So tonight I was afraid it was heating up to be one of those nights. We had actually had a great day up until this point, spending time at the local Children's Museum (which is much improved, by the way, compared to a few years ago) and then hanging out with my mom and stepfather. The kids spent the day laughing and playing well together.
But, if you're a parent, you probably know how things go when it's time to wind down and get ready for bed. The kids somehow find this last burst of energy and begin running around like crazy people trying to delay their fate of the inevitable bedtime that looms ahead.
I managed to corral them both and give them a 2 minute scrub down in the bath before I jumped in the shower. They were given instructions to get dressed for bed and brush their teeth and this was to be completed before I got out of the shower. Knowing they would delay as much as possible, I lingered in the shower for quite some time (it was all for their benefit of course). And then, after a few minutes into my shower I heard one of their bedroom doors close. It wasn't a slamming of a door so I wasn't concerned that they were mad at each other over which color underwear one of them chose to wear or anything like that. But instead it was the gentle closing of the door that made me think they were hiding something from me behind those closed doors. What kind of trouble were they up to this time?
I got out of the shower and took my time getting ready, hoping they would decide to shut down whatever devious antic they were up to before I was able to discover it myself. I leaned in to the closed door to listen to their whispers. To my surprise, from what I could make out, it sounded rather innocent.
But, I've been dooped by that trick before. You know the one. Everything is exceptionally quiet so you ignorantly believe it's A OK only to find out they are crafting up some evil plan to destroy the world, or at least to hide your car keys so they don't have to go to the grocery store as planned in the morning. So I faced a delimema...open the door and risk interrupting a rare moment of peaceful play between the two. Or, bust through that door and take them down along with their plan to wreak havoc on me and my world.
I chose a plan somewhere in the middle. And when I ever so slightly cracked open the door and peaked my head inside, this is what I saw...
Now isn't that the sweetest thing ever? Both kids with pj's on. Big sister reading a book to little sister. Just hanging out in the toddler bed. Now that makes my heart happy. And it reminds me that these kids of mine are such sweet blessings from our gracious and loving God.
Tomorrow, they might be locked in their rooms for the night. But tonight, we cuddled and savored the moment.
