Moments

Mommy and Me Time...

One of my favorite mommy and me moments has always been tucking my kids into bed. I don't get to do this too often anymore, mostly because I often go to bed earlier than my kids. Yes, hard to believe this is possible! Because bedtime was always a sweet time, I grab any opportunity to tuck one of my big kids into bed and pray over them. Most recently I had one of these moments with my daughter who had gotten up at 4 AM to drive from NC to visit. She dropped into bed exhausted, and I enjoyed getting her all tucked in as though she was still my sweet baby girl.

I wonder if one of the reasons I enjoyed bedtime so much was because there was a sense of victory in knowing that I had made it through another day as a mom - still sane and with my kids still in one piece! You moms know this is not something to take for granted. I sometimes had a child who awakened with the birds at 5:30 in the morning, which makes for a very long day! Getting through an entire morning, and then the entire afternoon, and then the whole dinner hour chaos leading into bath time....well, no wonder there was a feeling of sweet triumph at bedtime!

The most significant reason for enjoying bedtime still brings me the warm fuzzies and makes me think I could do all those years over again. It was the way my children's souls seemed to open and spill out the sweetest prayers to God and expressions of love to me or their dad. Children are so tender and insightful and mine always seemed to be uttering some nugget of wisdom that brought me back to what was really important in life. It's humbling to admit how wrong my perspective could be...I accomplished nothing today! These kids are driving me crazy! If people knew that I did nothing today except chase after this toddler... Then my sweet child would tell me she loved me "this much", spreading her arms out as wide as they could go, and I would once again see clearly and know I was doing exactly what God wanted me to do and He was pleased with all of my feeble efforts.

In my reminiscing, I do recall some trying moments with children who didn't want to go to sleep. I think each parent could write a book on the many strategies devised to get that little one to close those eyes and drift off to sleep....but I'd rather remember the moments when after story, prayers, hugs and kisses, sleep came quickly! Jack and I both enjoyed going back in the room later to check on the little sleeping cherubs and make sure they were covered or that the mosquito net was tucked in completely.

When Peter was a baby, I read a quote in George MacDonald's book, The Seaboard Parish, that expressed so well the relief I felt when my little ones were safely tucked into bed. "What a wonderful satisfaction it may give to a father or mother to see this or that child sleep! When parents see their children asleep (especially if they have been suffering in some way), they breathe more freely. A load is lifted off their minds; their responsibility seems over; the children have gone back to their Father, and He alone is looking after them for awhile."

I think I'll get up right now and make sure our only child left at home is sleeping soundly!! Then I will lay my head on my pillow, knowing as I drift off to sleep that I'm God's daughter and He is taking care for all who are precious to me.

Joy Herman