The Dawning of a new era

Tonight was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Usually bedtime routine kicks off with showers at 7:15 PM. Evan showers by himself and the younger three are herded through our shower like small cattle...where all important body parts are cleaned and teeth are brushed. Everything started tonight right on schedule. THEN the amazing new thing...John took Evan (and Colson invited himself by tagging along) to our room and Ashlyn Grace and I popped down on the couch (while Braxton played with the computer in the playroom). Each parent had their READER and here's where the new routine began. Evan read to Daddy (with Colson in Daddy's lap) while Ashlyn Grace read to Mommy (Braxton soon grew tired of the computer and helped himself to Mommy's ipod and sat on the other side of Mommy and was very happy to bowl...game after game after game). Evan and Ashlyn Grace are both participating in a Scholastic Book Reading challenge that will donate books to underprivileged children. Evan has to read 30 minutes a day and Ashlyn Grace has to read 15 minutes a day. I was DREADING how to fit this into our already "pretty-packed days". But this "plan" unveiled itself!!! Without strategic planning from Mommy and Daddy...all the reading got done RIGHT before bed and to top it off...RIGHT ON TIME. SO - Mommy then put Braxton to bed with his chocolate milk in hand and the older three headed upstairs with Daddy to start the Final Phase (which USUALLY entails Daddy reading to Coly and AG in Coly's room...where they sleep in bunk beds and then one of us reading to or with Evan). After Mommy finished with Braxton she was SO pleasantly surprised to find everyone in bed, lights out and prayers sent up to heaven! We had the bedtime reading done before bed and now Mommy and Daddy were downstairs for our time 30 minutes sooner than usual. As I walked down the stairs (still had to get my hugs and kisses) with a huge smile on my face...I sent up a quick prayer that THIS become our new Bedtime Routine. It was SO fun to have AG read to me and Daddy reported that Colson really enjoyed listening to his Big Brother read (even though all three chapters only had a total of 2 pages of pictures)! Everyone was happy and Mommy and Daddy were ready to begin Our Time SO much earlier than usual. What a treat for all!!! We'll see if it continues through the week?!? (and look I even had time to post this blog on the actual day that it happened) :)