Once, a long time ago, Anna and I were sitting at the kitchen table, and the topic of rainbows somehow entered the conversation. She said, “I wish we could see a real rainbow someday.” I said, somewhat absentmindedly, “Well, maybe we will, someday.”

She suddenly got this look of shocked surprise, then a smile of delight slowly crept across her face as she said, “Rainbows are REAL?!?”

“Why, yes, honey, rainbows are real.”

(Pause.) “There are REAL rainbows?”

“Yes, there are!”

Where had she seen rainbows? In storybooks, of course—usually fantasy-themed stories about fairies and princesses and such. On kiddie paraphernalia along with balloons and hearts and teddy bears. At the face-painting stand at carnivals. But a real one? What a sweet surprise to find out that something so wonderful as a rainbow really does exist!

Ever since then, I’ve been wanting her to see one, but we never were in the right place at the right time. (It might have something to do with the fact that if it’s raining, we usually don’t go anywhere!) But tonight, the moment finally came. Ladies and gentlemen, Anna’s first rainbow:

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