discussing the location best suited for each item.
By Saturday night the flat acquired a lived-in look and the hollow echo reverberation off the hardwood floors lessened. The next day the family attended their first Mass at their new parish church. Later on Sunday they enjoyed an early dinner, a savory steak pie with gravy and buttery mashed potatoes. Cathy’s most praise-worthy dish showed that they had a reason to celebrate.
After dinner, the girls with full bellies and happy attitudes, prepared for their first day of school. The older sisters laid out their uniforms and supplies while June, too young for school, was also busy. She had told her sisters they should make a special place for remembering Helen. She found an empty cardboard box and transformed it into a pretty table by covering it with one of Cathy’s large colorful scarves. She then arranged small stones that she found in the flat’s backyard. She placed them on the box, carefully moving them until they were aligned in a perfect circle. She wished the stones were more like the huge ones in her dream, where she sat in the center of a circle made up of large rocks.
The girls petitioned Cathy for a photo of Helen to place on the table June created. The family albums were presented to their mother.
Cathy sat in the kitchen trying to decide which photo to give the girls. Each photo was too dear to part with, but after all, it was for a good purpose. She gently touched one of Helen at two-year- old, happily sitting on a fat Shetland pony at Ayr. “That was a happy day,” Cathy recalled aloud. Every summer, Granda and Granny B would take the family to the seashore vacation town of Ayr in Scotland for a week. She took the photo from the album and gave it to June.
“ Oh, thank you, Mammy. It’s beautiful,” June said as she reverently held the picture in her open palms. “Helen will be happy she’s in our room. You can come visit her in there, too.”
June took the photo and tenderly placed it within the stone circle. When the table was ready, she joyfully announced, “Here’s Helen.”
Annie came forward with a small statue of Our Lady and placed it next to the photo. It had been a gift to her from Granny B.
Maggie put one of her drawings next to the stone circle. “This is Baby Kit.” The drawing was of a baby with saucer-shaped blue eyes, two pink dots for cheeks and yellow hair with a red bow in it. “That’s how she’d look if she didn’t die,” Maggie said. The girls agreed with a nod.
It was almost time to share their creation with their parents. Mary said, “Wait!” as she ran out of the room for a moment. She came back with small pink flowers she had plucked that day from the garden downstairs. The flowers completed the altar.
“ Maggie, where’s the other picture?” June asked.
“ Here!” Maggie said, holding up a large piece of paper. On it was a picture of a beautiful angel dressed in a long, flowing pale-green robe with wings extending to the width of the paper. The angel floated in a soft blue sky over a field of bright yellow flowers. A halo in a darker shade of yellow encircled her fiery red hair and dark blue eyes that stared out.
Cathy playfully snuck up behind the girls who were “oohing” over the drawing. “Oh Maggie! You’re so very talented,” she exclaimed.
Jimmy walked by the bedroom, holding a hammer, nails , and a large framed picture of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin. He had heard his wife’s voice coming from the girls’ bedroom “Where’d you want this hung?” he asked Cathy.
“ Come and see this,” she said, holding up the drawing.
“ That’s unbelievable!” he said, pleased with what he saw.
“ Maggie drawed it for me. I told her how my angel looks,” June was also proud of her sister’s talents. She pointed out the picture of Baby Kit, saying that they were still all together.
“ They’re lovely,” Jimmy said kindly.
Maggie glowed from the attention. She loved drawing and
By Saturday night the flat acquired a lived-in look and the hollow echo reverberation off the hardwood floors lessened. The next day the family attended their first Mass at their new parish church. Later on Sunday they enjoyed an early dinner, a savory steak pie with gravy and buttery mashed potatoes. Cathy’s most praise-worthy dish showed that they had a reason to celebrate.
After dinner, the girls with full bellies and happy attitudes, prepared for their first day of school. The older sisters laid out their uniforms and supplies while June, too young for school, was also busy. She had told her sisters they should make a special place for remembering Helen. She found an empty cardboard box and transformed it into a pretty table by covering it with one of Cathy’s large colorful scarves. She then arranged small stones that she found in the flat’s backyard. She placed them on the box, carefully moving them until they were aligned in a perfect circle. She wished the stones were more like the huge ones in her dream, where she sat in the center of a circle made up of large rocks.
The girls petitioned Cathy for a photo of Helen to place on the table June created. The family albums were presented to their mother.
Cathy sat in the kitchen trying to decide which photo to give the girls. Each photo was too dear to part with, but after all, it was for a good purpose. She gently touched one of Helen at two-year- old, happily sitting on a fat Shetland pony at Ayr. “That was a happy day,” Cathy recalled aloud. Every summer, Granda and Granny B would take the family to the seashore vacation town of Ayr in Scotland for a week. She took the photo from the album and gave it to June.
“ Oh, thank you, Mammy. It’s beautiful,” June said as she reverently held the picture in her open palms. “Helen will be happy she’s in our room. You can come visit her in there, too.”
June took the photo and tenderly placed it within the stone circle. When the table was ready, she joyfully announced, “Here’s Helen.”
Annie came forward with a small statue of Our Lady and placed it next to the photo. It had been a gift to her from Granny B.
Maggie put one of her drawings next to the stone circle. “This is Baby Kit.” The drawing was of a baby with saucer-shaped blue eyes, two pink dots for cheeks and yellow hair with a red bow in it. “That’s how she’d look if she didn’t die,” Maggie said. The girls agreed with a nod.
It was almost time to share their creation with their parents. Mary said, “Wait!” as she ran out of the room for a moment. She came back with small pink flowers she had plucked that day from the garden downstairs. The flowers completed the altar.
“ Maggie, where’s the other picture?” June asked.
“ Here!” Maggie said, holding up a large piece of paper. On it was a picture of a beautiful angel dressed in a long, flowing pale-green robe with wings extending to the width of the paper. The angel floated in a soft blue sky over a field of bright yellow flowers. A halo in a darker shade of yellow encircled her fiery red hair and dark blue eyes that stared out.
Cathy playfully snuck up behind the girls who were “oohing” over the drawing. “Oh Maggie! You’re so very talented,” she exclaimed.
Jimmy walked by the bedroom, holding a hammer, nails , and a large framed picture of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin. He had heard his wife’s voice coming from the girls’ bedroom “Where’d you want this hung?” he asked Cathy.
“ Come and see this,” she said, holding up the drawing.
“ That’s unbelievable!” he said, pleased with what he saw.
“ Maggie drawed it for me. I told her how my angel looks,” June was also proud of her sister’s talents. She pointed out the picture of Baby Kit, saying that they were still all together.
“ They’re lovely,” Jimmy said kindly.
Maggie glowed from the attention. She loved drawing and
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