A Young Family For an Hour or Two

We all sat in the family room together watching the A&E production of Lorna Doone (well, the little guy half watched the movie while being distracted by Dr. Seuss on a computer game - or was he half playing while being distracted by Lorna Doone...probably both.) (And don't feel badly that we were watching a movie together - we are very interactive TV watchers!)

But when I say we all, I mean the three littlest and the old mom and dad. I felt that warm feeling of having them all young and at home - the eldest were out and about, doing what older children do when the night is theirs to plan. It was a throwback to the old days when we were first getting started on all this family stuff. Quite nice, it was (the reminiscing as well as the reality of time with just them.)

Now mind you, the little ones aren't so very little (12, 10, and 6) and don't always appreciate that reference these days. But I am afraid that when you are the bottom three of nine, you may always be relegated to the status of "little". Time will tell on that conjecture.

Every once in a while, a glimpse like tonight's reminds me that time moves on and things that we want to revisit will not, indeed cannot be returned to again. I can wish with all my heart that for just one week they would all be small tots together, running in the backyard playing wagon trains on the Oregon trail, or whatever that favorite memory may be. But that will not happen.

So a night alone with my young'uns was special and warm and cozy. And for today, I will be glad for the time shared this evening with those "little" guys of mine.

It's good to remember that these days, too, will be memories which I may one day long to revisit. Aren't family times the best? Oh, to bottle this and keep it forever. It is God's plan and it's a good one.