My Story

Mr. Wesson - age unknown
Mrs. Wesson - age unknown
Caleb - 17 years old
Nathanel (Nate) - 15 years old
Katie - 15 years old
Rebecca - 14 years old
Leanne - 12 years old
James - 10 years old
Benjamen (Ben)  - 10 years old
Ella - 8 years old
Abigail (Abi) - 6 years old
 Joshua (Josh) - 4 years old
Rosie the Yorkie.
Jack the Bernese Mountain Dog.
And the Golden Retriever that I have no idea what I should name it. If you have an idea for his name post it in the comments.

Here is the full Wesson family story...

      Rebecca’s brown, wavy hair curled in the rain.  The light drizzle had begun in the morning, but gradually became heavier throughout the afternoon.  Thick, black clouds hid the normally azure blue sky.  As 14-year-old Rebecca ran for the cow barn, the rain became even heavier.    Eventually she reached the newly painted, red barn; the water that fell so heavily from the sky soaked through her violet jacket.  Rain seeped through a crack in the pine boards making the dirt floor a bit muddy.  Walking to the end of the barn Rebecca climbed to the top of the green, paint chipped gate that led to the pasture and sat on the top of it.  She gave two short and shrill whistles, soon the herd of cows rushed to the gate where Rebecca stood.  Then, Rebecca opened the gate, and let the cows into the corral.  At last, every cow stood on the other side of the gate.  Split! Splot! Split! She heard the sound of rain pouring on the tin roof.  Her mud boots splashed in the puddles as she ran back to the house, the sound of rain falling from the sky drowned out every other noise.  When Rebecca stepped into the log house she headed straight for the fireplace, her hair dripping water on the wooden floor as she walked.  Jack, her big Burmese Mountain dog, cuddled next to Rebecca as she curled up next to the fire.  Nate, her 15-year-old brother, and her dad walked in through the back door, as the warmth of the fire spread through her body, drying the wet clothes she wore.

     “I took care of the cows dad,” Rebecca told her dad through chattering teeth.

     “Good Rebecca. Well, there is officially a flood warning” announced her dad turning to her mother in the kitchen, “We are safe here up on the mountain, but the horses are still in the mountain pasture. Rebecca I need you to go get them while Nate, Caleb, and I tie things down here with sandbags just incase.  If a flood does hit it won’t hit until about 3:00 am tomorrow. So you’ll be safe.”

      “OK,” Rebecca replied not too enthusiastically.  She was not exactly thrilled at the thought of going back out into the cold rain.

      “Thank you,” her dad gave her a warm smile which made her feel better, “come on guys lets get going” he said, motioning to Caleb and Nate.

Rebecca grabbed a flashlight, and a dry jacket, and then she slipped on her muddy boots and stepped outside.

     The torrential rain poured down relentlessly on Rebecca’s hooded figure as she made her way up the mountain.  The strong wind blew raindrops in her face that stung her cheeks and nearly blinded her green eyes.  She arrived at the bridge that stretched across a large creek.  Water swiftly flowed underneath the bridge.  Rebecca stared at it wondering if it was still safe to cross.  The water was rushing very fast, but it was still fairly low, so she deemed the bridge safe and crossed to the other side. About ten minutes later she reached the valley where the horses grazed.  Even with her flashlight she could barely make out the figure of the horses’ through the sheets of rain.  She whistled for Birdie, the lead appaloosa mare.  A few seconds past, then through the gauntlet of thunder and lightning, Birdie’s spotted head appeared.  Rebecca quickly slipped the faded green halter over the mare’s wet and muddy head.  A sudden crack of light sent bright fingers of lighting across the sky, illuminating the dark night. 

     Whoa, that struck close, thought Rebecca, I need to hurry.

  As she started to walk towards the ranch with birdie’s lead rope in her hand the other horses in the herd followed their leader. They slowly walked toward home, the path she took ran around the brim of a hill.  Everything went fine until she got a little to close to the edge of the hill.  Then, before she knew it, she had lost her footing and started sliding down the muddy side of the hill.  She released her grip on Birdie’s lead, and continued to slide down.   Finally, about halfway down she regained her footing on a rock; she was covered in mud from her ride down the hill.  At first she was afraid to move, scared that the rock might come lose at any moment, but somehow she had to climb up the hill again and get the horses back to safety. She started up the hill, took a few steps, and then she started sliding again, and landed back where she had started.

