axel

::twenty seven::

Point of View: noah

[Whoa oh oh oh

Well this is life in motion (motion)

And just when I could run this race no more

The sun bursts, clouds break

This is life in color] {Life in Color; OneRepublic} 

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Dear God,

I know I've said it already, but I guess I'll say it again.

Thank you for the sixteen years you gave me with my parents.

Thank you for not taking Josiah from me.

Thank you for allowing me not to be bitter.

Thank you for letting me love these little kids, and letting them love me back.

Thank you for a roof over my head, and shoes on my feet, and food on the table.

Thank you for loving me.

Happy Thanksgiving.

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The last child pushes his plate forwards and announces that he's done about an hour later. I look down the table and see the remains of food everywhere, and leftovers that will last us at least a century. I sit in my plastic folding chair for a second, just being content, before shoving my chair back and starting to stack up plates to clean them.

I carry seven inside, and when I look back, North, Josiah, Amy, and Evan are right behind me with the rest of the plates. 

I dump them into the trash can, and then walk back outside to start getting the dishes of food off the table so I can put them into tupperware containers and stick them into the fridge.

The kids are quieter than before, all full from the food. They're still talking, but it's hushed now.

Evan tugs on the hem of my tank top as I grab the plate of corn of the table. "Can we go up to the hill?"

I look down at him as I scrape the corn into a container and stick the top onto it.

I tap him on the nose and then glance outside, gauging how dark it is. The sun is setting, and it'll be totally dark withint thirty minutes.

"Alright, go round up the flashlights." He yells "Yes!" And then takes off.

North walks over with a plate of leftover rolls. "What was that about?"

I stack them into another container, "Oh, there's a hill a little ways away that we like to go sit on sometimes when it's dark and watch the fireflies. We take blankets and flashlights and stuff." I turn on the disposal and scrape some food into it.

"You're totally welcome to come, but I understand if you want to get home before it gets really really dark."

He takes the plate from me and sticks it into the dishwasher. "That sounds like fun."

I look at the pile of plates next to me, "I don't know if I'll go, there's a lot to clean, but Amy and Josiah will go. And all the little kids love it."

He looks over at me as he opens the fridge and shoves food in, "You're not going to come?"

I shrug, "If I get this done while you guys are still over there then I'll walk over."