At the risk of being nauseauing, I will share something that happened last night.

It was very stormy last night...high winds, lots of hard rain off and on, thunder, lightning, and tornado warnings.

While the girl is not afraid of bad weather, this storm got under her skin. It was only about 9 00 and she was not asleep but reading in her room. I was in our bed reading, E watching something on the history channel (exciting Friday night at the Shivers, right?!? Well, its what we enjoy after a week of working) when she appeared at the bedroom door asking to come lay in our bed until she fell asleep because of the storm. Of course I let her.

So off she goes to get the book that SHE is reading. She snuggles into our bed right where E sleeps like a mischevious imp...all smiles and giggles because this is fun. Im supressing a smile because she is soo damn cute but I DO want to read, so I tell her..."Okay...no talking because Im reading and so are you until you fall asleep".

"M'Kay" she says and dutifully starts reading. After a few minutes I look up from my book and she is completely engrossed in her story. And so I just watch her...drinking in this precious moment, loving that she is loving reading. She finally feels me looking at her and looks up from her book and just gives me the sweetest, biggest, most mischevious grin!! Oh we laughed and laughed at nothing but being in a safe warm place with each other and sharing the love of good books.

Shortly thereafter I turned the lights out and we went to sleep.

I woke up at about 10:30 because I cat walked over my face.

I could hear the rain pummeling the house and the wind blowing very strongly. Both cats were on the bed....George curled up at the foot of the bed and Mike Rowe between the girl and I begging for a few strokes. The door was slightly ajar, letting light from the family area into the bedroom and I could hear the drone of the television. I knew E was still up watching television. I looked over at the girl and she was fast asleep, all wrapped up like a cinnamon bun in the covers, her cheeks flushed a bit and her hair all over the place.

In my head, I was associating the situation with one of childhood...when my parents would watch television and keep our door ajar so that there would be light into our room. We always could hear the television and them talking low. It was a great sense of security to fall alseep knowing that your parents were awake and keeping watch.

In the present, I was overcome with an incredible sense of well-being. I felt safe. Everything I loved dearly was in this house...most of it in bed with me. God loves us tremendously. We were safe from the storm. E was up "protecting us". Our child was safe right here with me. Our beloved pets close by. God was present. It was an amazing feeling.

I had the best sleep in weeks.