Picture it.

Evening has settled in my wonderfully crazy household.  My kids are nestled in their beds and my husband is fast asleep. I am curled up in bed and am taking advantage of a silent household to read a book that I have had sitting on my shelf for quite a few years. The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. 

I am focused. I am excited to finally start reading this book. I am 3 pages past the first chapter with highlighter in hand when I hear it.  

The sound of an obnoxious song from an even more obnoxious toy is coming from my family room.

Why, why, why. 

You see, in my household there is a particular little person who fights sleep with every.being.in.her.body.  This little person is bound and determined to make naptime/bedtime a battle. A battle that this mom is growing weary of armoring up and battling every day/night. 

I lay my book down. I get out of bed, take the hand of this sweet little girl and take her back to bed. I cover her up and with a stern voice tell her “to not get out of bed”. 

If you just laughed to yourself…you are right in doing so..

I lie back down in my bed. I pick up my book and my highlighter. All I hear is the soft snoring of my little baby next to me (yes, my 6 month old is still sleeping in our room). 

I hear a strange sound. I lay my book back down. I get out of bed. I walk into the family room to see that a certain little curly-headed lady has climbed in her Little Tikes Cozy Coupe car and is preparing for, what I can only suppose is, an evening drive. 

I’m so tired.

I take her out of the car and place her back in bed. 

I lie back down in my bed. I pick up my book and my highlighter. I begin to read. I hear footsteps in my room. I hear a thump from under my bed. 
I don’t understand. Why???

I lay my book down. I get out of bed. This time, that sweet little girl decided to beat me to the punch and takes off “running” towards her room. She plants herself in bed and says “nigh, nigh”. I, very sternly, tell her to stay in bed.

I lie back down in my bed. I pick up my book, I decide to forego the highlighter. I am too tired…I will just read for a little bit. I hear a tapping sound coming, yet again, from my living room. 

For the love of sanity…why

 I, with a heavy heart and exhausted body, lay down my book. There goes that spirited mess of curls bouncing back towards her room, giggling all the way. She tucks herself in bed and blows a kiss.

I wait outside her bedroom door.

She gets out of bed and comes toddling right towards me. I startle her with a firm and resounding, “no”. She is not impressed. She sniffles her way back to her bed.

I lie back down in my bed. I don’t pick up the highlighter; I don’t pick up the book. It is late. I am tired. I am going to bed.

Friends, here is where I would like say, “finally, that moment of sleep came”. Unfortunately, that moment doesn’t come for another 30 minutes. 30 minutes seems like an eternity when you are tired and just.want.some.sleep.