My niece, Kesinee Wiltrout, turns 15 today. Those of you who attended LauraPalooza may remember her as my right-hand assistant, dorm roommate, and crafting activities guru. Kesinee also helped to model and display several heirloom fabric items during the craft sessions on Friday morning.
Kesinee has been my companion in Laura adventures for several years, since she was first old enough to understand the first stories. When she lived near LaCrosse, Wis., I could scoop her up for a few days to play with me, and we stopped at the Pepin site several times, as it was on the way from her house to mine.
In the summer of 2009, I took her with me to De Smet for the planning meeting that led to LauraPalooza. We stopped at Walnut Grove, camped in a covered wagon on the Ingalls Homestead, and generally had a great time. The only hitch in our get-along? A fear of prairie animals that my father, her “Papa,” had accidentally instilled in his warning to us about camping on the prairie.
My husband provided us with a baseball bat.
Kesinee never had to use it. In fact, she slept through the major thunderstorm event we had on our night on the Ingalls Homestead. Additionally, Kesinee took notes at our meetings, made suggestions about young people activities, and helped to coordinate the crafting activities that later did take place at LP.
So as Kesinee turns 15 today, I reflect on her willingness to jump in and help, share my interest, and be my Laura companion. I can’t help but be proud of her gumption. And even though she won’t be traveling 12 miles one way in a sleigh to a lonely schoolhouse next winter, I have no doubt she could handle the task if she needed to.
Happy Birthday, Kes!