Dear Mister Jesus,

It's me… Avery. I wrote you the first time, but you never did write back. Ikey says it's because your extremely busy. He also said that if I used a kiss this time for a stamp that it would get to you faster. I hope it works.

Mister Jesus, I just wanted to tell you how different my life is now.

My Mommy's gone. She's been taken away, I still don't understand why though. I know she didn't mean to hurt me.

Ikey, Taylor, and Zac still sing, and the whole family gets to travel with them (minus Mommy)

I get to help Jessie and Daddy take care of Zoë. Mackie don't seem to care much for taking care of her. Though we know he loves her, cause when he thinks no one is watching, shhh I am, he'll tickle her and play with her. I think he's just jealous that he's not the baby anymore. But don't tell him I know this... he’ll get mad and stop doing it.

Sometimes at night I hear Daddy talking with Ikey, Taylor, and Zac. They talk about Mommy a lot. Ikey said something about her hitting him when he was younger too. And I think I heard Zac say the same thing. But Taylor gets a little upset, cause he never knew it ever happened. Ikey says he's lucky, I just wonder why Mommy only did it to some of us and not all of us...

Daddy cries a lot too now, especially when he thinks we're all sleeping. And I sneak into Ikey's bed at night, when Jessie's not in our room. I'm scared that Mommy will come in and yell at me like she did when she was at a friend's house.

Ikey and I spend alot of time together now too. He talks to me about Mommy sometimes. Talking about how much it hurts us all because we miss her. And he tries to help me understand, but I don't know if I ever will.

Mister Jesus, if keeping me safe from my Mommy meant that you had to have her taken away, thank you...

Please don’t let them hurt your children

We need love and shelter from the storm

Please don’t let them hurt us children

We need to be kept safe and warm

Your Daughter,

Avery Laurel Hanson

P.S.

Oh, yeah, I forgot something. I love ya too!

Isaac laughed quietly to himself as he read the letter over again. Avery was really beginning to grow up. Even though she said she didn't understand what it meant to have their mother taken away, in a way she did.

Carefully he placed the letter back in it's envelope and set it next to the one she wrote four months ago. He grinned at the address she wrote again: