Bed Time

8:00pm. I look forward to that time every day. The kids are finally worn out after a long day of playing outside, and we are utterly exhausted from all that it takes to keep 17 young ones fed, clothed and happy. At the end of each day we say good night to the roomful of boys ages 5 and under. If we’re not there to help them change into their pajamas, they are sure to come fetch us to tuck them in. Shety and Solomzi share a bed most nights (even though there are enough beds for everyone) and it’s quite possibly the cutest thing ever. It’s about a 5-minute routine of what we have to go through to get them down. I think every night a new step is added to the process, but right now we’re at the following sequence: Start with Solomzi. Double high five. Another double high five. One single high five. A single high five on the other side. One huge hug. One kiss for me. One kiss for Solomzi. Throw Solomzi down sideways onto the pillow in a fit of laughter. Repeat process with Shety. It makes them so happy to have those few moments of personal attention without the other children around.

Plus, after everyone is tucked in that means we are free to go to bed at a whopping 8:30pm… and believe me, we’re more than ready to get in our own beds each at that time (I know I’m completely breaking the double-digit rule, especially since it’s summer, but I’m too tired to care).

Odwa is a slightly different routine. Sara runs up asking, “can you give me a hug?” and he throws back his covers and yells, “YESS!” then a huge hug is given and received, followed by a kiss for him. Sara says, “I love you” and he says, “and me you”. Ahhhh I love it. Sarah goes up to his bed and he puts his covers to his face, revealing just his eyes. She bounces him in bed as high as she can and then gives him a huge hug as he giggles the whole time. Priceless.