Free Chasing Dream by Dandi Daley Mackall

God: I love you, Ellie. I love you, Ellie. I love you because you’re you, Ellie.
    When I do open my eyes, I realize I must have been asleep for real. Things have changed in this lean-to.
    On one side of me, Mom is lying curled up next to Dad. She’s snoring. Dad is mumbling in his sleep. They’re both tugging on the blanket they’ve brought out here.
    But that’s not all. On the other side of me is Ethan. Wrapped up in a baseball blanket, my brother is smiling in his sleep. And at my feet is Colt, all tucked inside Ethan’s sleeping bag.
    I let every one of them down, but they’re here anyway. Just like God.
    Without closing my eyes this time, I imagine myself on God’s lap. I stretch out my hand to Mom, Dad, Ethan, and Colt. God and I help them climb up too.
    That’s when I hear it. A nicker. The best sound in the whole world. A soft, rumbling sound that would be a purr if it came from a cat. Pinto Cat hears it too. She bounds from out of nowhere and leaps onto Dream’s back.
    I jump to my feet and nearly trip over Mom and Dad. I stumble to my horse. “Dream? Dream!”
    She nickers again.
    I hug her. She’s not sweaty. She’s not pawing the ground. She dips her muzzle into her trough and comes out with a mouthful of hay.
    â€œYou’re okay!” I fire up a prayer of thanks to God. I imagine hugging my heavenly Father around the neck while Dream jumps into God’s lap with the rest of us.
    â€œIs she really okay?” Colt is standing beside me. He strokes Dream’s neck. “She’s not sweaty anymore.”
    Mom and Dad and Ethan join us. We all stand around my horse. Somehow we’re managing to laugh and cry at the same time.
    When I can force myself to take my gaze from Dream, I glance around at my parents, Ethan, and Colt. They look as happy as I feel inside.
    â€œI can’t believe you guys would come out here with me—especially after the way I let you down.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?” Dad asks.
    â€œYour rhymes, Dad. I’m sorry I didn’t come through for you and get you barrel rhymes like I said I would.”
    â€œEllie, those jingles and slogans are my responsibility—not yours. Besides, it all worked out. I had to go rhyme-less. And as it happens, Harvey of Harvey’s Hardware hates rhymes. He loved my plain ol’ slogans about old-fashioned barrels.”
    I look to Mom, and she’s grinning at me. “Well, I admit I could have used you at the cat farm. It’s been a crazy week. But what’s that got to do with the price of tulips in Greenland? We’re here with you in this backyard of ours because we’re family, Ellie.” She elbows Colt. “And that goes for Colt here too.”
    Suddenly I burst into a laugh so hard Dream looks worried about me .
    â€œWhat?” Colt asks. “What’s so funny?”
    I shake my head. “You guys.”
    What’s so funny about us? Ethan signs.
    â€œNothing at all,” I answer. “I was just wondering what Larissa will say when she hears about this.”
    â€œHears about what?” Colt asks.
    â€œThat Ellie James doesn’t just have a backyard horse.” I glance around at these people who have stuck it out with me through the worst day of my life.
    â€œI have a backyard family.”

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.
    1 John 4:16

Horse Talk!
    Bay —A reddish-brown color for a horse. A bay horse usually has a black mane and tail.
    Blaze —A facial marking on a horse (usually a wide, jagged white stripe).
    Canter —A horse’s slow gallop; a more controlled three-beat gait.
    Cutting horse —A horse (usually a quarter horse) bred to separate cows from a herd. Some cutting horses also cut around barrels in barrel racing or compete in Western horse show classes and events.
    English —A style of horseback riding that is often considered