Bed Time Prayers...

Reading up on Matt Archibald at the Creative Minority Report reminded me how good it is to have some routine in life... Sure, routine can get boring or monotonous or pick another similar word to insert here... but routine brings security and peace in knowing that somethings shouldn't change...

In case you haven't noticed (I have...) I haven't posted a whole lot of what's been going on in my home life as of late... I guess because life has just been so crazy... We've been trying to finish out our school year, trying to do some house cleaning and re-organizing (yeah, right... ), trying to pre-qualify for a house, and hoping and praying that God will find us the "perfect" home, once we get the other stuff out of the way... Trying to occupy a two year old, juggle an infant, and get some semblance of school work out of the older three on top of this, it's been a bit stressful...

The economy is bad (like you haven't noticed : ] ) and since Tuesday's election, $2 billion more will be cut from education... and while my hubby isn't a teacher of children, he IS a teacher of school bus drivers, in charge of training those that pick up your children and take them to school... So, yeah, it's a little scary to think about his future job prospects, especially in light of our trying to buy a home...

I know, we aren't the only ones affected... Jobs ALL OVER are in jeopardy... I have to sit and wonder WHERE IN THE WORLD is the future of this STATE headed?... Thank God for my Faith! Because i honestly don't know HOW ELSE I could see ANY good out of any of this! It would be SO EASY to get down and depressed... Sometimes i do... But right now, I'm not... I get frustrated, but not hopeless. In my heart, I know that God is still in control here, and the best thing I can do for my self and my family, right now is to stay grounded to Him... and in return, He grants me little tid-bits of light, here and there, of where I can actually SEE His work... in me, in my family... Which brings me back to routine...

I went to put the two year old to bed the other night, after an especially trying day... Not much sleep the night before, dealing with screaming, crying kids through most of the day, lots of teasing and just general orneriness going on. It was bed time and I wanted nothing more than to just put them all to bed and have some quiet time before I fell asleep, myself. I took the 2 year old to the bathroom, had her use the potty, I cleaned her up with a wash cloth, threw a diaper on her because I didn't want to have to get up with "accidents", walked her to her room, put her in the bed, covered her up, almost zombie like, on my part, turned out the light and started to close the door.... "Mom-mom! Mom-mom!"

"What, #2?... Go to sleep! Mommy's tired!..."

"Mom-mom, mmem..."

Though she is starting to talk a lot more, it still takes some skill to translate, so I said, "uh-huh... good... go to sleep..." and started to shut her door...

"Mom-mom! mmem..."

"What are you talking about?.. Mommy's tired!" I looked at her this time and there she was sitting up, giving her best effort to do the sign of the cross, mumbling and finishing off with "mmem", translated "Amen", then folding her hands, waiting for me to say prayers with her...

oops... forgive me Father... So, tired as I was, I went to her bedside, knelt down and began "Angel of God, my guardian dear..." and she mumbled her way through every word, with a resounding "Mmmemm!" at the end, then leaning forward with lips puckered for a kiss, says, "luv-oo"... and rolled over fast asleep, probably before I was able to haul my fat, tired fanny up off the floor! lol... "I love you too, sweetie... have nice dreams..."

yeah... routines are good... And God is still in control... and He'll use the smallest among us to remind us! : ) Amen and amen!