At the end of a long, hard day (i.e. packing, "fighting" with Ryan for six hours to get him to write one page in his summer journal, packing some more), all I want to do is crawl into my cozy bed (it was cold and wet here today), curl up with my book and escape to Blossom Street (Debbie Macomber). Just the thought is so tantalizing...but then I hear something. Could it be? Yes it is. Two little voices (one not so little anymore) saying "I want my Mommy!" You see, we have our bedtime rituals that we have to go through each night.
First, I head to Emma's room. We curl up in her new twin-size bed with her "Bedtime Treasury" book. Tonight, she picked the story of the chicken with three very lazy friends who couldn't be convinced to help make the bread but were very ready to help eat the bread. They, as it should be, ended up watching the chicken and her little chicks eat the bread as they had none. After the story, the thumb goes in the mouth. Emma has learned that the story stops if the thumb is in her mouth. Once the thumb is properly inserted, we sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." Then, she gets to pick a meeting song. With Emma, it's always either #1 or #2. Tonight, she picked "More About Jesus." Our last song is always the books of the New Testament. Sometimes, her little soft hand covers my mouth as she informs me that she wants to sing it "all my myself." Finally, we read a short story in her Bible and pray. She's added a new part to her bedtime routine. After I pray with her, she gets on her knees at the side of her bed and informs me that she's going to pray to "God, who is Lord." She then proceeds to tell God a story about one of her favorite Princesses, ending with "we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen." Then, it's back into her bed and time to tuck her in. We exchange the normal hugs and kisses, then there's a few butterfly kisses, an eskimo kiss, an "ooh, ooh" hug (courtesy of Nana), and lastly one more normal kiss. Finally, an "I love you" and a "good night" and the lights are out.
Then, I head next door. Ryan (usually) has been laying in his bed looking at a book. I read a chapter to him from whatever book he's reading. He's part way through "My Side of the Mountain," so we read a chapter in that tonight. We talk a little about his day. Then, we sing a song. Lately, he's been picking his favorite song, #29, "God's Word is So Pure." Then, I listen as he prays. A quick kiss and hug, an "I Love You" and lights off.
How could I pass that up? How could I choose a fictional story over the one that's my reality? I love these moments with the kids. I know that they won't last forever. Ryan's bedtime ritual is already shorter...pretty soon, I might not even get the quick hug and kiss. So, I've gotta treasure them while I can.
It makes me remember the first book that Mom bought me when I was pregnant with Ryan, "I'll Love You Forever." The last pages where the elderly Mom sneaks into her grown son's room to hold his as he sleeps tears me up. Then, when the son sneaks into his Mom's room and rocks her...then goes home to his own child and starts the ritual with his child...so sweet. I love the line "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." How can we not treasure these days?
So, tomorrow, after I've spent most the day packing and arranging our move, I'll look forward to those last minutes of the day with the kids...to know that the last moments of their day were spent thinking of God, family and hearing that they were loved.
