Back in 1975 Jim and Rita moved to the new home they had built in our little country town of Byron. Sitting in the yard next door were the remains of an old out house with only the one holed FDR cement seat remaining. The hole had been filled in and the wooden structure moved away. The house had been remodeled and a bath room was added, so the outhouse just deteriorated over several year's time. Rita was working in the kitchen and looked out of the kitchen door to check on the two girls where they had been playing. There she saw little two year old Sara sitting on top of that old toilet swinging her little legs and singing at the top of her lungs. Where was the camera when she needed it? What a cute picture that would have made.
A few times when I was late to church, I ushered the pre-school children to their room. Each time, I saw the kids running about and not giving any attention to their teacher, Grace Settle, when she was reading the lesson to them. I considered it more like baby sitting. One time, I saw her leaning on the wall by a window using the light to read the Sunday school lesson to the kids. Several kids were actually standing on the table playing. It bothered me some until Rita told me the story of little three year old Sara sitting at the kitchen bar and seeing the sunlight shining through the screen door. She chirped “Heavenly Sunlight, Heavenly Sunlight.” It proved to me that children listen more to what is said in their presence than we think.

When Amy and Sara were very young, Jim and Rita took them with them when they were tearing down an old house near Burlington. Many things had been left behind in the house such as pictures on the walls and other odds and ends that the owners did not want. Amy and Sara were delighted to see the items. Rita was trying hard to keep them from bringing junk home. Sara spotted a vase that she thought Grandma Lois would like. Rita advised her that Grandma would not want such an old ugly thing, not realizing it was a very expensive Hull Vase. Sara’s persistence won out and she got to keep the vase. Rita felt I would understand and do what had to be done not to hurt Sara’s feelings.

Sara rushed into our house with her prize with her eyes sparkling like diamonds. She said “Grandma, I got this for you.” I immediately recognized it as a Hull vase and gave her a big tight hug and told her how excited and very pleased I was over getting such a nice gift. Sara glanced at her mother with a “See, I told you so” look. To this day, I still admire her gift as much as any I have ever received.…. Again, thank you, Sara.