Love's Abiding Joy (Love Comes Softly #4)(61)

At long last, spring did arrive. This time it did not come slowly as spring so often does. One day it was still winter, and the next day spring was unmistakably in the air.

The spring birds appeared, little flowers colored the hillsides, green grass carpeted the area by the flowing spring, and Nathan ran capless and nursed a runny nose.

Missie's mind quickly switched to her planting. She pulled out all of her seeds, giving special attention to the ones that Clark and Marty had brought with them on the train. Scattering



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the little packages all across her table, she and her father began to sort and plan. Nathan and Josiah wished to get in on the activity, and soon her carefully sorted seeds were all mixed up again. Marty shepherded the boys to the kitchen for milk and cookies, and Clark and Missie continued their garden plans.

In spite of his crutch, it was Clark who cared for the plowing of the soil. He arranged little pots for planting inside seedlings and advised Missie as to what would grow best, where and when to plant it. Marty smiled as she watched father and daughter working together.

After the garden was started, it was time for Missie to turn to her chickens. She had spotted six hens with a desire to nest, and Missie carefully selected a setting of eggs for each one of them. Clark helped her with the coops, and the hens were housed in fine style. Missie placed her settings under the mothers-to-be and marked her calendar for the coming event.

The date for the church building bee was set. Wagons loaded with excited families, food and tools headed for the Newton's ranch. Cookie had to be available at home to feed the hands who were on duty with the cattle. Wong did not go either. He was not a builder and did not feel comfortable about sharing the cooking duties with several neighborhood women, so he stayed in his own kitchen and sent a big bucket of his special doughnuts to go with the morning coffee.

Juan had discovered two experienced carpenters from town who took charge of the actual construction. The neighborhood men offered their hands wherever they were needed.

Within the week, the church building was lifting its spire proudly toward the sky, the barren prairie and wide horizon making a dramatic silhouette. Senora De la Rosa wept the first time she heard the bell peal, reaching across the miles without even echoing from the distant hills.

The first service in the new church was announced. Many new faces appeared in the congregation that day. Clark wondered, as he looked over the crowd, how many were there for social reasons or idle curiosity and how many were true worshipers "in spirit and in truth." Regardless of their purpose,



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he saw a real opportunity to open the Word of God to them.

Marty sat with Missie and her family on one of the new pews, Nathan tucked in between them and Josiah snuggled on his mother's lap. I love the smell of new wood, thought Marty as she looked around at the ones nearby and sensed their joyful anticipation. While we've been here, her thoughts moved on, God has provided a doctor for their bodies' needs and a church for their spiritual needs. Thank Ya, Lord!

Clark was pleased to see quite a few of the new people continue to come as the Sundays passed one by one. The church members made it a point to keep in contact with all who had visited the church.

Nathan and Josiah now spent much of their time outside during the lovely spring weather. They had planted, with the help of their grandfather, their own small garden and daily checked it for progress, then would run with reports to their grandmother.

"It's growin'!" cried Nathan one day as he burst in upon Marty.

"What's growin'?" she asked innocently.

"My garden! Come see. Come see."

Marty hurried after him. Nathan fell on his knees and pointed to some small, green plants just beginning to poke their heads out of the soil. Marty didn't have the heart to tell him just then that they were weeds. Wait until some real garden begins to grow, she told herself, and then we'll care fer the weeds.

But Josiah cared for many of them. He pulled them up to see how they were doing, then pushed them awkwardly into the ground again and pounded them on their tender tops with his pudgy palm--even the hardy weeds did not survive his "tender" care.

Eventually the "real gardens" did begin to grow. Marty was not sure who was the most excited with their growing plants--the two small boys or Missie. Marty understood. She wished she were home planting her own garden. She missed it and wondered if Ellie and the boys would be taking care of it. Marty took another horseback ride out with Missie and the



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boys to view the herds. Hundreds of spring calves scampered around their bawling mothers. Marty had never seen such a sight.

Nathan climbed down off his pony to pick wild flowers for his two favorite ladies. Marty's smile swept from him to Missie who sat on her horse with the young Josiah astraddle the saddle in front of her. Missie's face was flushed, her figure gently rounding with the new life growing inside her, and her hair, teased loose by the prairie wind, fanned about her. Behind her, the hills rolled on and on like a gently dipping brownish-green sea. Beyond them, friendly mountains lifted silver peaks to play secret games with the fluffy clouds that hung low in the sky. The scene was lovely, full of life and warmth and love, and a memory that Marty would cherish for many years to come.

She was thankful that Missie and Willie had come west. She was glad that she and Clark had been able to visit; she was even glad for the extra time that Clark's accident had allowed them. Missie was happy here. As Marty looked at her contented daughter, she realized that Missie really belonged here. She was a gentle part of Willie's West. Marty looked about her with new appreciation for the ever-present hills and the openness--even the wind. This land spoke of freedom, of independence and of strength. Marty was proud that her daughter was a part of it.