It’ll be hours yet before the children wake. Staying up late watching the Olympics secured that. All but one of them lost interest long before we eventually turned it off. But, everyone stayed in the room, texting each other funny gif files while sitting side by side and playing with the cats. Drew pushed hard for our own Raudenbush olympics with events such as charades and our own version of figure skating, but Lydia was his only willing competitor.

We all hesitated to go to bed when our eyes got heavy. Us included even though we knew it would just be a nap given that our alarms were set for 3am. We all just wanted to enjoy the night together before Mom and Dad headed out.

I know it’s not easy for them to have a Mom and Dad who do a good bit of traveling. There’s a part of me that worries about it and wonders what messages they are receiving and if they are getting all they need. Then I remember that God didn’t call just Mark and I to this; He called our whole family. And, He’s equipping us to parent them within that calling and meeting each one of them right where they are.

20, 30, 40 years from now, I hope they say, “Our life was not always easy, but it was one of faithfulness and obedience, and we enjoyed each other and did it together.”