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On Friday, the middle school classes went to various homes to rake people’s leaves as an act of service.  We were on the list of yards to be raked because of Dale’s deployment to Iraq.  Not wanting Abby and Josiah to rake their own yard, they were assigned to rake the leaves at the house of an elderly widow.  She treated them grandly with homemade hot chocolate and cookies.  She informed them that whichever cup they chose, they could bring home to keep.  Josiah apparently missed this bit of information and picked up the cup closest to him.  After he drank his hot chocolate, he finally realized that he was supposed to keep the cup.  At this point he noticed that it had a large pink rose on it.  He attempted to trade with his sister until she held up her cup.  It not only had a big pink rose, but the word “love” written all over it.  He was forced to carry his pink flower cup with him for the rest of the day.  Immediately upon entering the van, he thrust the cup at me.  “Here!” he said.  My great dislike of coffee cups and the color pink did not deter him.  “Thanks,” I said.  “What a lovely birthday gift.”