Hope for Tomorrow
Page 8
Molly and Bill had an appointment with Fr. Ricardo to plan their wedding ceremony, but before they did that, they had one pre-Cana session with him.
Fr. Ricardo knew this was not their first wedding and thought one session would suffice. They would have a chance to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future together and how it would affect their lives after being single for some time. Fr. Ricardo led with a prayer, then...
Knowing Bill, Molly understood how set in his ways he would be and that he could be a tough nut to crack, but she had already broken through his 'wall' so she knew what she was up against.
"Bill, darling, I can't wait for our wedding. The dress came in just yesterday and it's gorgeous!" Molly said excitedly.
Bill looked at Molly and his eyes softened, "Molly, you make me not only want to be your husband, but I want to be a better man!" he spoke tenderly. Then he cleared his throat and said, "But since I am the one who wears the pants in the family, I hope you won't have a hard time trusting me to provide for you the way I know best."
"Bill Avery, whatever made you think you had to say that?" Molly asked surprised.
Bill's mouth began to twitch, "Well honey, you are a very determined lady at times, and can be pretty insistent!"
"Don't honey me, Bill Avery, I am not a fragile, demure woman. I've had to raise Rosaleen by myself, I'll remind you, with no man providing for me!" Molly protested.
Fr. Ricardo just sat in his chair watching the two of them and quietly chuckled to himself thinking maybe they might benefit from another session.
"That's not what I meant Molly; you know that. I just want what's best for us, that's all." Bill was pleading with her to see it his way.
"Bill, seriously, you think that you alone know what's best for us? I am 50% of this relationship, don't I have a say?" Molly demanded.
Fr. Ricardo decided it was time to step in. "You two have a few things to discuss, but none I haven't heard before. However, Molly and Bill, you have seemed to forgotten one very important thing. Molly, you are used to being the sole provider and Bill so are you, but the most important thing of all missing is God. Yes, you have to learn to trust each other, but when it becomes difficult, give the other a chance and hear one another out, really listening. Then stop to pray about it."
Molly and Bill settled down and listened to Fr. Ricardo and realized he made perfect sense. They both smiled. Then, Bill reached for Molly's hand and squeezed it and she returned the squeeze which Fr. Ricardo was pleased to see.
"Now, shall we continue talking about the wedding plans?" he tentatively asked as his eyes went from Bill to Molly to Bill again.
"Yes," they both answered and laughed.
Fr. Ricardo thought was not the only one who was anxious for this wedding!
On Saturday morning, the Landochs went to Brookfield to bring home their newly adopted son, Benjamin. Everyone was so excited, especially Karen knowing that she would have a brother.
Earlier in the week, they had made up his bedroom hoping he would like it. They had picked out blue paint and white for the trim around his window. Marie had bought some material from Dottie that just came in and made a curtain to go across his window that had some blue and red in it. Not knowing for sure what he specifically liked, Bob had asked Lee for some leftover scraps of lumber to make a bed frame and a night stand for next to his bed, along with a shelf all painted white, to hold any books or pictures he might have.
Benjamin needed a dresser, and sure enough, Ned had one in the back room of the Mercantile he was just storing odds and ends in. So, he transferred what he needed to a box, and gave the dresser to Bob to fix up and paint.
Marie decided she would take Benjamin shopping the following Monday to pick out some new clothes at Dottie's, and any toys he wanted from the Mercantile. What worked out so nice, was that Dottie had provided a place in the children's area, where families could drop off clothes or toys they no longer needed or their own children had outgrown. As long as they were clean and in good shape, they were there for anyone to help themselves.
When they got to New Hope Orphanage, Karen ran to the house to greet everyone. Some new children had come there and some of her previous companions were still there. Miss Lillian had welcomed the Landochs inside with Benjamin ready and waiting.
Karen talked to Benjamin right away and was telling him all about his new house.
She didn't want to say too much in front of the other children, so she whispered, "I'll tell you all about your bedroom and Hope Valley on the way home."
When the children all began to play, Miss Lillian invited Marie and Bob into the dining room where she had the formal adoption papers for them to sign. Marie could hardly write, she was so excited. Bob's knee kept bouncing up and down under the table when it was his turn. Neither one of them ever thought they would have children, but the Good Lord provided in a different way, and they felt blessed.
After the paperwork was signed, Lillian had the notary from the bank come to the Orphanage as planned and the papers were completed. All that was left to do, was file them with the province. Judge Bill was to oversee that, so Lillian handed the papers to the Landochs to take with them. Since they had already adopted before, with Karen, she saw no reason this time to make any of them wait, so she allowed Benjamin to go to his new home with the Landochs.
Benjamin gave Miss Lillian a long hug and thanked her for taking care of him, sadly said goodbye to his friends, turned away, and walked with the Landochs outside. Once his parcel of clothes and mementos were packed in with him, he turned to look back and waved.
On the way home, Marie told her son, we are going to have a welcome party for you! At first, we planned it for today, but there's a baseball game going on, so we are having it right after church tomorrow, then we'll have the day just for you.
Benjamin grinned as his eyes lit up, "Can we go to the baseball game today?"
