Bedtime Rituals

Every night our children do the same thing: bath, brush teeth, prayer, pillow time, read and then lights out. This process is done without fail even if it is very late and we have been out most of the night...our family calls this "the night time ritual." Each member of the family seems to have a favorite part of the "ritual." Sashi loves bath time and if she had her way, she would never get out of the tub. Genji loves prayer time, where each member gets to have his turn at talking to God. I think Ian and I love the same thing, pillow time. What in the world is pillow time?? Pillow time is where I sit on the bed and listen to my children talk to me about ANYTHING they want to. Tonight I asked Ian, "What will we be talking about tonight?" Ian's eyes twinkled and he started to talk. "Mom, I want to learn about Lake Baikal. I want to to go there someday and to see how big it is. Did you know it is a mile deep in some places? I wonder if the Empire State Building could fit down there? I think that would be a wonderful sight to see the tip of the building poking out of the lake! Mom, which would you rather do? Would you rather visit the Panama Canal or the Erie Canal? I think the Panama Canal would be so fun because it has the largest locks in the world! I also would like to go from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean..isn't that so cool. Mom, I don't think I could go on that trip it is too far. I would rather go to the Erie Canal. I wonder if I go on my mission to New York if I could ride down the canal with you and dad when my mission was over? Would you come and ride this with me? Can you go to places and visit when you are on your mission? Maybe, you can't...maybe we have to just teach people. Mom, I can't wait I want to see the Erie Canal! Mom, do you know, I was reading about C-sections and how they work. Mom, what if a mom couldn't get a C-section and the baby was to big, what then? Mom, I think it would be very sad to see a mommy die. I am glad that we can have C-sections now. Mom, I love you."

Ian smiles at me and then picks up the book that he wants to read. I smile at him and think, "Wow, Ian spoke the whole time almost without taking a breath." I love my son. I hope he grows up to be a wonderful man. I treasure my "pillow time" with him. Life is good.