Bathtime

Tonight it hit me as I bathed the kids - exactly how precious these times really are. I was exhaused after a long afternoon at work as the only pharmacist, and didn't get home until after 7:00pm. Luckily I had thrown some smothered pork chops in the crockpot this morning, so dinner didn't have to happen too late. After slamming a pork chop, carrots, & cornbread, I REALLY didn't feel like bathtime, but . . . it was my turn. We headed the troops upstairs, well part of them. Rayleigh & Molly were instructed to grab their coloring books that were downstairs and carry them up with them. Molly grabbed two markers and headed up the stairs (leaving the rest for Rayleigh - two coloring books & the remaining 20 markers). Tucker was already upstairs I found out by hollering for him to come get his shoes. He rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, stark naked, announcing that he needed to potty - of which we are still training. So that he didn't pee on the floor, I sprinted up the stairs (only in time to see Molly throwing the 2 markers on TUCKER'S floor - right where she found them, I'm sure). Never fear though, Tucker made it to the potty just in time, as the girls made their appearance just in time to praise him with a clap & high five. All of them were in the tub - finally! Half the battle is over. Now for washing - three heads of hair first, three little bodies to go. Tucker was beating endlessly on the bathtime drum, Molly was humming a song from preschool today (over & over & over & over, and well you get the picture), and Rayleigh was playing with her mermaid, saying, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" - until I finally realize that she is talking to me so I change my attention to her. At this point my head is spinning, but I nod approvingly that "yes, Rayleigh, part of her body is blue, and yes, she is beautiful, and yes, we could do your hair like that tomorrow". Ah, finished with bodies. DONE!

At that very moment, somewhere amongst the bubbles, I realized how very precious these times are. Exhausted, I stepped back and just smiled. They looked perfect. I thought about how lucky I am to have them to bathe, and how boring my life would be without them. They make our lives go round, and despite all of the work that comes along with them, all-to-soon we will miss that "work". They will be bathing themselves, picking their own clothes off of the store racks, playing sports or dancing or doing gymnastics at 7:30pm instead of being here with us for bathtime, and on & on down the road we move.

So for now, I hope that you enjoyed bathtime tonight as much as I did . . .