oh sing sweet: August 2013

It was eleven o’clock and Lucy was still not in bed. We have been going nonstop for the last couple of days during the Geyer family reunion. Earlier in the evening, Lucy’s little body finally couldn't keep up and so she fell asleep for a hearty two hour nap at 5 pm. Any mother knows the consequences of such a late nap. At 10:30 pm, I figured I needed to start getting her upstairs. But it was so hard for me to leave the guitar/piano singing session with some of the adults. Lucy, too, was having some guilty fun. It’s like she knew that all the other cousins were sound asleep in their beds and that she figured out how to work the system. Maybe she thought that her infectious smile, impressive dance moves, and added cuteness were what bought her the extra time with the adults.

Yea, she figured it out.

I finally pried her away and trudged up the stairs with Lucy in tow. I did the 2-minute version of the bedtime routine. Todd was already fast asleep, and so Lucy crawled in bed next to him. I told her a brief story followed by my goodnight kisses.

But then she started whining for her brown bear. “Where’s my brown bear?! I need my brown bear!” I looked around the dark room, using the faint glow of the nightlight to try and find this coveted brown bear.

I found a cow.

“Here you go!” I said hastily. “You can sleep with this tonight” I shoved it in her arms and tried to make a run for it.

Nothing gets past Lucy. “Umm…how ‘bout my brown bear?”

I stopped in my tracks. Okaaay, okay. A couple extra seconds could hurt. I looked around some more. Nothing. I crawled up on to the bed to look down the crevice between the wall and bed. But Todd was right there, making it difficult. Now I was on a mission - I was going to find this brown bear! I reached down, feeling along the wall, Todd’s deep heavy breaths practically in my face.

Nothing.

That mission ended quickly.

I stood up on the bed, preparing the “I’m sorry, Honey, but…” speech. As I turned around to get off of the bed, there was Lucy, down on her knees, fingers clasped together, with elbows resting on the bed. I heard faint mumbles coming from her direction. “Shoot!” I thought as I raced next to her side. Why didn't I think of that? Aren't I supposed to be the one teaching herabout praying when we need help?! I quickly joined her, scooting as close as I could to hear every word uttered.

“Oh please, Jesus. I really want my brown bear. Oh please! Oh pleeeease! Can you find my brown bear? It’s my favorite and I really really need it to sleep. Please Jesus. Just do it. Amen.”

Oh alright! Now I really had to find this bear! How could I let her down after a prayer like that.

Just do it. Thanks Nike.

I got my handy ~~flashlight~~ phone and quietly searched the game room among the sleeping cousins.

Ha! Found it!

I hurried upstairs and proudly gave it to Lucy, anticipating the contentment to cross her face

“Umm…it’s a dog”

She might as well have been thirteen said “Duh, mom!”

It was a brown cow and brown dog to snuggle that night. Her prayer was answered in the morning, thanks to Grandma who found it.