Pillow Talk

Every night, after we read a story and pray, Jer and I take turns tucking in each of the boys.

And every night Ben tries to make long the time that the door is open and that his momma and daddy are still in the room.

Lately, his stalling tactic of choice is to ask me to give him good-night kisses all over his tiny little two year old body.

I have kissed knees, elbows, belly buttons, eyes, eye lids, ears, toes and fingers All kisses of good-night. And all to a chorus of giggles. He points and I, smiling to myself in the darkness, willingly oblige.

Tonight was no different. Tonight was just as sweet as any other. Same sweet voice, same sweet giggle but the conversation is not one I ever hope to forget because it is just so...Benny.

I warn you; there is no great punch-line. No crazy picture. Just a few sweet words from a sweet little boy. My boy. Who will all-to-soon lose the last remaining bit of his baby-ness and know all the right ways to say things.

{Me: Entwined in a wrap of little arms, kissing the face of my boy.}

"Good night, Benny. Momma loves you!"

{Ben: Full-on OPERATION STALL, pointing away }

"Eye-sh! {kiss left eye}
Eye-sh {kiss right eye}
No-sh! {kiss nose}
Mou-sh! {kiss mouth}
Face-sh! {laugh and kiss left cheek}
Other face-sh! {dissolve on the spot, kiss right cheek and bite lip to keep from going into the ugly cry.}"

People may tell you that the words "I love you" are the greatest words you'll ever hear from your children.

And I wouldn't disagree.

But what they don't tell you is that everything else that they say, well, it runs a pretty close second.

Bring On the Rain

With flash flooding, thunder, lightening, hail and wind raging outside our living room window this evening, this is how The Deuce choose to spend most of their night. And even though our unending quest these last few weeks has been teaching them to "sit" and not "climb" on the couch, tonight was undeniably an exception to the rule.

In my opinion, one of the most endearing aspects about small children is their perspective. They view the world, life, and all that it holds, with such wonder. Be it a pebble on the back porch or the garbage truck making it's way down the street, it all equally captures their attention and fills them with amazement.

Too often I am guilty of hurrying their curiosity though. Too impatient to stop. Too busy to watch. Too task oriented to appreciate. And it's not until the moment passes by that I realize that it's even happened.

That is why I am so grateful for a patient God who is gracious to provide a renewed perspective. He uses moments like tonight, where you can't help but stop and be drawn in by the fascination that your children have towards His magnificent creation. Where you're reminded that no matter how numerous the chores or how much of a handful those little ones might have been that day, we should still stop. Stop and enjoy our children and joy that they take in learning about our Creator's world that we so often take for granted.

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all." 1 Chronicles 29:11