     Mud covered, weary, and cold she stood up again, but before she took another step she heard the faint sound of someone calling her “Rebecca. . . . . .Rebecca,” the voice shouted.

     Oh Great!  She thought rolling her eyes; now I’m hearing voices, I’ve gone mad!   This is how all horror stories start the victim gets lost or hurt in the wilderness and hears dead relatives beckoning to her.  Oh man I shouldn’t have thought about that, now I’m gonna freak myself out.

     “Rebecca!” the voice shouted again “Rebecca!”

      “Nate!” she exclaimed when she saw his figure appear through the rain, “is that you?”

      “Oh Rebecca, thank goodness I found you” yelled Nate over the roaring sound of the rain, “We need to get out of here, when I  crossed over the ridge I saw that the rain made the river swell and it took out the bridge!”

    Rebecca became worried, “What!” she said trying not to freak out, “but how are we gonna get the horses to the barn?  If we go all the way around to the ridge it’ll take forever. And besides we have another problem…I..uh… I’m kind of stuck....” her voice faded away, she was a little embarrassed that she had fallen.

     Nate slowly climbed a little down the hill until he could reach her, then he swung a strong arm out towards Rebecca and helped her climb back up the hill. When they reached the top, Birdie was still where Rebecca had left her.

    “I know it’ll take us a long time if we take the ridge path, but it is the safest way” a very wet and muddy Nate replied, “besides, it really our only option right now.”  Nate grabbed Birdie’s wet lead rope and Rebecca fell in step behind him, as they slowly made their way down to the ridge. 

      “Hey Nate?”  Rebecca asked, after they had been walking for a while.  Her eyelids where drooping and she wondered if it was as late as it felt.  “Are you wearing your watch? What time is it?”

     “Yeah, here hold the lead rope while I check,” Nate handed the lead rope to Rebecca as he rolled up his wet sleeve to check his watch.  He squinted in the dime light trying to see the time.  “It’s about 1:15” he replied after a slight pause.

     “Oh man, no wonder I’m so tired,” she let a yawn escape her chattering mouth, “how much longer do you think it’ll be before we reach the barn?”
     “Probably another 30 minuets,” he answered as water droplets fell from his brown unruly hair.  Rebecca sighed, she was thoroughly soaked now, and she could not wait to get back to the house.

     She looked up at Nate “Thanks.” She whispered through the rain.

      “What?” he implored with a confused tone of voice.

     “For helping me” Rebecca explained, “I’m glad you’re here.  I’d probably still be stuck back at that rock if you hadn’t come for me.” 

     Nate smiled “you did look pretty helpless standing there soaking wet on that rock stranded in the middle of the mudslide.” The two continued to trudge on in silence for awhile.

      “Remember the time you painted your nails pink?  That was so funny!”  She reminded him.

    Nate exclaimed “Oh come on! I was only 6 years old! And…”

    Rebecca cut him off “then mom found you in the middle of your room with pink nail polish and then she startled you when she came in, and you dumped the bottle over and spilled the neon pink paint all over your rug!” she retorted.  “And actually you were 7 years old, not 6,” she replied in a matter-of -factly way

     Nate rolled his eyes and smiled, “well if you think that’s funny what about the time mom took off her wedding ring while she was washing the dishes, and left it on the counter.  Then when she wasn’t looking, you took the ring and ran off.  And then she found you outside doing your little ‘princess walk’ wearing her wedding ring on your finger, and a tiara on your head.  And just as she caught you wearing her ring, you bent over the pond and the ring fell off your little finger into the muddy pond.”

     “All I remember is mom being horrified.  And then you pulled your net out of the pond when you were trying to catch frogs, and the ring had landed in your net.”  Rebecca added grasping for breath, because it is rather hard to breath when you are laughing a chattering you teeth at the same time.  The two were laughing so hard by now that they almost forgot how cold they were.

