Bedtime Brute

I know, I know no parent is perfect, we all have have our flaws, but what I'm about to confess to you all puts me up there with pageant moms. I hate bedtime. In every family movie that's ever been filmed, there's a token shot of two serene and smiling actors sitting at the foot of their child's bed reading them a bedtime story. The child usually slowly closes their eyes, and the mom and dad look at each other and nod at one another knowingly. The bedroom is tidy and well decorated, both parents are wearing robes over their color-coordinated pajamas, and basically everyone is happy.

When I first had Lorelei, my beloved first born, I envisioned that our nights would be like those nights. I don't really remember my parents "tucking me in" much, but I was going to be different, I was going to set up a nightly routine, that involved lavender scented bubble baths, reviewing memory verses, reading literary classics, and I'd close it all out with prayer. All of these seemed like good things, fun things, the right things a "good" parent would do.

8 and a half years have passed since that first child of mine came in to the world, and during those 8 and a half years, I've acquired 3 more children, 5 English classes to teach, and a much larger grocery bill. By the time dinner is done, homework is done, the dishes are cleaned, all I can think about is sitting very, very still in front of the warming light of a television set. The thought of reading a book, or tucking someone in sounds like it requires so much energy. I can't fathom it.

Fortunately, my dear, patient, loving husband usually does this job. But he's taken up running. In fact he's running right now, and my kids are shuffling around in the hallway, calling to me,

"Mom, I'm cold," (It was 75 degrees today).

"Mom, I'm thirsty," (Cups of water sat on the table all day long, untouched).

"Mom, the tag on my pajamas is itching me," (not making that up, folks she just said it).

"Mom, can you read me a story..... no can you make up a story for me?" (Um, no, please don't make me).

And so I told them to just go to bed, don't get up, don't go back to start, just go to bed.

And now I'm hiding in my room behind a computer screen, hoping.... praying, that they all do just that.... go to bed.

But I Don't Listen to the Lyrics

Yesterday I was running a quick errand in the morning and only Morgan was in the car with me. The other girls were already at school. I flipped on the radio and the classic rock tune, The Joker, by Steve Miller came on. I was distracted as always, and I'm not even sure if I was humming or singing along, but suddenly, Morgan interrupted.

"Mom, do you like this song?"

"Um yeah, I guess."

"But Mom, he said, 'I'm a sinner.'"

"Oh... huh, well technically he's right, we're all sinners. But he probably shouldn't say it so glibly, it's something to be taken seriously."

Note to self: The kids are listening to the lyrics, even the four year old.

Oh Happy Day!

Dan asked me what I wanted for our special anniversary this year. If he had asked me 15 years ago, what do you think you'll want to do when we have a big anniversary, I would have thought of sparkly jewelry or sunny vacations in tropical places. I would never have guessed that all I would ask for is a trip to Disneyland for a family of six, which by the way is practically the equivalent of asking for a new diamond ring. I knew that my fiscally wise and frugal husband was struggling with the idea of visiting the happiest place on earth, now that are kids are all charged full price and the cost of tickets has gone up, up, up! But I also knew that our kids ages:4, 6, & 8 were the perfect ages for such an event. And so all I asked for for the big 1-5 was that we play hooky for a day, and venture out to Disneyland! We surprised the kids on Friday, woke them up as if they were going to school, then told them Auntie Bethie had wanted them to open something. Groggily they opened up four mickey mouse bags, each with a $10 gift card to Disneyland (Auntie had thought they'd all want a souveneir). They looked at the cards hesitantly, and then we asked.... hey would you like to skip school today and go to Disneyland?!

Surprise! They said yes!

It was a pretty great day, we hit the park at 11am and left 9 hours later, the weather was about 77 degrees out, and the crowds were manageable! Morgan was just exactly tall enough to go on every ride with us, so that was a blast. I only had one cranky moment standing in line.... those lines can really test a person's christianity let me tell you. All in all though, it was a success. And we'd like to thank the Christmas money contributors; Grandma Luci, our friends the Pattees, and of course Auntie Beth for the gift cards for helping us to make it happen. (& thank you to my kind and gracious hair stylist who cut my hair and didn't charge me full price the night before because she said I was going to go broke after a day in Disneyland with four kids.)

This has been a very busy school year, and for me a day off of grading papers, cleaning kitchens, picking up kids from school, and worrying over impossible to do lists was just what I needed to celebrate this year.

So thanks Dan, for going to a place that's probably not your happiest place on earth, just so you could make your 5 girls happy! We love you!