Night-vision Goggles

Ahhhh. It's night. And the kids are in bed. Not necessarily asleep, but in bed. My night-vision goggles allow me to change from my daytime perspective of half-empty to overflowing glasses. Too often, I catch myself counting up the things in my day that bother, annoy, irritate or otherwise alarm me:

• Blazing-hot sibling rivalry.
• Spilled drinks. Again.
• Wiping down the toilet seat. Again.
• Wiping down little behinds that don't yet use the toilet seat.
• Constant chatter.
• Trying to produce a good enough "Ha-ha!" for that joke I've been hearing for over a month.
• Less-than-flattering imitations of myself, performed by one of the boys.

The list does go on, but I'll stop there. However, as you may already know, night-vision googles are designed to gather any tiny glimmer of light and create a clearer picture of the scene before your eyes. This same magic occurs every night at our house, shortly after bedtime. Basking in the blessed quiet, I see a happier picture of my day:

• Sweet phrases like "Dayt-doo, Mommy!" (That's "thank you".)
• Naptime.
• There may be a lot of chatter, but at least the kids still want to talk to us. (I know, those days are numbered.)
• The pleasure children derive from the smallest things. Gum, for example.
• Naptime. Wait...did I already say that? Well, it's worth repeating.
• For 2 out of the 3 kids, public hugs and kisses from Mom are still permitted.
• Leftovers night - minimal cooking and, therefore, fewer dishes to clean up.
• The words of a 2-year-old learning to pray.

Yes, night is good.

James E. Faust said, "If there were no night, we would not appreciate the day, nor could we see the stars and the vastness of the heavens."