Susie added her own silent thanks to God for each person present and trusted that Britta might come to realize her adoptive family was the only one she really needed.

After Susie’s moist and delicious pineapple upside-down cake was served for dessert, they lingered at the table, and Henry asked Junior to tell about the Christmas program at the nearby Amish school. At first, Junior seemed almost too shy to share that he’d been chosen by the teacher to represent Joseph for the annual nativity scene.

“What a meek and kind Joseph he was,” Polly said, beaming at her firstborn.

Little Nellie Ann piped up to declare she’d like to be an angel in the school play someday. This brought a round of chuckles, and when things quieted down, Henry opened the Bible to the gospel of Luke to read the account of the angels’ visitation to the shepherds on the night of Christ’s birth. Afterward, he offered a second silent prayer.

When it came time to clear the table and put the leftovers away, Susie, Britta, and Polly all pitched in to help while Henry played with the children in the front room. Then came the job of washing dishes, with pleasant chatter from Polly, who seemed delighted to have her sisters’ company on this special night.

A while later, carolers from the local Amish youth group came to the front door and sang three Christmas songs. Susie insisted they go and listen as Junior, Joey, and Nellie Ann stood at the storm door, looking out.

Nellie Ann began to jingle her little bell in rhythm, and Joey bobbed his head to the age-old melodies. A hay-filled wagon pulled by two large draft horses had brought die Youngie, and Susie remembered all the years of caroling with the Hickory Hollow youth, Obie beside her. Gently, she pushed the memory away.

Much later, when Polly told the children it was getting close to bedtime, Susie volunteered to read a story in the front room near the coal stove. Nellie Ann went to sit in Susie’s lap, her silver bell with the red ribbon tied loosely around her tiny neck, while Britta sat close by with Joey next to her. Junior carried the large bedtime storybook in from the sitting room and handed it to Susie, who received it with joy, surrounded by so many precious little ones.

———

Britta experienced a wave of sadness as she watched Susie read to the children. She loves them so, she thought. At this point in life, unless her sister someday married a widower with children, it was unlikely she’d have a husband of her own. And such a good wife and Mamma she’d be, too, Britta thought, observing sweet Nellie Ann nestled in Susie’s lap.