“I can’t imagine not having family. Even when I was thousands of miles away, the highlight of my week was getting to talk to Mama and Daddy and my brothers when I could get phone reception,” Cody said. “You were going to tell me your first memory.”

“Yes, I was, and I will if you promise not to laugh and to remember that I was just a little girl,” she said.

Cody laid a hand on his chest. “Cross my heart, I won’t laugh.”

“Okay then,” she said and nodded. “I must have been about four, and I begged and begged Mama and Daddy for a puppy for my birthday. As you know, we lived in town, not out in the country like you did. I didn’t care if it was a mixed breed that came from the pound.” She stopped and ate a bite of her potatoes. “I just wanted a pet. I can see Mama standing at the kitchen table, putting icing on my birthday cake, and from the smile on her face, I just knew I was getting what I wanted. But when I opened my presents, all I got was two stuffed animals. One was a mama collie dog and the other was her baby.”

“Were you disappointed?” Cody asked.

“Oh, absolutely,” Stevie answered.

“Did you throw a fit or cry?”

“Why did you ask that?” Stevie asked.

“Because I asked for a pony when I was about that age, and I threw such a bawling fit that I even had my brothers both crying,” Cody answered.

Stevie shook her head. “I was disappointed, but I didn’t cry. Even at four, I knew that would hurt my folks’ feelings. I took those stuffed animals to my bedroom, made them a kennel from a cardboard box, and fed and watered them every day.”

“For real? What did you feed them?” Cody asked.

“Whatever I could sneak away from the supper table. When Mama came to clean my room a week later, she found molded food and ants everywhere,” Stevie answered.

“What did Ruth do?” Cody chuckled.

“She explained to me that my dogs didn’t eat people food, that they only ate pretend food. Then we took them out in the backyard, she said because they needed some exercise, and she had a tea party with me under the pecan tree,” Stevie said. “Not much of a story, but that’s my earliest memory, and thank you for not laughing. Now your turn. Was it when you didn’t get a pony?”

“Why would I laugh?” Cody asked. “I think that’s a sweet story, and with a mother like that, you had a wonderful role model.”

“Yes, I did,” Stevie said. “Now about the pony?”