I will be the first to admit of multitasking while my boys are awake.  If they are playing, I am on my phone, cooking dinner, cleaning, reading a book, etc.  And I’m not hear to lay blame on anyone else who does that.  Rest in grace, friend.  Walk in grace.  Live in grace. That’s what my husband tells me.

Here’s what I am learning: let there be kisses.  and tickling.  and book reading.

My older son who just turned two is just now loving to bring me a book (usually the Wheels on the Bus) and pat my legs which is asking me to put him on my lap so I can read to him.  I first told him no, then immediately was so convicted by the Spirit that I’ve not told him no since.  It devastated my heart that I would tell my sons no to something as fun as reading a book to them just because I wanted to do something else.  So, even today, as he finished lunch, he ran and got a book, and we read and sang and played with cars at the table while his little brother tried to hold his sippy cup and ended up getting more milk on him than in his tummy. That’s life.

Much of this denial that I give my sons is based on two things:

1.  I think what I have my schedule is more important.  Blogging.  Writing.  Cleaning.  Being entertained with social media.  It all comes down to pride.  I don’t want our family’s schedule to be dominated by the boys – but I do want there to be much more book reading, hand holding, tickle fests than instagram feed reading.  What do I want to communicate: verbally and non-verbally to my boys?  That they are important and time with them is something I cherish – or that things and strangers are more important?  What you communicate in your actions also gives you the door to speak the Gospel into their lives every day.

2.  I try to fill our days with too many things.  We love to be out and about during the days that Daddy is working.  We’ll either go to the park, the mall, the zoo, Bible study at church, the gym, the river, etc.  Atlanta is full of fun activities for families – so we take advantage of many of them.  But, then when we are home I have so much to get done.  I’m not thinking about stopping going so much – I just will have to limit what I think has to be done.  I’m reading Challies’ series on getting things done and it helps me to realize that I’m not God and won’t accomplish everything.  And everything doesn’t have to be accomplished.  Energy is a commodity too.

My boys won’t be little long.  The days are sometimes long and I look forward to having breaks with friends or solo times for being in the word or just running errands.  But, I love their laughs and hand-holding.  My Mister said last night that we better relish the times that they are excited to see us when we pick them up – because that always won’t be the case.  I know it won’t be forever and my boys will stop wanting to sit on my lap for reading sessions, or stop laughing when I tickle them, or they won’t want me to kiss them goodnight.

Until then, let there be kisses.  Everything else will wait!