Because basically we keep them alive.

I say prayers with our boys most nights at bedtime. Sometimes I don’t because I’m talked out and, quite frankly, just want them to go to bed so I can, too. Some nights I don’t look forward to it because they each want me to say separate prayers for each of them, and I would rather they say their own prayers because I’ve got some big ones to say on my own. But after I pause for a minute and focus on my heart, I feel it soften a whole lot and there’s a major shift when I reach out, hold their hands, and pray over them like life itself depends on it.

Hmmmm. Doesn’t it?

A couple nights ago, our 9yo led his prayer time. When we pray, there’s lots of hand squeezing when we’re touched deeply by something the other is praying for…and sometimes there’s giggling and pseudo-snort-laughing. However, I was insanely proud of my restraint during this prayer in particular:

Lord? Thank you so much for my mom. She takes such good care of us and just…well…she basically keeps us alive.

Big hand squeeze on that one, because I’m also insanely proud that we’ve kept them alive thus far.

They’re growing up. We can all say that, yes? It’s fast, although it doesn’t always seem like it. But then this happens.

This moment nearly took me out. Such a rite of passage into becoming a young man. We giggle and tease and give them a hard time about growing up, but in reality, we’re cracking wide open on the inside because they’re getting too big to fit in the spaces that we originally held for them and need to be freed up a bit.

He officially has his own kit…and the how-to.

Woodpile the Kitten is growing up, too. He’s working on more cat-like things, like perfecting the lay-on-the-back-of-the-couch-and-pretend-like-I-don’t-care thing.

Don’t be fooled. He can still slice you with his too-sharp claws if he thinks you’re moving, just for fun.

The dogs are getting older and mostly sitting handsome like good boys..and they’re practicing here for my birthday party for introverts because I’m the oldest one of all the people in our home.