Bedtime Snuggles...

Tonight was a very unusual night for me and the girls. The stress of "work" is now behind me for a while and I was able to relax and just enjoy the moment with them. Mike was playing tennis, so I was able to break the rules without him knowing it. I am always the one that wants to create a routine and he is the one that loves to break it. I allowed Maggie to stay up late working on her chapter book that she is writing. Molly was busy "scribbling" a song for me to try to interpret. We had one little squabble as we crawled into bed about who was going to sleep in the middle and Molly finally realized that it was okay for me to be able to snuggle with both of them and she relinquished control of the middle spot in the bed. As we laid there in the dark, the girls each took turns talking to God and I cherish those sweet prayers. Sometimes they can be silly and other times they can be so heartfelt. Afterwards Maggie asked me how do we know when we are going to die, so I took the opportunity to explain to her that God knows every little detail of our lives. He knew us before we were born and the day we were created he knew the exact moment that our lives would end. It was a rather deep conversation, but they really seem to get it.. Even though I grew up going to church every time the doors were open, they have way more of a relationship with God then I ever did at their age (or at least that I can remember). Molly has talked a lot about death lately. She will say things like, "I hope we all die at the same time" and "I don't want to play with God because he's a boy!!". They constantly seem to bring things up and it leaves the conversation wide open to fill their minds with exciting things about heaven and Jesus and God.. I am so thankful they ask questions and they want to know.. 

To delay going to sleep a little longer, Maggie asked me to tell them about Christmas when I was little. I am sad that my memories are so vague, but I do the best I can to create a picture in their mind of my childhood. I explained to them that we didn't get stuff very often unless it was a holiday and that going to sleep on Christmas Eve was so hard because I was so excited. My brother and I would get up so early to see if Santa had come yet and then we would wake up my parents and my Aunt Doris (who was with us a lot for the holidays). Then we had to sit and wait for my Grandma and Grandpa to get in their car and drive down from their house (which was next door).. They would always park right at the door because it was always cold (much colder then it is now) on Christmas and I even remember snow on most Christmas mornings. As I told them about my grandparents, Maggie sweetly interrupted and said "Like Cacki does".. In that instant, I realized how her memories are being made one holiday at a time. I am so thankful that we have both of our parents nearby and that we can share the holidays with them. We do not have to alternate or choose to stay home and not see them at all. We are so very blessed!! 

Tomorrow the girls will spend the afternoon with Cacki and they will carve a pumpkin together. A memory that will last a lifetime and that they will one day talk about with their children. We will spend Fall Break with my family and visit relatives out of town...memories that they will carry one forever. It's really not about the toys that they get, it's the time that is spent with them with undivided attention that matters. As we read Maggie's journal at school, it was sweet to read the things in life that are so exciting for her. Their childhood days are going by so fast and I want to cherish each and every moment with them.. 

Now I will quietly put Molly into her bed because she has been doing so well with sleeping through the night (I hope I don't jinx myself).. I will sleep well knowing that there is no pressure on me tomorrow to sell or proof anything else for several weeks!!