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“I was going to rilled cheese for dinner, but this is better Lanie, you can have soo to bed You didn’t have your nap today, so you have to go to bed early”

“But I’m not tired,” Lanie said

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“Says the girl as snoring a o Come in, Amanda”

She stepped over the threshold ofthe warm soup into bowls for everyone while A and whispering to each other, and the ser than I’d ever seen it Her eyes were sparkling as she played with A when Amanda tickled her

Yes Lanie was getting way too attached to this woman

“Oh! I brought you so,” Amanda said

“What?” Lanie asked “What is it?”

“It’s soht like it”

I set the bowls of soup on the table as I watched Amanda pull a folded piece of paper fro it carefully so asped at the picture, then suddenly the sirl was at my feet

“Look, Uncle Bwian! Look! It’s a bird!”

I set the drinks on the table and took the picture from Lanie’s hands

It wasn’t only a bird, however, it was an entire scene The bird was perched on a sill outside, and it was backdropped with the forest The detail was incredible, and the shading of the pencil was expertly done

“Did you draw this?” I asked

Amanda’s eyes connected with mine, and I felt my voice catch in my throat