One of the truly most delicious things about parenthood, grandparenthood, and having so many kids in our lives is that moment each night just before I go to bed when I make the rounds of the bedrooms where they sleep. I navigate the floor legos and the blocks and the clothes and damp towels, the digital devices and the stuffed animals, and sometimes real ones. I approach their beds and tuck in their covers over their feet large and small that spill out. I kiss their heads, what I can see of them, and I feel so blessed to have these children in my life.
Earlier, depending on their ages, I have read them a story, and we have discussed the breakfast menu for tomorrow. The night lights are adjusted to their liking. Older kids stay up long past my bedtime, but even so, they do not know it but I still go up and tuck in covers and kiss their heads. Comes with the territory.
When we just had our own three kids in the house, after my nightly checking and tucking and kissing, I would sigh a contented sigh.. all three are there! Our family is complete!
When guest kids come to visit, it is just the same. I feel peaceful when I have counted the kids and made sure they are comfortable in their beds.
Grandchildren are special. Tonight, our nine year old red headed grandson is here for his spring break. We are all happy to be together and have great plans for the next few days. Without an ongoing read-aloud book, we read Shel Silverstein's poems and had a laugh over them. This boy, of course, can read this himself, but what fun it is to share! Tomorrow we'll go to the library and select something juicy (and just beyond his level) to read out loud.
Over the weekend we went up north where it is still below freezing and everything is sere and dead and the natives are feeling sorry for themselves. It was the second birthday of our youngest grandchildren, the twins. Who could have believed that these kids, so tiny at birth, would now be chattering away in full sentences in two languages? Also they are very funny kids, not to mention beautiful. Of course, I crept upstairs to see them sleeping to kiss their heads and tuck in a stray foot.
This house is full of kids; the twins have three much older brothers who love and care. This is a blended family.
All of us, all of us, are the community it takes to raise our children. We are colorful and loving and caring. In the middle of the night we count the kids.
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