Yoder is NOT stupid

Once upon a time, just the other day, there lived a family of five just down the street. Some days Momma stayed home, and some days Daddy stayed home. Every day Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn, and Hunter Thomas stayed home. Nothing extravagant ever seemed to happen. In fact, every day seemed almost the same as the day before. When Ava Anne, Savannah Lynn and Hunter Thomas awoke, they would tip-toe out of their bedrooms, down the hall, and to the kitchen. Momma or Daddy would be there or on the nearby couch, reading or eating or doing something uninteresting like sorting mail.

On this particular day, Savannah Lynn woke up first. She opened her eyes suddenly as she remembered that today was a special day. Today she was going to Aunt Lori and Uncle Micah’s house. Ava Anne was going to spend the day with her friend Emily, and Hunter Thomas was going to be with Momma and Daddy for a special day.

Savannah Lynn hopped out of bed, opened her bedroom door, and ran down the hall toward the kitchen. Momma was in the kitchen eating breakfast with Hunter Thomas.

“Good morning, Savannah Lynn,” Momma said. “How did you sleep?”

“Good,” Savannah Lynn said as she took a deep breath. “When do I get to go to Uncle Micah and Aunt Lori’s house?”

“We need to leave in about an hour,” Momma said. “So let’s get you something to eat and then you can get your clothes on.”

Savannah Lynn gobbled up toast with strawberry jam and then ran back to her bedroom to put her clothes on. Within a few minutes, she raced back out to the kitchen and announced that she was ready to go. Momma said she would take her to Aunt Lori and Uncle Micah’s “very soon.”

Finally, Savannah Lynn made it to Aunt Lori and Uncle Micah’s. The morning had seemed longer than any other morning she could remember. She and Momma were now walking up the steps to their house. They could hear Aunt Lori and Uncle Micah’s dog, Yoder, barking.

Momma knocked and Aunt Lori answered the door, opening it just a crack as she also held Yoder’s collar.

“Come in,” Aunt Lori smiled. “Sorry, Yoder thinks he needs to run out the door every time it opens.”

“Hi, Yoder!” Savannah Lynn squealed.

She loved dogs, especially Yoder. Yoder was big and fluffy and very gentle. He knew how to play with kids and not hurt them.

While Aunt Lori and Momma talked, Savannah Lynn played with Yoder. She was excited to have him all to herself today.

“Ok,” Momma said, “I’ll see you after dinner. I love you.”

Savannah Lynn ran to Momma, gave her a big hug, and ran back to play with Yoder. They were going to have a great day.

That evening, after many hours of playing games with Uncle Micah, taking Yoder on a walk, and making clay animals with Aunt Lori, Savannah Lynn sat on the couch next to Uncle Micah. Aunt Lori was sitting on the chair nearby, and Yoder was sleeping on the rug by their feet.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Yoder ran to the door. Savannah Lynn ran right behind him to open the door for Momma. Before Uncle Micah or Aunt Lori thought to warn Savannah Lynn that Yoder would try to escape, she opened the door, and Yoder dashed out.

“Oh, no!” Savannah Lynn exclaimed. Uncle Micah walked to the door with a scowl on his face. He stared out at the empty yard. Yoder was already out of sight.

“Yoder, you stupid, stupid dog. Stupid,” Uncle Micah said.

Savannah Lynn gasped. “Uncle Micah, you do not say stupid.”

Uncle Micah looked down at his little niece.

She continued, “Yoder is not stupid. You are hurting my feelings when you call him stupid. OK?”

Uncle Micah began to chuckle as he said, “You’re right, Savannah Lynn. I should not have call Yoder stupid. I should have said, ‘Yoder, that was very un-smart of you. That was not smart.””

“You really hurt my feelings when you call Yoder stupid. He is not stupid,” Savannah Lynn said again. “Ok, I gotta go! Bye!”

Savannah Lynn darted out the door and into Momma’s car.

Uncle Micah and Aunt Lori chuckled as they watched Savannah Lynn and Momma drive away.

“She is something else,” Uncle Micah said. “She sure knows what she thinks.”

“Yes,” Aunt Lori replied, “and she thinks ‘Yoder is not stupid.’”