Ruthie finished her schoolwork early because we won’t have time tomorrow morning to do it and she and Ryan hid behind our big recliner to play checkers. Gertie was already in bed and Annie in another room reading a book. I’m reading one too, that I can’t stop. I say to myself, ‘just a few more lines’ and then twenty minutes go by. So I asked Annie to bring her book into bed with me and we could read next to each other. She was ecstatic and laid her apple just so on the napkin between us.

Her little voice. Her reading. All self motivated, I had nothing to do with it.

She asked me to look at every picture on every page and before I knew it, her pajamas were in the air and she was showing me her wedgie. Somehow I got a few chapters in, though.

She rolled over and gave me a hug with her sleepy eyes and big smile.

But let’s also not forget this Annie, who had us cracking up at dinner last night with her spaghetti sauced body (clothes are off until trust is built) and noodle mustache.

Later tonight they asked me to lay in bed. I covered up Gertie as I passed, she was curled up in a ball with no blankets over her. I laid on Annie’s side since she was the most emotional. Ruthie yelled that Annie was touching her legs and when I draped my arm across them, they both clung to it. These are the best of times.