As it should be.

The three oldest girls share a room.

It's 4am. All is quiet throughout the house. as it should be.

Except for a creaking of a bedroom door. I look up and see Charis standing out in the hallway. watching us. waiting to be invited in.

I tap Jet's back. No response.

I tap again. Nothing.

I tap harder. The man is in a coma.

I sigh and then...jab. Kung-fu style. And finally, I see movement.

"Oh good, you're awake. Charis... hallway."

Jet sits up and says something semi-intelligent. though obviously coherent enough for Charis to understand she'd been summoned to come closer.

I totally expected her to come in crying. telling us that she had had a bad dream. wanting Jet to hold her close, comfort her, and tuck her back into bed.

It seemed the only logical explanation. After all, it's happened at least three times in the past few weeks. Jet can handle it. He's done it often enough, he could do it in his sleep.

And probably has.

But Charis didn't sound upset. In fact, she didn't sound the slightest bit groggy...as she and Jet whispered a conversation too soft for me to distinguish.

Then she walks back to her room.

Well, that was easy, I thought. No tears. No emotional outburst. In fact, very little distinguishable noise.

Until

I hear Selah loudly saying something to Charis as she re-entered their bedroom. followed by a muffled Raegan.

"Are you kidding me? Are they all talking, Jet?! "

Throwing back the covers, Jet marches into their room and sets things right. Suddenly all is quiet. As it should be. Daddy has restored order once more.

Apparently, they were reading. in bed. with their flashlights. when Charis's battery went out.

And like anyone who wants to continue reading at FOUR A.M., she comes to our room. totally expecting us to get her a new battery.

Think again, Missy!

"They are so not having flashlights from now on!!" I mutter, throwing my face back into my pillow.

And the rest of the discussion was left unsaid. As it should be...since 4-am-brain isn't begging for deep conversations.

I fell back asleep... completely prepared to lay down the law in the morning. confiscating their flashlights. and books. and nerve brazen enough to wake us up at dark 0'thirty.

Only

The next morning dawned. and my children were no where to be seen.

Now grant it, they normally wake up around 8:00. (Yes, I've been blessed by their sleeping in late) But 8:00 came and went.

As well as 8:30. and 9:00. and 9:15...

Finally at NINE-THIRTY, they emerged from their bedrooms. foraging for food to eat.

And in that moment... that late late moment in the morning... I rethought my parental stance.

If you, my dear children, want to wake up at 4am and read the books we've so graciously provided for your educational enrichment...then by all means, knock yourself out.

Especially if that means you'll be knocked out until late morning. giving me the chance to *ahhhh* breathe before the mad rush of the morning ensues.

Making my morning nice and laid back. As it should be.