While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland. I had one of those life-changing experiences. This one ______ a mere two feet away from me.

Looking for my friend among the ______, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to ______ his wife.

First he ______ his bags and ______ his wife to give her a long hug I ever remember seeing. He stared into her eyes for several ______, saying. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, smiling big smiles at one another, while holding both ______.

I asked him how long they had been ______ and when he left. He ______ that they had been married for twelve years and he just left two days ago. I was ______. By their greeting, I had thought he’d been gone for at least several weeks. I know my ______ gave me away.

“I ______ my marriage is still that new after twelve years!” I ______ to myself. Hearing my words, he looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that was burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a ______ person. He told me. “Don’ hope friend, ______!”

My car slid easily into the school lane. I turned around and glanced at the backseat as my ten-year-old daughter _______. My daughter’s words started to spill. “Momma, Jenny _______ all the girls in the class to attend her birthday party except Heather and me. I _______ I was her friend too.” The air was filled with her _______

As tears ran down my little girl’s face, I felt _______. As an introvert (内向的人), I often breathe a sigh of _______ when I am not invited to a large social gathering. I prefer _______ with a few friends who get me. _______, I don’t extend my preferences to my daughter’s social life. Since the age of four, rather than _______ just a few, I’ve invited all of her classmates to her birthday parties, because I am ________ to the need for young girls and boys to feel ________ .

I understand that at some point all of us are excluded from something and that this is a ________ children will eventually learn. But why does it have to happen when they are so ________?

As soon as we got home, I hugged my still upset daughter and wiped away her tears. As I ________ her, I thought of her own approaching birthday party. The invitation would go out to ________ of her classmates.

Grandpa David lives in the same house he has lived in for over 60 years; he_______the company of his dog, Friday. The dog was a regular_______in his home and yard. During the time when Grandpa had Friday, he started having dementia (痴呆). My family came to visit him every day, working together to keep him living independently and_______.Three years ago, Friday_______. We thought of ways to let Grandpa know Friday was gone. We even had a burial service for Friday in the back yard with him. But on the_______visits, he still asked about Friday. And even he_______that the neighbors must have taken his dog somehow. Grandpa missed Friday so much, so we decided to do something for him. Months ago, Aunt Erin got a brilliant idea to handle Grandpa’s problem. She purchased a robotic dog for him. The dog has soft fur and can move around and bark. To our surprise, Grandpa quickly_______the dog as his new Friday. His dementia has led to his_______on his new “dog” very much. And he believes he is an animal_______a robot.

Grandpa takes good care of the dog. He always shares his________food with Friday, which happens to be eaten by the________cat at night. And throughout the day and often late at night, Friday is placed gently in the grass so he can do his own________. Life with Friday has been good for Grandpa though he still deals with________of dementia. Actually having the “dog” helps him________his attention and be happy. Our family is grateful that a robotic dog has brought Grandpa companionship and________.