the candle

i've talked about "the candle" before.

but i'm going to again...because last night was sawyer's first night joining in on "the candle."

we started it 7 years ago exactly.

at the beginning of advent when rebekah was a little over 2 years old.

we have an advent candle thingy that has the 4 candles (1 for each Sunday leading up to Christmas) and then the candle in the middle for Christmas day.

when rebekah was 2 and Christmas came around, i really wanted her to GET the reason for all the celebrating. we started reading her the Bible each night before she went to bed...and we'd light the candle. once Christmas was over and the candles were put away, we realized we had created a "habit" after a month of it! she still wanted that time each night. so, we gave it to her.

when i think about that time in our house each night (and it's not EVERY single night...there are nights pat works late...or we have people over...or we are just D.O.N.E. and we don't do it. but we do it probably 4-5 out of 7 nights a week) it is such a FULL time. the kids know that they have pat's FULL attention. {i just have to brag on him a bit...what started out as a "group" effort on our part - me and him doing it together - has become his thing. he typically has just walked in the door and sits down with them to do the candle. i usually disappear and stare at the wall in another room to try to unwind from the day. but he is AMAZING to be able to dig deep and switch gears and pull amazing truths out to teach our children at the end of HIS long day.} the house is relatively quiet. it is one of their favorite parts of their day. 

in our house, you go to bed at 7 pm until you can sit through the candle...then you get to stay up til 8 :-)

and you start the candle at christmas (it's a great story for little minds and hearts to take in!) 

so...sawyer joined us last night!

there was some extra talking and movement...but he did pretty well for his first night!

{most of the time he was on my lap on the floor - i will be joining in to transition him to the candle...but he had to get on the couch for a little bit! he felt so BIG!) 

and all morning he's been going over to the candles and saying, "'gain? Bible?"

precious!