High Hopes

We are all hung over here this morning from a visit with friends that we had last night.  The kids played in the pool for hours.  Lydia can barely move this morning.  Henry and Jack are spaced out to Little Bear on Noggin, Ben is stil sleeping and Sophia is asleep in our bed.  She was crying early this morning so Darin brought her in with us.  I think she fell back asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.  I stayed with Sophia until Darin left for work.  When I came down, he had finished cleaning the kitchen from last night and since the kids were in the pool all night, our house is still Company-Clean.  I just love that.  It's a rare thing around here these days!  I have become very adept at stepping over the train track and doll house toys in the dark.

Ben was such a big help to me last night.  He's of the age where he prefers to hang out and listen to all the adult chatter rather than play with all the kids.  He helped me wrestle Sophia from the table and everyone's plates and cups.  She was constantly drawn to all that fun.  She has also discovered the water in the toilet bowl.  sigh.  ;-) 

Back when Ben was a little guy I had high hopes brought on by the occaisional teen boys we would run into who were so sweet to him.  They would play with him, have fun conversations with him - you know, just generally be Real People - not Freaky Teens.  I always hoped and prayed that Ben would turn into one of those Real People.  So far, so good.  ;-)  He is such a good big brother to Henry and Sophia.  So SWEET to them and at least once a day Henry will say to Ben, "Ben, let's spend some time together."  And then Ben will wrestle around with Henry and all will be right with the world. 

There really is so much good to look forward to as our kids mature.  I feel as if Darin and I are at the very beginning stages of reaping the harvest of the things we have sown as Ben is coming into his own as a young adult.  Of course we're a long way from done, but I'm starting to get real optimistic.  ;-)