The middle one listens
to her dad and me schedule the days
and work through conflicts and make offers
to help one another.

She interjects during the hurried morning
going-out-the-door discussion:
“Well, I could skip vacation bible school…”

When we disuade that generosity, she replies:
“But I already know everything about Jesus;”
and I recall last evening’s theme:
God knows you by name,
and Jesus loves you.
I ask her if this is correct:
“Yep.”

Then she bites into her cinnamon toast,
pulls her royal purple, fuzzy blanket around
bare “night-gown” shoulders
and settles in to breakfast.