an unexpected blessing

there is nothing really great about matt's job at wells fargo. sure, it's flexible and works around teaching, but calling people who are late on their credit card payments.....not to fun. but some good has come out of it. a new routine for our family.

i'm assuming that the 'norm' is that most dad's are home when their kids wake up. especially because most kids get up so early. but matt is up and out the door by 5:20 -- four out of seven mornings. and thank the Lord my kids don't get up that early. they've adjusted to waking up without dad, we all have. and it's been a big adjustment.

i'm not a morning person. never have been. ask my family -- growing up they called me grouch. i just HATE mornings. so this has a big adjustment for me, having the kids on my own -- in the morning. so in order to cope with my morning alone, i started snuggling (ie: trying to get a few more minutes of sleep.) i was being selfish in this new endeavor, but something really special has come out of it.

snuggle time has become the routine. the kids climb in bed every morning now, like it's been going on forever. it's been especially fun of recent because it's cold outside and they are wearing their yummy fuzzy pj's. alaythia still has that sleepy smell on her, the sweet and sour all at once. she's rested, happy, and a wiggleworm. where i move, she moves, snuggled in. when isaiah wakes up he bursts in the door. he has 4 animals and his blanket in hand, and climbs up and under the covers. his hair is long and crazy, his droopy eyes are soft and tender. we're all blurry eyed and trying to wake up. some of us wake up faster than others... :)

i remember when i was young waiting to hear the shower go on in the morning. that meant dad was up and there was room in mom and dad's bed. i don't know if it ever was, but i felt like it was a race every morning to see who could get in bed first. i love those memories.

when we got a king size bed when we got married, my mom said it was a great family bed. lots of room for kids. i'm just beginning to understand what she meant.

i know that matt misses the snuggle time in the morning, and the other 3 mornings of the week you can bet he looks forward, to not only sleeping in, but getting to snuggle with the kids.

what is it about having all that you hold so dear in a small space? something comforting and fulfilling. on those mornings when there are 4 godshall's in the bed, all seems right with the world.