Falling Asleep in Daddy's Arms

I confess that I haven’t written anything in a month. Sorry. I have since been overwhelmed by the complaints about the lack of new material (ha!) and have come crawling back seeking your forgiveness.

I have nothing too profound; I just had a wonderful experience with one of the twins that I wanted to capture. In the past I would regularly cuddle with the first two boys at bed time or sit with them as they wind down. They would routinely fall asleep in my arms and I would put them to bed. Surprisingly I had totally forgotten about this wonderful experience until the other night.

Putting the twins to be bed is such hard work and we have done it so differently than with the previous two that I hadn’t held either of the twins while they fell asleep before last night.

Since we moved the two of them to beds they have had trouble settling at night. With nothing stopping them from getting up and having their way with anything in sight they have been very reluctant to nap (sigh!) or go to bed. Summer sunshine every evening hasn’t helped either.

I held Liam while he fell asleep the other night and it was priceless. Slightly sticky with an overtired sweat (and perhaps a tear or two) I held him, sitting in my lap while on the corner of my bed. We were both waiting for his brother Daniel to fall asleep. I held his chest next to mine and he placed his cheek on my shoulder and draped his arm over my other shoulder with a warm familiarity. He has this way of holding on to me that is so unique that I would know it was him in the dark.

Bending his wrist he almost absent-mindedly pats my back rhythmically at first, and with decreasing frequency as he settles down. His breathing begins to slow, punctuated by deep signs that feel like yawns. As he begins to nod off he twitches involuntarily a couple of times (a trait he has acquired from his mother) and is fast asleep.

I hope I never forget what is like to feel your son trust you so completely, and fall asleep in your arms.

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Galatians 4: 4 – 7