Bedtime Memories

Bedtime is always filled with its own beauty and madness at the same time. Boys in soft jammies, snuggling blankets, wanting to read books together. Buuuuut, also little boys who protest at going to bed, and "why do we have to brush our teeth EVERY DAY????", and just when you're so exhausted yourself that you feel like your eyes won't stay open - someone has a pressing (in six year old terms) question that mustbeansweredimmediately.

Gotta love it.

And I feel like each week gives its own little memories to hold, but here are a few from this week for me to remember a glimpse into the Bushel at this point in time:

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Rocking with Matthias in his chair tonight, I say "Thank you Jesus for today" and he repeats "Thank you Jesus" in his little voice. And then "Thank you Daddy", which can be interpreted to mean Thank you Jesus for Daddy. Which I say for him. So he can continue on to "Thank you Mommy" and I repeat "Thank you Jesus for Mommy" and he goes on: "Thank you Jonah" and down on the list of everyone in our house, and every single family member he has encountered today, plus the babysitters he had at the gym. Completely out of his own little memory. And then he suddenly grins from ear to ear, reaches up, pats the top of my head, and giggles "Duck Duck GOOSE!!!!"

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A night or two ago, Eli was laying by Reuben in his bed, praying and singing while I hung on the ladder to say goodnight to Jonah. I climbed down and start to walk out the door, and hear Eli's chuckle. He had been talking to Reuben about his little life, and how the week had been while we had been gone on our retreat, and asking him questions about things, and suddenly Reuben pipes up: "WHAT IF YOU HAD AN ANT ON YOUR HEAD AND YOU TRIED TO CUT IF OFF! WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THEN TO YOUR HEAD???" And yes, I type it in caps because that's how Reuben TALKS. You can't miss it = ) Sometimes he seems super tuned in ... and other times? Well, who knows exactly what's going on in his mind!

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Jonah's wise thoughts tonight as he goes to bed his last night as a six year old: "Mommy, turning older is a strange thing. Because last year when I went to bed my last night as a five year old, I thought that I would wake up feeling and being older, but I kind of felt the same. I wasn't any bigger! And so, when I wake up tomorrow, I will still be the same Jonah. But, I will have this wonderful warm feeling in my heart, because I know that I really am turning seven. But I might look the same ..." But I am so glad this almost-seven-year-old still wants Mommy's hugs and kisses each night as if I won't be there the next night. I cherish his tender heart.

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All that to say that, once again, I look around me, and my heart is full. Full of the relationships - family and friends - that I am so so blessed to be surrounded by. My Bushel.