The Gift

Among her other gifts, Abigail received eleven dollars for Christmas. For her, it's been one sensory overload ever since we came home from China and now having her very own money was just one more new thing that had to be experienced to the fullest. She counted it multiple times, usually at the top of her voice. "ONE DOLLAH ... TWO DOLLAH ..."

She keeps it in a purse that she found in her dress-up box, a shiny black affair that might be seen in the movies. All her worldly cash is in that purse, ten one-dollar bills, a one-dollar coin, and a bunch of small change.

The other day, she was trying to communicate something to Deb. "Mama, money, car," she told Deb. After a little bit of exchange, Deb figured out that she wanted to buy a car. She thought first that Abigail wanted to buy a big car like David just bought.

"No, little car," Abigail corrected. "Scott, Chad."

She wanted to buy matchbox cars for her cousins. Wow. This is probably the first real money she has ever had and she wants to spend it buying gifts for others.

She went along with Deb to Target so she could buy cars for her cousins. She also wanted to buy cars for her brothers. At the checkout she had to have a quick lesson in sales tax because the cars were a dollar each and the total was more than four dollars. A little extra small change and she had her gifts.

Deb ran into her sister outside the store, and they decided to send Abigail in after her cousins, who were still in the store. David was with them. Abigail ran back into the store shouting the names. For a little girl, she has a rather big voice and it could be heard all over the store.

The boys were in the video game section, playing one of the video games. When Abigail came up to them with her "secret" gift, they scarcely acknowledged that she was even there. Abigail does not cry easily, but Deb could tell she was near to tears. As she hustled David out of the store, she gave him a quick lesson in receiving a gift from a sister. "When we get outside, I want you to give her a hug and let her know that you like the gift," she told him.

David, who still is learning how to have a sister, shot back, "I don't want to create a scene!" Giving his little sister a hug in a public place is like suicide for a teenager.

They did manage to get that situation patched up and when Abigail came home she was quite excited about giving her last "secret" to Josh. Deb managed to coach Josh briefly ahead of time so he made the proper noises and Abigail was happy. She had a chance to spend some of her Christmas money which she was dying to do ever since she got it and she was able to give gifts to others in her family.