Bedtime

The wind is howling outside the window, and rain is beating its steady rhythm against the glass. I just left my daughter's cozy bed after reading two chapters of Vacation Under the Volcano, our latest "Magic Tree House" book. Connor is getting his pajamas on, and soon I'll climb up into his loft bed and read a chapter of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. There is something wonderful about bedtime reading with my kids.

I love this time of day, especially when Chris is home and the kids are tucked in bed and it's time for us to have "us time". Tonight, Chris is working late. He'll be working late for most of this week, so we met him for supper out between piano and Kids Night Out so we could still manage some family time. But I'm still planning on enjoying every minute of my "after bedtime" time. I'll dim the lights and settle in on the couch, the fire crackling in the fireplace. I'll probably tune in to the finale of Dancing With the Stars, and then I'll crack open a new book. Peace. Quiet. Serenity. The best time of the day.

I'm thankful for good books I can read with my kids, and for the fact that they still want me to read with them. I'm thankful that Chris got the fireplace in good working order on the weekend. I'm thankful that although a storm is raging outside my window, my children and I are safe in our cozy home. I'm thankful for bedtime.