Little Faces

Bedtime tonight should have been more subdued because Rob was sleeping over at a friend's, and that leaves only two boys in one bedroom. However, that's not taking into consideration that one of them is Peter.

Peter is a party waiting to happen, but I had to put him on hold while I finished my story with James. James was feeling cozy tonight and wanted to talk, so I told him about the day God pointed at him and said, "That's going to be your son."

He lay there, his head on his pillow, covers up to his chin. "Tell, Mom," he said , staring straight at me, holding every word. "Well, we were on our way to a Christmas party at that church, remember? At Ukrainian Christmas? We were all in our winter coats, snuggled into that van full of kids.

"I looked across the van, and all of a sudden I noticed you, wearing your blue scarf. Did you knit that yourself? You were very quiet and you looked so peaceful. I looked at you and you looked at me. That is when I knew it. My heart went bumpity bump, and I felt so happy inside, I couldn't wait to ask Babushka who you were.

"When I described the little blond boy with glasses, she told me about you. You had come to her house with some other kids for a sleepover and at supper she had asked if anyone wanted to tell a story. You said you did, and you told the story of..."

James eyes lit up as only James eyes can light up and he said, "I know, Mom. It was Jonah."
The missionary had told me he'd finished the story with, "So if you don't do what God tells you, you could get swallowed by a big fish. The end."

James sat up in bed and reached his arms up towards me for a tight squeeze, a very big smile of contentment spreading across his face.

I didn't tell him tonight, but for a few days after that day almost a year ago, there were times when I could hardly breathe, as I realized something really wonderful was happening in my heart. And the whole thing was compounded the very next day, when we took the kids to a restaurant for another Christmas outing, and God pointed out boy number two!

Meanwhile, behind me Peter was doing his bedtime ritual. He pulled the covers back and just when I thought he was ready to settle in, he threw them off and said in an urgent voice, "Mama, my sisters coming tomorrow, yes? I wear a tie." He had been waiting for an opportunity to wear a tie for a month, and now he deemed a visit from his big sisters from New York the perfect opportunity to Really Dress Up.

He bounced out of bed and ran for the closet. Over in his bed, James groaned and rolled over, while I followed his brother, knowing we had to take this to its conclusion or there'd be no peace.

Reaching for Rob's tie collection, he chose a dark gray, silky, formal one left over from a sister's wedding. Slipping it over his head, he snuggled it up to his chin, and deliberately smoothed it down over his little chest. Straightening his shoulders, he stood tall, a serious expression on his face.

The perfect touch to his grey, longjohn PJs.