Several years ago, our “Mommy and Me” time began. My next-door neighbor and _________ of four, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of about age 6 _________ their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children _________ alone,” said Christie.

Then we _________ a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I'll _________ her other three. And when she takes care of two of mine, I'll take _________ out.

The children were very quick to _________ the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie's daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of _________ . McKenzie was smiling _________ Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She's like a __________ child when there's no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn't have to make an effort to gain __________ . Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also __________ something different in each of my children during our __________ times. For example, I am always __________ when my daughter, who is __________ close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering (口吃的) son, Tom, doesn't stutter once during our __________ since he doesn't have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who's always a __________ when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.

The “Mommy and Me” time __________ us to be simply alone and away with each child - talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest __________ . Every child __________ to be an only child at least once in a while.

Janice just returned from her mother’s. She almost drove on automatic pilot: a left onto Station Road, then a left… for she knew the _______ quite well. Then wham! A truck pushed her forward 100 feet onto railroad tracks. While hearing the _______ sound of metal on metal, Peter, then 65, was ready for bed. As a volunteer firefighter, without _______ Peter grabbed a flashlight and ran out.

The first he _______, near his yard, was the truck hitting Janice. Once Peter _______ the driver was OK, he looked around, and _______ Janice’s car. Just then he heard the urgent bell sound: the _______ of an oncoming train! Peter _______ to Janice and knocked at the window. She looked at him, with eyes _______. “I don’t know where I am,” she said.

“We have to get you off right now!” Peter shouted and pulled the handle ________, but the door was jammed. The train, traveling at 65 miles per hour, was ________. He ran to the passenger side and threw open the door. Peter somehow ________ to pull her out and sped her to ________ a few feet away. Within six seconds, the train ________ into Janice’s car!

“It was like a Hollywood movie,” the reporter from CBS New York said. “But there’s one ________. The hero arrived in pajamas (睡衣), not in a fire truck.”

Once again, I was in a new school. So was a girl in my class named Paris. That’s where the________ended.

I was tall and she was small. I was one of the oldest in the class________she was the youngest. I was awkward(笨拙的)and shy. She wasn’t. I couldn’t stand her, considering her my________. But she wanted to be friends.

One day, she invited me over and I said yes — I was too shocked to say no.________ no one had invited me over to play before. But this girl, who wore the latest________, wanted to see me.

When we got to the________she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Barbies - which was my next________I would have thought she’d outgrown(长大而放弃) them. I had never played with them. But we sat on the floor, laughing as we made up________stories about the Barbies. That’s when we found out that we both wanted to be________when we were older. We both had wild imaginations.

We had a great day that afternoon. Our jaws(下巴)ached from________so much.

Paris had the whole________charmed(使入迷). The bookstore owners lent her fashion________, the movie theater gave her free passes and the pizza place let her have free pieces. Soon I was________in her magic world. My dark hair grew out and I learned to love being tall.

Paris, my first real friend since childhood, helped me________the tough teenage years and taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: your“________ enemy” can turn out to be your best friend.