P(r)ay

As part of Luke's regular bedtime routine, we say a prayer each night after he is tucked into bed with his blanket, water, and bear. He loves to "pay" (pray) and often requests to "pay" whenever he lies down...for a nap, to get his diaper changed, etc.

Last night, I laid a very tired boy in his bed. We said our usual prayer, in which we "God Bless" by name nearly everyone we know, then move on to "God Blessing" Katie-the-dog and the horses and mules before wrapping things up with an "amen" from both of us (his favorite part). After the amen, he was very sad that we were done and kept saying "pay...pay", so on my way downstairs I called up to him that he could say a prayer by himself if he wanted to. Immediately, I heard him babbling away and including the words "mama" and "dada". This was followed by his squawking inhaling and exhaling sound that is a very loud and lifelike imitation of our mules braying. I realized then that he was saying what he could remember of our prayer, blessing mama and dada and the mules.

I doubled over in the kitchen, shaking with laughter and trying not to cry over the preciousness of it! Minutes later he was silent, and I realized, with a lump in my throat, that my not-so-little-anymore boy had prayed himself to sleep for the first time.