A New Day...

I love waking the kids up in the morning. They are warm and soft and sleepy. They are slow and sweet and pliable. Sometimes I lay down with them just to savor the moment. I squeeze them and smell them. We talk in quiet voices.

It is a new day, and I can imagine that today, I will be the perfect mother to them. I won't lose my patience, I won't be short with them, I will pay attention to everything they have to tell me. What is important to them will be important to me. I will take the time to tell them how much I love them. It will be a day of happiness and peace.

Today, they will be the perfect children I know they can be. Only kind words will be spoken. There will be no arguing, no tattle-taleing. There will be no touching of each others' things without permission. There will be no spilling of drinks. They will love and appreciate each other. This will be a wonderful day.

That is why I love waking them up every day. No matter what happened the day before, there is the hope of a new day, one in which we can do better.

Hannah falls asleep with her glasses on.

Max kisses us goodnight every night.
Charlotte writes in her journal at night before she goes to bed.
Henry sleeps with stuffed animals, and he will only go to bed if Charlotte is in her room.