Community

Chapter 1

"Children, time for breakfast!" mama calls from the door of our home.

All eleven of us children are outside doing our chores; even though there are twelve of us children little Rachel is only 2 years old and isn't old enough for chores yet. Allow me to introduce myself and my family.

I'm the oldest child, my name is Levi James Weaver, I'm 17 years and I will graduate this year and will take over da's furniture business when he is ready but I will work with him until then. Then there is my twin brother's Elijah and Ezekiel, who are 16 years old; then there is Noah and he is 13 years old. Isaiah is 12 years old, Samuel is 10 years old, then twins (yes, another set) Sarah and Seth, who are 9 years old. Rebecca is 8 years old, Hannah is 4 years old. Rachel is 2 years old and mama is pregnant with another girl, who will be named Leah.

Our parents are Levi and Abigail, both are 36 years old and have been married 9 months longer than I have been alive. Da's parents, David and Rebecca, live with us and ma's parents, Nathan and Mary Miller live next door to us. We are Mennonites; we live mainly in an all Mennonite Community but there are a few non-Mennonite members. The house on the left side of us is for sale and has been for a few months now.

"Levi, call papa and da," mama tells me as she places Rachel in her high chair.

"Yes mama," I turn to head outside to the workshop where both men are working.

"Papa, da, breakfast is ready," I tell them after softly knocking on the door.

Both men stop working on the chairs they are crafting to smile at me as da responds; "Thank you son; we'll be in a moment."

"Yes da," I reply before walking back to the house.

"They'll be here in a moment," I say to mama and ya-ya (our grandma, who lives with us) as I pick Hannah up to place her in her chair next to mine as mama and ya-ya place filled plates at the table for everyone.

"Thank you, son," mama responds with a smile.

Nodding at her as da and papa enter the house and mama and ya-ya place their plates in front of them as they sit at each end of the table at the heads.

"Levi, you'll drive everyone to school today; on your way home, I need you to stop at Mr. Youder's home to pick up the supplies for the workshop he has for me. Mr. Youder has already been paid," da informs me halfway through breakfast.

"Yes da," I quickly respond; normally the nine of us walk to and from school since it's only a mile away.

Once breakfast is finished, mama and ya-ya clean the table and kitchen, papa and da head back to the workshop as my brothers, sisters and I grab our school books that are held together by a belt and head to the wagon; we attend an all Mennonite school and the English attend another school.

"Everyone in the wagon, Ezekiel and Isaiah help the younger ones into the wagon as Noah, Samuel, Elijah and I hitch the horses to the wagon," I say as we set forth on our tasks.

Five minutes later, we're on our way to school; a small building with eleven rooms; eight for classrooms, one for us to have lunch in and the last one is for the headmaster and a secretary. The school houses kindergarten through the 12th grade; kindergarten has one whole room, 1st and 2nd in one room; 3rd and 4th in one, 5th and 6th in one, 7th and 8th in one, 9th and 10th in one and then 11th and 12th in the last room. In my grade, which is 12th, including myself, there are ten of us in total; six boys and four girls.

Having the two horses come to a stop, I tie them to one of the hitching posts before helping Sarah and Seth down from the wagon since Elijah, Ezekiel and Noah have already helped the other children down. Making sure everyone has their books, we head inside as Ezekiel, Elijah and I make sure our younger siblings arrive at their classrooms.