     “Mom was so relived.” Nate commented as he smiled.

      After walking on for a couple more minuets in silence Rebecca shrieked “stop!”

      “What?” Nate said surprised, “whoa, we almost walked right into the fence. It’s raining so hard I didn’t even see it.  Come on!  Let’s get the horses in the barn as fast as we can, then get into the house.”  Rebecca didn’t reply, she clicked her tongue moving Birdie into a trot.  In no time they were at the barn, and had all the horses in their separate stalls.  Soaking wet and muddy, Nate and Rebecca made a final dash for the house, arriving at their back porch panting.  Once inside they both took their mud caked boots off in the mud room and walked into the kitchen.

     “Where have you been?  What took you so long?  I was starting to get worried.”  Their mom asked in a concerned tone

      “We had to take the ridge route, the water destroyed the bridge.” Nate answered, “But we got all the horses in the barn, and no one is hurt.”

      “Good, now go get changed into some dry cloths you guys look absolutely freezing.”  Mom said, surveying her two muddy and wet children, “on second thought stay there, I’ll go get you clean clothes, and you can take turns changing in the bathroom down here.  Don’t want you getting mud all over my clean carpet and stairs….” her voice faded as she walked up stairs to retrieve some dry clothes for the two soaking figures standing by the door.  Rebecca took off her wet jacket and threw it in the laundry, and tried her best to squeeze all the water out of her brown curly hair.  Nate took a towel from the cabinet in the laundry room, which was next to the mud room, and started rubbing his head dry.  In the kitchen, by the black marble top, sat Katie, Nate’s twin, who was cuddling the Wesson’s yorkie and drinking hot chocolate.

      “You guys look……very wet.” Kate stated, smiling at her dripping siblings who were shivering in the mud room.

     “Well thank you Captain obvious,” replied Nate sarcastically with a grin on his face.  “Did you make sure the chickens were locked up?”

     “Yes, General sarcasm,” Kate retorted saluting to Nate.  Nate responded by rolling eyes his at his sarcastic twin.  Although they teased each other, both of the twins were very close to each other.

     “OK,” mom announced walking down the stairs with a pile of clothes in one hand, and an empty sippy cup in the other, “I have a fresh, clean pjs for both of you.”

     “Yay!  I’m so COLD!!!!!,” Rebecca exclaimed grabbing her Pajamas from mom, and running across the kitchen floor into the bathroom.

      “Hurry up.” Nate called from the opposite side of the room. “I’m cold too!”

      Mom continued, “Here you go” Handing Nate his fresh change of clothes.

      “Thanks.” Replied Nate, then he spotted a small face peeking out from behind mom’s legs, “Mom, I think the natives have gotten restless”

     “What?” asked mom curiously.

     “Look behind you.” He answered spotting two more pairs of eye staring down from the stairs.

     Mom turned around, “Oh goodness.  What are you guys doing out of bed?” She asked, putting her hands on her hips staring at the three little faces behind her.

     “I’m scared there’s gonna be a big flood and the house will go away and so will my bed!” answered the worried voice of 6-year-old Abi.

     “and..and the tunder maked a weally big sound and I got scareded” explained another small voice that came from 4-year-old Josh.

     “I’m not scared.” responded a third voice from the stair railing which was Ella, “I’m 8-years-old and I’m not scared of thunder! I just want to see what Josh and Abi were doing.”

      “Oh I see,” nodded mom understandably

      Emerging from the bathroom with fresh clothes on Rebecca announced, “Hey, I’m done Nate, you can go change now.”

      “Finally!” he exclaimed, walking to the bathroom.

       “Ok, you guys,” said mom turning to the younger kids, who were now standing in the middle of the living room, “do you want to sleep in the living room while the storm lasts?”

