A new game at bedtime

 Bedtime is the true ONLY time of day when we come together as a family for one cause. 

Obviously not at bedtime
But a cute pic of the 4 and no more. No matter what happens in the day, there are at least 4 to 6 nights a week we read devotions together and pray together. It is also the only time that I spend a few minutes completely alone with each child. My youngest sweet firecracker has a laughing game we play. It is random when it happens, or she requests it, but I love that it is like a medicine to the soul. How do you play it, you ask? Well... we laugh. But not just a ha ha ha tight-lipped laugh. Oh no, we will call "CHEATING" loudly on whoever does it. You simply must laugh, open-mouthed and from deep in your abdomen. This is the kind that once you start, it infects the whole room, sometimes even the house, and you can't stop at all. But in the game, we make as serious a face as possible. Well, her serious faces are so darn funny that I break the rules and laugh too soon. Yet we pause mid laughter to take in the silence... to wait for the other person to surprise you and start laughing. Sometimes it's I, other times baby girl, but it always ends in me forgetting whatever it was that frustrated me throughout the day. I LOVE this game! With #3, it seems he needs to whisper and be in on a secret of sorts. I suppose the middle child syndrome of feeling left out makes this game most fun. It only happens when Daddy is not home, though, because otherwise I have to contend with his vegetable-like game of pretending to be asleep in his bed. But on these rare nights we whisper (with littlest nearby trying her best to get in on the fun since she shacks up with little big bro), we enjoy the trickery. Most of the time, the "secret" is merely what we will do the next day, or what we will have for breakfast/dinner. But tonight it was a true bona fide secret... a planned family camp-out in the living room, ALL 6 of us, heck maybe 8 since K and C are staying Friday night. Can you hear the song "Memories" playing right now? Tonight, though... after all that tonight I added a new game to the mix. If you consider the 5 love languages, click here to see what yours are, then you know that kids people need varied ways of love expressed to them. While I KNOW for a fact my oldest daughter is strongly on physical touch, I also KNOW that my youngest son and daughter probably have words of affirmation in their needs. Truly, what female or male doesn't need a compliment or two that is genuine from time to time? I digress, sorry, a bright idea popped into my head to play the word game. I begun with youngest (certain that younger big bro was now paying attention and included just like Bubba, his nickname, several times) "You are _______". She, in turn, was to return the compliment of her own for me. We went back and forth till she struggled with ideas, which wasn't too terribly long after all, she is only 4. But it was sweet to hear her word choices, such as nice, beautiful, and huggy. Intending to do this with my oldest daughter, I make my way to her room next.

My dearest daughter was awaiting my entrance. She, like her sister, looks forward to it most and gets very grizzly bear mom on anyone who even considers knocking at her door when it is her turn. I snuggled up next to her just like she prefers, and I introduced the game. She says ok and gets a bit serious, possibly because this requires thought, and we all know she hates to lose. I do NOT know where she gets THAT from??? :)
Anyway, we go back and forth, lasting a good 5 minutes. I begin to pause myself on word choice. She said You are tall for me, LOL, seriously, but I am also faithful, pretty, loving, and kind. She asked what dedicated and devoted meant; her vocabulary has to have grown this summer with the daily (truly every single day) questions on the meanings of words. I do believe this game will pop up often, just so when others in the world tell her words less than admirable, she will hear my voice repeating the real truth.

 Oldest son had already hit a nerve by being frozen in my room with the silly Battle Pirates game he and his dad play together. Tonight, we will not partake in this game. Something tells me he will struggle with it a bit more than the girls. Of course, he NEVER proves to be someone you can fit into a standard-sized box, so we shall see. To be continued there...