Saints Alive!
Annie’s Very Own Miracle
by
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My mom received a phone call from Opa and she began to cry. He had to take Oma to the hospital because she had a very high fever and was having trouble breathing. We don’t know yet what’s wrong, but my dad left in a hurry to go to the hospital. I am so scared; everyone looks so worried and my mom never cries in front of me unless it’s something really bad. Oma is never sick. She’s the healthiest person I know. She takes all kinds of vitamins, eats healthy food and exercises every day. She just can’t have anything seriously wrong.
Later, Opa called again and said Oma is going to have to stay in the hospital for a while because she has a bad case of pneumonia. I asked if that was really serious and mom said we would just have to wait and see. Jeannie is in her bedroom crying, too. I asked if I would be able to go to the hospital to see Oma and my mom said probably not, at least for a while. I just hate this! I can’t stand not knowing if she’s going to be alright and I really need to see her. I’m going to tell Opa to take her rosary to the hospital so she can begin to pray to get better. Maybe he should even take her little bottle of Lourdes water. I don’t know how to pray a novena but I do know how to pray the rosary so I am going to start tonight.
My dad got home very late from the hospital but I was still awake. I heard him talking to my mom and then I heard her crying. Oma has a very high fever and the pneumonia is in both sides of her lungs. She will be in the hospital for a long time. The emergency doctor even told my dad that she could die there. No! No! God can’t let that happen. What would we do without her? What would Opa do without her? He can’t even cook a meal. He is going to stay with us while she is in the hospital.
Mom is taking care of Opa while he is staying with us and it just breaks my heart to see how lost he looks. I can’t imagine not going to her house for grilled cheese and hot tea in her good china cup or never playing with her clothes and jewelry and fur coat. I always go to Oma whenever I want to talk about serious things on my mind and she always makes me feel better. I don’t think any of my friends have a grandmother as wonderful as mine. She has to get better. She just has to!
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About the Book
Annie’s fourth-grade religion class is learning about their patron saints to share in an oral report later on. She has always been fascinated by the lives of the saints, especially the miracles they experienced. More than anything, she would love to experience a miracle of her own since so many miracles happened to the saints when they were children. When Annie discovers that her patron saint isn’t as exciting as those of her classmates, she is disappointed and embarrassed to give her report. Learn how prayer, faith, and a little divine intervention during a frightening family crisis changed Annie’s feelings about her patron saint, Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus.
About the Author
Deanna is the author of two chapter books about historic fiction and two picture books. She is a former high school and university French teacher and lectures on French history, language, and travel. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband, three children, and eight grandchildren.