forts!

my kids are really good at messy play. this gives them opportunities to learn to clean up too, but this post is not about that. rather, it's more about the sinful state of "irritable mama" that the stresses and tiredness of late have made me weaker against. i'm praying for Jesus to help me fight this because "love is not irritable" even when i'm tired and the kids are pretending something elaborate with all the linens in the house. and really, i want them to play imaginatively and with each other. i want us to have fun together without me organizing every moment of the day. so when the kids built a super duper fort (one of many) just before bedtime the other day, of course they wanted to sleep in it. i resisted the urge to say "no" out of habit and said yes! as long as you actually sleep. so they slept in it for about a week before they started waking each other up too early in the morning. then we all tore it down and put away the blankets (not that hard) and they were relieved to get back to their own beds. they slept three across in miles' bed, which is great practice for camping. marit sleeps in her own room only about 50% of the time anyway and i love that they want to be together.

for fun, since o didn't get to sleep in the fort

they wanted to stretch together

this fort had separate quarters for boys and girls

yes they are holding hands!

i love this man who just finished reading them the hobbit for the 3rd or 4th time.  miles loves to fall asleep during reading time:)