My Favorite Time of Day

Do you have a  favorite time of day? I'll share a few of mine...

6:30am

 The house is quiet, and I am the only one awake. This is my time to read scriptures, pray, think, and try to plan my day. I love sitting in my quiet house, listening to the faint but joyous sounds of sleeping kids, the start of the shower indicating Rich is up, and the cats scratching at the back door, asking to come in. Soon the sounds change---and sleepy faces then appear in the kitchen, needing hair combed, breakfast made, shoes found, and eventually, a ride to school. But for that one half-hour, I bask in the silence of the house that is all mine. 

12:17pm, approximately:

An exuberant, red-cheeked six year old bounds through the front door, full of stories and questions from his 3 hours of kindergarten. Mom, what do Polar Bears eat? and Why is the E silent in some words? pour from his mouth. I love hearing about Naomi's birthday and the fruit snacks she brought to share, and how his new friend Ethan and him have made plans to become police officers together someday. I love to see his excitement on library day (Tuesday), when he gets to choose a new book to bring home and he reminds me how to correctly turn the pages and treat the book carefully, just as the librarian instructed him. I love how he can't sit still when he eats his tuna sandwich (a favorite of his) but always leaves the crust. I love to be around his happy, excited little self, and secretly hope some of that exuberance will rub off on me. Maybe I need to learn some more about Polar Bears...

2:30pm

Ben and Cass come through the door, full of details about their day: Science and math tests, friends who were kind and those who were not, a new seating arrangement in the classroom, a cold slimy lunch in the cafeteria, and somebody's (no names mentioned, to protect the innocent) 3-pointers made during recess. Of course, this time also includes some squabbling, some friendly and not-so-friendly jabbing and tattling, but soon they are off again, playing with friends, and so I cherish those moments when they share their day with me.

8:00pm

I'm in a rocking chair, snuggling with a 2 year old who is clutching a beloved blanket with one hand and sucking his thumb with the other. I have drawn the line at reading two books, but as usual, he has talked me into reading many, many more. We  read about  a certain Sam-I-Am, about Pigs and Pancakes and Wockets in Pockets. We say Goodnight,Moon and and listen to Mr. Brown Moo (Can you?). Then we go through the ritual----kneeling beside his new car bed to pray, tucking him in with Mouse and George (stuffed animals), kissing Mouse and George (and Sam), laying the blanket just so, and then playing the turn off/turn on light game for a few minutes. He always asks for a drink, and I always tell him I'll get him milk in the morning. I open and close his door a few times, as he calls "mom!" and has to tell me one more thing. And then finally, he is quiet. I wonder if he ever knows I sneak in to check on him several hours later to make sure he is covered up? I wonder what age my children will be before I will stop checking on all of them before I go to sleep myself? 

9:30pm, give or take

Rich and I are sitting on our perspective couches, he with his laptop or ipad, me with my laptop or Kindle. Faintly the TV is heard in the background, though we are not watching anything. This is a favorite time of mine, when I pour out the days menial events to a thoughtful, concerned husband who listens patiently as I complain, explain and expound on the joys and frustrations of stay-at-home-mom-ness. We talk in-depth about the kids, local events, and usually we even get around to politics. I hear about his favorite (not) client who drives him batty, he hears about the great deals I picked up at Target (and seems genuinely interested). We talk about schedules, more about the kids, worry about finances, and look forward to our next date. All too soon we've stayed up later than we should but as we trudge off to bed we are decidedly content that we have each other to share it all with.

And then all too soon that blasted alarm clock is screaming for my attention. Definitely NOT a favorite time of day.......