A new version Alternate little house Chapter one (A Mother's day surprise): (Plus a new series of a story):
Grace Edwards was busy today cooking a big meal for her extended family, she has her children to be thankful for as well as the used to be Ingalls children. She was hoping that Isaiah would come back from sleepy eye soon with adoption forms so they could adopt the Ingalls children to be one big happy family. It was soon going to be mother's day and Grace was busy getting the house cleaned up and spotless.
She was working on it extra hard to so everything is nice and pretty. She was putting fresh cut flowers in a vase to sit on the kitchen table as the center piece when Mary had come in from playing outside. Mary looks at Grace until Grace turns to look at her Grace replies, "Well, child don't stand there with the door open come look at my pretty flowers!"
Mary shuts the door, now Mary was eleven and Laura was nine years old now, Grace would always wonder if they would completely forget their Ma and Pa. Grace remembers that awful time when Caroline was taken away from them by Indians and never to come back home again, then Charles got sick and died a year later, now when Grace looks at Caroline's little girls she is grateful that they choose them to come live with instead of someone else.
Grace knows that Carrie has been the most difficult one to accept change in her living environment, since her parents have been gone. So, Isaiah (who sometimes feels extra sorry for her), is always taking Carrie somewhere with him as well as Laura these days those three ever have any time apart. The only thing that bugs Grace these days is that she just can't get Carrie to call her Ma like Mary and Laura does now.
Grace even got used to Mary and Laura calling Isaiah Pa now days. It was an adjustment but the family made it through the rough spots with three kids of their own along with three more to adopt it was a challenge that Grace wanted to accept because she knew her friend Caroline (if she was here), she wouldn't have it any other way.
Grace got her mind back on her project, and showed Mary the flowers she was planning to use for a center piece of the kitchen table for this year. Mary smiles at how pretty they were, she says "OH I did find some daisies and wild roses too". "Here they are". Mary takes her hands from behind her back to say "Sort of part of our mother's day present to you, Ma!" Grace smiles with tears coming through her eyes, she hugs Mary tightly when Isaiah came in with Carrie, on his shoulders and Laura holding his hand on the other side.
Grace looks at Isaiah and says "You remembered the papers didn't you?" Isaiah puts Carrie down on the floor and she runs to the table, Grace lets Carrie play with one of the flowers even though Mary was almost ready to give Carrie a good scolding. Grace stops Mary and gives into Carrie giving her one of Mary's flowers to play with. Isaiah digs through his shirt to get out a brown envelope with the adoption papers. Mary and Laura both smile when they see those. Grace sheds another tear of joy she hugs Mary again since she is closest.
Grace remarks "Well, girls how about you help me set the table and after a quick supper we can start working on filling out the adoption papers?" Mary and Laura agreed, then came in John Jr, Alisha, and Leah from playing out in the woods, and they seen the papers that Isaiah had just laid down on the kitchen table. John Jr, stands beside Mary and says "Oh those came today?" Isaiah says "Yes son you may have more sisters after we get these filled out and approved!" John and Mary look at each other with a smile across their face. So soon everyone had started to make the kitchen move Mary and John helped with getting the hot pans and dishes on the table for the center and Laura with help of the little ones set the table with plates, place mats and the like.
Finally dinner table was set, Grace was at the head and Isaiah on the other end, Mary, John, Laura on one side, Leah, Alisha and little Carrie on the other, their table was full, plates were full, and glasses were too. Grace smiles at everyone while Isaiah says grace for all; Carrie gets out of her seat and runs over to Grace to hug her. Grace smiles even bigger. Little Carrie looks up at Grace and says "I love you Ma". Grace let some more tears fall from her eyes. She says slowly, "You know, even though Mother's day is only a few days away I have already gotten the best mother's day present ever!" I am a ma to you kids now, all of you, and that is the best present of all!"