\u2019t have much breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThen you oughta have a piece of this.\u201d Charlene pushed the plate of friendship bread toward Katie. \u201cYou\u2019ll blow away in a strong wind if you don\u2019t put some meat on your bones.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>       Katie ground her teeth until her jaw began to ache. One of the first things Mom had said to her when she\u2019d arrived home was that she needed to gain some weight. Of course, Dad had mentioned it, too.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cCharlene\u2019s right.\u201d Ella spoke up. \u201cIf you\u2019re feeling shaky, then you should eat something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cMaybe you\u2019re right.\u201d Katie grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite. Then she washed it down with a sip of iced tea.<\/p>\n<p>      Bam! The screen door swung open, causing Katie to nearly jump out of her seat. Walking with a slow, stiff gait, Wayne entered the room. His face broke into a wide smile when he saw Katie. \u201cWie geht\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d The lie rolled off Katie\u2019s tongue much too easily. She was getting used to telling people what she thought they wanted to hear.<\/p>\n<p>       Wayne moved across the room and stood beside Loraine\u2019s chair. \u201cWe\u2019re sure glad you could come for the wedding.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie forced a smile and nodded. <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cWould you like to see my new leg?\u201d Before she could respond, Wayne pulled up his pant leg, exposing his prosthesis. <\/p>\n<p>  Katie bit back a gasp. \u201cD-does it hurt?\u201d She could hardly get the words out.<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cIt did at first, but I\u2019ve pretty well adjusted to it now.\u201d Wayne took a seat beside Loraine. \u201cIt could have been worse, and I\u2019m grateful to be alive.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      Uneasiness tightened Katie\u2019s chest, and she blew out a slow, shaky breath. Seeing him like this was a reminder of what she\u2019d caused\u2014and what she\u2019d lost. <\/p>\n<p>      Wayne reached around Ella and grabbed a piece of bread. \u201cLooks like you\u2019ve been baking again, huh, Ella?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      She nodded. \u201cIt keeps me busy when I\u2019m not helping my daed in his business.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThose wind chimes he makes are so nice,\u201d Loraine said. \u201cI might buy one soon, to hang on our porch.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cYou won\u2019t have to do that,\u201d Charlene said. \u201cDad and Mom are planning to give you one of his nicest sets of wind chimes for a wedding present.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Ella poked her sister\u2019s arm. \u201cIt was supposed to be a surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Charlene covered her mouth. \u201cOops.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Loraine poured another glass of iced tea and handed it to Wayne. \u201cHow are things going outside?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      \u201cPretty good. By the end of the day, I think your folks\u2019 yard will look like a park.\u201d He grinned and lifted his glass to take a drink. \u201cThis sure hits the spot. It\u2019s getting mighty warm out there. Much warmer than normal for April, I think.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>      \u201cThat\u2019s fine with me,\u201d Loraine said. \u201cA warm spring day is exactly what I wished we\u2019d have on our wedding day. I hope the weather stays just like it is\u2014at least until Thursday.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>      Katie stared out the kitchen window, blinking back tears of envy and frustration. I\u2019d give anything if it were me and Timothy getting married in two days. Oh, Lord, please give me the strength to get through Loraine\u2019s wedding. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I haven&#8217;t had a chance to read this book yet, but, I can tell you that I saw a lot of Wanda B&#8217;s novels during my Amish weekend &#8211; two days ago in Lancaster County. I&#8217;ll be posting a full review once I&#8217;m finished with the novel. ~Cecelia Dowdy~It is time for a FIRST Wild [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[26,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-amish-and-plain","category-barbour-publishing"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paovYP-93","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=561"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ceceliadowdy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}