Kaitlin and the bell ringers

When Kaitlin was a much smaller girl she really needed her sleep. Once, when I was visiting, a family movie night was planned. She and her sisters were excited all afternoon because they would be able to choose a movie and stay up past their usual bedtime to see it. But only half an hour or so into the movie Kaitlin asked if her Mom would go downstairs with her. She needed to go to bed. On another of my visits Nick and Robbin were gone, but since they wouldn't be late Kaitlin and Dana had permission to stay up until they got home. We had a little supper. We played on the swings for awhile. Amanda was only a baby, so we gave her a bottle and put her to bed. Then we waited for Nick and Robbin. It was nice, sitting on the couch in the fading light of a summer evening, saying whatever came to mind. But soon it was just Dana and I doing all the talking. I looked down and saw Kaitlin slumped beside me, fast asleep. On still another visit, a bell choir came to Steamboat to give a concert. All the assembled Schoewes decided to attend. By the time we arrived there was already a crowd. There was no long row of seats available, so we had to split up. Some of us found seats in the back, but Nick and Marty and Kaitlin, and I think Amanda too, had to go way up almost to the front row. Kaitlin had to sit on Nick's lap. If you go to church and you hear a bell choir play a selection, or two, or even three, it's a real treat. If you go to a concert and a bell choir plays for more than two hours--well, it's a lot of bell ringing. On the way home Kaitlin said, "I was so tired. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stay awake." Robbin said, "Kaitlin, Daddy had you. Why didn't you just go to sleep?" Kaitlin replied, "I didn't think that would be right." She has a strong conscience and a soft heart, our Kaitlin.