The Cascade mountains always made me feel stronger for simply having looked at them. Drawing a deep breath, the sweet sage fragrance of the high desert filled my senses. My attention was jolted into the coming day by sounds of the school bus turning the corner into our long driveway and grinding its way up the hill toward the ranch. The bus exhaled a seeming sigh of relief as the driver pulled on the emergency brake and the children bounded happily off the bus. I watched their faces intently, looking for the telltale signs of a needy spirit. Excited chatter rose all around as the kids began to take in the ranch. Before welcoming the group, I quickly scanned the bus to make sure it was empty. Surprisingly, it wasn’t. Two boys were hanging in the very back, still seated, lazily pushing each other in a you-go-first manner. “Oh, that’s Chad and Mason,” a young informant said with rolling eyes. Slowly they sauntered down the bus steps, taking their time, perfectly aware that I was waiting just for them.