     “Yeah!” all three answered in unison

     “Ok then, go get your pillows” mom softly ordered the children as the three kids ran up the stairs to obey.  Rebecca walked over to the couch and picked up the big, green, cozy blanket that was draped over the top of the huge sofa.  She wrapped herself in the warmth of the soft cloth and sat down next to Katie at the counter.  Caleb appeared with clean clothes on and plopped down on the large, gray cozy chair in the living room.  He clapped his hands and called the Wesson’s big golden retriever to come sit in his lap.   Josh, Abi, Ella came tromping down the stairs, their pillows dragging behind them, and with tired, but content smiles spread on their faces.  They each laid their pillows right in a row near the corner of the living room.  Mom walked over to the linen closet and grabbed a huge, puffy comforter that looked like a cloud, and spread the warm blanket out over her three sleepy children.  She then walked into the kitchen and opened a cabinet which held cups and mugs.

     “Do you guys want some hot chocolate?” Mom asked Rebecca and Nate

      The three children who were supposed to be sleeping on the floor sat straight up                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       “Yes!!! Yay!!! Hot chocolate!” the three sang out.

     “Not you.” Mom replied “you are supposed to be asleep.” The three glum figures lay back down, indignant that they were denied the special privilege of hot chocolate. Mom looked back at Nate and Rebecca “do YOU two want some hot chocolate.”

     “Sure,” Nate responded drowsily from the cozy chair in the living room.

     Rebecca smiled at her younger siblings “Yes please.” She answered.  As mom was taking out two mugs from the cabinet dad and Caleb, who was 17-years-old, walked in through the back door.

     “Phew! It’s cold out there” dad announced taking his boots off, and setting them on the rack.

     “And wet, don’t forget the wet part” Caleb concluded as he shook his head to try and dry his hair out a little.

     “Want some hot chocolate?”  Mom asked them, “Did finish getting everything tied down? And Caleb please don’t shake your hair out on the floor like a dog” she reprimanded him. 

     “No thanks,” dad answered, “and yes we did get everything secured, though the highest the water will raise around here is probably about 1 inch, and that won’t do much damage”

     “I’ll take some please” replied Caleb. 

     Mom grabbed another mug from the cabinet, “Kate, go up stairs and get a change of clothes for your dad”

     “and me” added Caleb”

     “And some for Caleb” requested mom.  Katie handed the yorkie to Rebecca and started for the stairs.

     When she was in the middle of the living room about to walk up the stairs when Caleb called back to her “Oh and make sure you get my blue pajamas, not the green ones.”  He continued “and grab my long sleeve top not the short sleeve top.”

     She rolled her eyes “YES! Your majesty” Katie replied sweeping a large bow to his royal, highness Caleb, and then advanced up the stairs to retrieve the clothes. After sometime Katie came down with the clothes, and three people trailing behind her. 

     Mom raised one eyebrow “what are you doing up?” she asked them, as Katie walked over and handed dad his clothes and he went to go change in the bathroom. 

     Then she backed up, rolled Caleb’s pajamas into a ball, and tossed them to him, “Catch you majesty.”  

     He laughed as he caught his flying pajamas, “Thank you servant, that will be all for today.  You are dismissed.”

     “I can’t sleep,” Leanne, who was 12-years-old, answered her mom, walking over the big sofa and plopped herself down.

     The ten-year-old twins, James, and Ben, replied “we couldn’t sleep either, storm’s too loud.”  Both of them walked over to the cozy chair where Nate was relaxing and sat down on the floor.

     “Well, we might as well all sleep down here then.”  Mom suggested since the entire family was already downstairs.  “Hot chocolate’s ready.” She announced setting three hot mugs on the counter.

     Dad came out of the bathroom with clean clothes on, “Your turn” he said looking at Caleb, who hurried to change out of his muddy, wet clothes.  Within a half hour everyone was settled in the living room and mostly everyone was asleep, with lots of blankets and pillows to keep them comfortable.  Mom, dad, Leanne, and Caleb occupied the couch.  The three youngest huddled together under the big comforter on the plush off-white carpet, with the small teacup yorkie at their feet.  James and Ben sat next to Nate on the ground, stroking the golden retriever’s soft hair, and Nate reclined on the cozy chair.  Jack, the Burmese mountain dog, cuddled with Rebecca and Katie who were snuggled up in the green blanket by the side of the fire place.  Loud and wild, the rain continued outside, but inside the Wesson home everything was peaceful.  The only sound that could be heard was the crackle of the fire, and the gentle, steady breathing of ten sleeping children, and three dogs.