Excited to pray

Two nights a week, I put T to bed. Rob usually does the evening duties, but it is fun to have the chance to say goodnight to him and get nighttime snuggles before he drifts off to sleep. T likes to stick to routines – no surprise there – but Rob & I have managed to put our own spin on the evening bath time & reading routines. So from very early on I've sung a lullaby to him, and when I realized he was able to finish sentences, I taught him a little prayer as well. It is so very cute to hear his little voice finish each phrase and I love to hear it. Even so, I had gotten out of the routine because he likes to have three books read to him at bedtime, and by the time we are done with those, lately I've let the lullaby and prayer slip. But tonight I remembered to do them, and he was so happy! I started singing the lullaby and the biggest, most pleased grin spread across his face. When I started the prayer, his little fingers started rolling & strumming and he kicked his legs under the covers, vibrating all around – he was SO EXCITED to pray.

I happily went through our bedtime prayer – twice, even – thinking that I could learn a lesson from him about being excited to pray.

The last words of our prayer are "every day". Tonight, he repeated it to me. I said it back, and added that I love him every day, and every minute of every day. Then I said that I know he loves me, too. He looked at me intently, grinned, and said again "every day." "Yes, everyday. I love you every day. And you love me, too."

Every day.