Molly and Bill had an appointment with Fr. Ricardo to plan their wedding ceremony, but before they did that, they had one pre-Cana session with him.
Fr. Ricardo knew this was not their first wedding and thought one session would suffice. They would have a chance to talk about their hopes and dreams for the future together and how it would affect their lives after being single for some time. Fr. Ricardo led with a prayer, then...
Knowing Bill, Molly understood how set in his ways he would be and that he could be a tough nut to crack, but she had already broken through his 'wall' so she knew what she was up against.
"Bill, darling, I can't wait for our wedding. The dress came in just yesterday and it's gorgeous!" Molly said excitedly.
Bill looked at Molly and his eyes softened, "Molly, you make me not only want to be your husband, but I want to be a better man!" he spoke tenderly. Then he cleared his throat and said, "But since I am the one who wears the pants in the family, I hope you won't have a hard time trusting me to provide for you the way I know best."
"Bill Avery, whatever made you think you had to say that?" Molly asked surprised.
Bill's mouth began to twitch, "Well honey, you are a very determined lady at times, and can be pretty insistent!"
"Don't honey me, Bill Avery, I am not a fragile, demure woman. I've had to raise Rosaleen by myself, I'll remind you, with no man providing for me!" Molly protested.
Fr. Ricardo just sat in his chair watching the two of them and quietly chuckled to himself thinking maybe they might benefit from another session.
"That's not what I meant Molly; you know that. I just want what's best for us, that's all." Bill was pleading with her to see it his way.
"Bill, seriously, you think that you alone know what's best for us? I am 50% of this relationship, don't I have a say?" Molly demanded.
Fr. Ricardo decided it was time to step in. "You two have a few things to discuss, but none I haven't heard before. However, Molly and Bill, you have seemed to forgotten one very important thing. Molly, you are used to being the sole provider and Bill so are you, but the most important thing of all missing is God. Yes, you have to learn to trust each other, but when it becomes difficult, give the other a chance and hear one another out, really listening. Then stop to pray about it."
Molly and Bill settled down and listened to Fr. Ricardo and realized he made perfect sense. They both smiled. Then, Bill reached for Molly's hand and squeezed it and she returned the squeeze which Fr. Ricardo was pleased to see.
"Now, shall we continue talking about the wedding plans?" he tentatively asked as his eyes went from Bill to Molly to Bill again.
"Yes," they both answered and laughed.
Fr. Ricardo thought was not the only one who was anxious for this wedding!
On Saturday morning, the Landochs went to Brookfield to bring home their newly adopted son, Benjamin. Everyone was so excited, especially Karen knowing that she would have a brother.
Earlier in the week, they had made up his bedroom hoping he would like it. They had picked out blue paint and white for the trim around his window. Marie had bought some material from Dottie that just came in and made a curtain to go across his window that had some blue and red in it. Not knowing for sure what he specifically liked, Bob had asked Lee for some leftover scraps of lumber to make a bed frame and a night stand for next to his bed, along with a shelf all painted white, to hold any books or pictures he might have.
Benjamin needed a dresser, and sure enough, Ned had one in the back room of the Mercantile he was just storing odds and ends in. So, he transferred what he needed to a box, and gave the dresser to Bob to fix up and paint.
Marie decided she would take Benjamin shopping the following Monday to pick out some new clothes at Dottie's, and any toys he wanted from the Mercantile. What worked out so nice, was that Dottie had provided a place in the children's area, where families could drop off clothes or toys they no longer needed or their own children had outgrown. As long as they were clean and in good shape, they were there for anyone to help themselves.
When they got to New Hope Orphanage, Karen ran to the house to greet everyone. Some new children had come there and some of her previous companions were still there. Miss Lillian had welcomed the Landochs inside with Benjamin ready and waiting.
Karen talked to Benjamin right away and was telling him all about his new house.
She didn't want to say too much in front of the other children, so she whispered, "I'll tell you all about your bedroom and Hope Valley on the way home."
When the children all began to play, Miss Lillian invited Marie and Bob into the dining room where she had the formal adoption papers for them to sign. Marie could hardly write, she was so excited. Bob's knee kept bouncing up and down under the table when it was his turn. Neither one of them ever thought they would have children, but the Good Lord provided in a different way, and they felt blessed.
After the paperwork was signed, Lillian had the notary from the bank come to the Orphanage as planned and the papers were completed. All that was left to do, was file them with the province. Judge Bill was to oversee that, so Lillian handed the papers to the Landochs to take with them. Since they had already adopted before, with Karen, she saw no reason this time to make any of them wait, so she allowed Benjamin to go to his new home with the Landochs.
Benjamin gave Miss Lillian a long hug and thanked her for taking care of him, sadly said goodbye to his friends, turned away, and walked with the Landochs outside. Once his parcel of clothes and mementos were packed in with him, he turned to look back and waved.
On the way home, Marie told her son, we are going to have a welcome party for you! At first, we planned it for today, but there's a baseball game going on, so we are having it right after church tomorrow, then we'll have the day just for you.
Benjamin grinned as his eyes lit up, "Can we go to the baseball game today?"