An Unlikely Leader

I definitely didn’t think it would be her.  I wasn’t going to push her to be interested.  I know her heart comes from a different place then all my other kids.  She was five when she left Guatemala.  But many times leaders come from those you thought might not be strong enough.  My experience is we often underestimate kids.
 I underestimated her.
I saw her toteing that book around all day. The book that tells the story of the poor little kids in other countries.  Sitting in the back yard as I held the yearling still for the blacksmith, horse hair stuck to my hands, she rattled off details to me. “She plays with dolls! We could play dolls together”.   The horse kicking  its leg back and forth  under the blacksmith ; her father shooed her off into the house in case things got out of control.  Not to be stopped she and her sister  ran inside and made a birthday list of all the kids birthdays so none would be overlooked…none forgotten.  

Now, as I try and convince the baby to let me change her diaper I absentmindedly answer her questions,  ” what hon? Write? Like you write or your hand? ”
“write momma like I will write, ” not thwarted by my busyness.
I spell it three times as the baby will not stop twisting…like it’s a privilege she smells like this.
By the time I pin the baby down and get rid of the offense… My daughter is wrapping up her letter and my other daughter, with their ponytails touching, are helping each other with the word Guatemala.  “do you think she will think it’s neat that I have been to Guatemala? “
” oh for sure” the brown ponytail swirling with the dark black as the left handed sister helps the right handed sister…perfect for writing close together.
Oh for sure.