Even now, at nearly twelve years old, I am beckoned by my Maggie to lie with her at bedtime. We talk of the day gone by and the events that transpired. I remind her of stories from her days as a toddler and wee one, and she gobbles them up. It is always during this time that she relays to me her fears or worries or angst about the coming day. I hope she will always confide in me.

Only the sound of the fan cuts the silence of the night, now,  and I find serenity from my day. There is such a sense of peace that overwhelms me when my kids are tucked in and safely sleeping in our home. I feel like God shows himself to me when I touch their foreheads, as they drift off. It is as if He whispers, “Your day is done; you can breathe deeply, now, Mama.” And, with that, I am able to rest.