Can you guess what one of my favorite times of the day is?

BEDTIME!!

And I’m guessing here that it just may be one of your favorite times too…because like me, you probably just crammed so many dang things into your already jam packed, race around, “not another RED LIGHT/PHONE CALL/BILL TO PAY“ day, that once that sun sets, and the last smidgen of your strength is gobbled up by the ever remaining dinner dishes, last minute emails, letting out the dog, and making the coffee for the next morning (because I am a BEAR if my AM coffee is not immediately available at my 5:30 wake up call), your bed, like mine, is looking pretty darn nice!

But I’m getting ahead of myself, because there is another part of the evening that I simply adore – tucking my boys into bed.  And not because of the quiet that finally settles into our otherwise rambunctious home (although that is nice too)…

Rather, it’s the calm, warm, one on one snuggle time I take with each of my boys (almost every evening) to read a story, talk about the events of the day, say prayers, and kiss/hug them goodnight.  I never tire of hearing their sleepy ‘I love you Mommys.’  And I love that all of us count on that special time with each other every day.

Sometimes we practice reading.  Sometimes we talk about a dramatic elementary school issue that caused them pain or joy during the day, or share dreams for the future, or make plans for the weekend.  Sometimes I read classic children’s books or Bible stories out loud to them while they cozy on up to me along with their various blankets and stuffed animal friends.  Sometimes we just giggle and act silly.   And then we click off the light and say prayers to thank God for our blessings.  And then I sing.

I’ve been singing to my boys almost every night since they were born.  Comes from having musicians for parents no doubt.  My mother sang to me all the time growing up – and you can still catch her humming or singing a tune at all sorts of random times during the day.  My mother’s voice is one of the most meaningful things to me and even though I don’t have the professional, soprano, vocal technique she did, I can carry a tune.

And you know what?  Even if I couldn’t, I’d still sing.  Because I really believe your voice is one of the things children always remember about us – even after we’re gone…(but goodness lets NOT go there)!

I’ve got a whole repertoire of songs from nursery rhymes, to lullabies, to seasonal favorites and hymns.  But my kids seem to especially like the same two songs and like Pavlov’s dogs, once they hear them, their sleepy little eyes droop shut most nights and off to Neverland they go.

Do I, after 8 years of singing almost every night, get sick of singing?  Sick of the same songs?  Yes.  Yes I do.  But I try and remember they’re not for as much for me, as for them.  The familiar songs finish off my growing boys day in a secure, happy, cozy way that lulls them into dreams and refreshes them for another day of go go go boy stuff.

And I’ve found it relaxes me too!

And many days, when the going gets tough, I think about our bedtime ritual, and suddenly I can see the light at the end of day’s long tunnel.  And I smile, because we Mom’s (and Dads :o))! all know this time won’t last forever, but I bet the memory of this time will…

For all of us.

Thanks for spending a little of your time with me today – I hope you come back soon!

Sweet dreams!