I was feeling out of sorts yesterday morning, anxious about an afternoon doctor’s appointment, when Paul asked if we could cuddle. He doesn’t do that as often anymore, he’s almost five and can usually be found tagging along after an older brother or two or chatting with his sister. So, when he asked, I knew that was the ticket.
I needed to quit mindlessly wandering the house going from task to phone to task to iPad, to interrupting the engineer’s work, to worrying.
We cuddled. We read a stack of library books. He enjoys the children’s non-fiction animal books, so our stack included an armadillo, cotton-tail rabbit and buffalo. All short and sweet, like Paul, and full of great photos.
Cuddle time lasted maybe 15 minutes before he was on to an activity with his brother, called out to the bonus room to see some fun invention, but it was just what I needed. A great gift to get my day back on track.

Telling me a story last week at the park in Glen Allen, (plain old) Virginia (as opposed to West VA)

Matthew 18:1-6 (ESV)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Six of us enjoying this afternoon’s library haul.

Photo by Kyle, taken while he snuggled with Paul.

Paul joined in the fun!

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Now, to get my act together and:
A) Get up earlier.
B) Stick with the “peace and quiet time” each afternoon that was working so well at the beginning of January. I let it fall by the wayside when Rachel got sick and wanted company.
C) Remember how much I like to read. To myself, that is. I read every day to some or all of my lovies

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ”
John 15:5 (ESV)