Close to You

Picture this, I know it happens in many households, & many different ways. But, never the less it amazes me. 5 more minutes boys, time for bed. Now before we say this, we better make sure we allowed time for the snack. I mean, hey that would be child cruelty if we ever put our kids to bed with out a snack. Now before those comments role in, believe me, it has happened before. But, in the eyes of our kids bedtime with out snack time is being mean. Well, believe me, we have been what they call mean then. (ha-ha) OK, now it is time for the actual going to bed, after certain routine things are done of course. Now of course the tape player is put on for them to listen to stories or music. The lights are turned off, all the kisses & hugs & more kisses & hugs are done, they lay down. We seem to get in the living room, then it is like we hit a magic place in this room, Mommy can I give you another hug? Daddy can I give you another kiss? Sure c'mon. We teach our kids that we always have time for a hug & kiss. But, then at night we have to set limits. OK, now this is the last one.... Then we hear from our 2 year old, I love you deep inside my heart. So of course we respond to that. Which it turn, turns into the show I love dearly...The Walton good night routine. It is funny, when it starts, we surprise them by saying, good night Jon boy, & they all are quiet, like what are they talking about? Now, please go to sleep. They actually do, but during the night we get some surprises. One night we heard noises in our kitchen. It was our 2 year old who climbed on the kitchen counter, to get the ball that was taken from him that day because he threw it in the house. Yep, he had it all planned out. I will get it back when they sleep. Then another night, I went to get up & go potty, & our 4 year old was on the floor next to our bed. So I picked him up & put him back into bed. I went potty, & when I got back into bed, to my surprise, he was in our bed this time. You talk about, having to think about what I did. I thought, didn't I just put you to bed. Yes, Mommy, but I need you. I need your hugs. So we cuddled for awhile, then he went back to bed. Our 5 year old, actually stays in his bed every night. But, secretly, I wish he would wake up too, only so he would know the special love that is their even at night. Oh, he gets it during the day, but I remember from childhood, to know Mommy & Daddy are there at night too, is a special feeling. Our nights are filled with never knowing who will be in or by our beds. Since my eyes do not focus, during the night, I have learned to go by the shape of their heads. I can then tell who is needing our love. I can look at it 2 ways, the first in a negative, oh, man, I need sleep, please stay in your own beds, You are big boys, now go to bed... But, my choice is to always remember they are only young once. Oh, yes My husband & I have our times together. Our marriage is a strong one, & for that I am so thankful. We learned the whens. The challenges of keeping us going. I can't help thinking, whenever we carry our little ones to bed, sometimes 3 times a night. Dear God, thank you so much, they are alive. They are alive, & for that, we cherish every moment.


	From My Heart \| home Our thinking versus God's reality \| An Over Due Thank You \| Close to You \| A Long Journey \| Erasing Boo-Boos \| Treasured Moments \| Our Sons Made Us a Meal \| They Made the Cake & Ate it Too \| Who Did This \| Vacation in History \| One of Life's Storms \| My Road to No More Fear \| Garden In My Heart \| You Are Not Alone \| More coming Close to You by Cheryl Hansen Picture this, I know it happens in many households, & many different ways. But, never the less it amazes me. 5 more minutes boys, time for bed. Now before we say this, we better make sure we allowed time for the snack. I mean, hey that would be child cruelty if we ever put our kids to bed with out a snack. Now before those comments role in, believe me, it has happened before. But, in the eyes of our kids bedtime with out snack time is being mean. Well, believe me, we have been what they call mean then. (ha-ha) OK, now it is time for the actual going to bed, after certain routine things are done of course. Now of course the tape player is put on for them to listen to stories or music. The lights are turned off, all the kisses & hugs & more kisses & hugs are done, they lay down. We seem to get in the living room, then it is like we hit a magic place in this room, Mommy can I give you another hug? Daddy can I give you another kiss? Sure c'mon. We teach our kids that we always have time for a hug & kiss. But, then at night we have to set limits. OK, now this is the last one.... Then we hear from our 2 year old, I love you deep inside my heart. So of course we respond to that. Which it turn, turns into the show I love dearly...The Walton good night routine. It is funny, when it starts, we surprise them by saying, good night Jon boy, & they all are quiet, like what are they talking about? Now, please go to sleep. They actually do, but during the night we get some surprises. One night we heard noises in our kitchen. It was our 2 year old who climbed on the kitchen counter, to get the ball that was taken from him that day because he threw it in the house. Yep, he had it all planned out. I will get it back when they sleep. Then another night, I went to get up & go potty, & our 4 year old was on the floor next to our bed. So I picked him up & put him back into bed. I went potty, & when I got back into bed, to my surprise, he was in our bed this time. You talk about, having to think about what I did. I thought, didn't I just put you to bed. Yes, Mommy, but I need you. I need your hugs. So we cuddled for awhile, then he went back to bed. Our 5 year old, actually stays in his bed every night. But, secretly, I wish he would wake up too, only so he would know the special love that is their even at night. Oh, he gets it during the day, but I remember from childhood, to know Mommy & Daddy are there at night too, is a special feeling. Our nights are filled with never knowing who will be in or by our beds. Since my eyes do not focus, during the night, I have learned to go by the shape of their heads. I can then tell who is needing our love. I can look at it 2 ways, the first in a negative, oh, man, I need sleep, please stay in your own beds, You are big boys, now go to bed... But, my choice is to always remember they are only young once. Oh, yes My husband & I have our times together. Our marriage is a strong one, & for that I am so thankful. We learned the whens. The challenges of keeping us going. I can't help thinking, whenever we carry our little ones to bed, sometimes 3 times a night. Dear God, thank you so much, they are alive. They are alive, & for that, we cherish every moment.