Then, going to the oven, she opened the door and checked on her barbeque chicken chunks. Looks done! She reached for her quilted oven mittens and removed the large baking pan, then set it atop the stove. By the time Glen arrived and got washed up, she would have generous sandwiches made and on plates. She liked to use hamburger buns for this recipe, since the juices and filling tended to overflow a bit. Six-year-old Eddy particularly liked the buns because, as he said, he could get his hands around them.

Marcus, nine, was more interested in how spicy certain foods were. So today, she’d added some red pepper flakes into her homemade barbeque sauce, just for him.

Sadie knew for sure that the dessert she’d made would please everyone at the table—strawberry shortcake with heavy whipping cream and fresh strawberries on top.

She turned to see Anna coming in the back door, followed by smiley Eddy, and Marcus behind them. “Chust in time,” she called, watching the boys hang up their straw hats on the wooden pegs. She ruffled Eddy’s golden locks and motioned him toward the sink. “Wash up quick before Dawdi comes. He’ll be hungry the minute he walks in.”

“I think we’re all hungry,” Anna said, removing her sneakers and socks. “Ah, feels so gut to go barefoot again.”

“How was your training this morning?” Sadie asked, curious.

While she waited her turn to wash her hands, Anna told about some of the things she’d learned. “Those horses are real special . . . calm and gentle with the children.”

“S’posin’ you’re meeting plenty-a new folk, too,” Sadie said, making the last barbeque chicken sandwich at the counter.

“Jah, I’m getting acquainted with the volunteers. With so many young riders, they need quite a few. My instructor seemed close to my age.” Anna glanced at the boys. “Maybe you know Dottie, too?”

Marcus shook his head, and Eddy wrinkled his nose as if trying to remember. “Not unless she came along when Gabe and his crew put together our tree house,” Eddy said.

Her potholder in hand, Sadie smiled at the mention of Gabe’s name. “A real fine young man, that one,” she said for Anna’s sake. “All of us had a wunnerbaar time talkin’ with him when he was here.”

“Is the Peaceful Meadows therapy program funded by the community?” Anna asked.

“Oh jah, plenty-a folk give of their time and money to keep it goin’,” Sadie said. “There’s even an occasional pie bake-off where support comes rollin’ in. Glen can tell ya more ’bout all that if you ask him.” She glanced toward the door, expecting him to walk in at any moment.

“Well, I’m amazed that Gabe can juggle his own work and manage the retreat.” Anna mentioned that Peaceful Meadows offered a number of sessions three days a week. “The program has really grown since it started. It’s impressive.”