While He Was Sleeping

Yep. I knew it was coming. It was just a matter of time.

I go to bed one night, wake up the next morning, and discover that this happened while he was sleeping:

He passed me right up. I don't look all together thrilled about it, do I?

I snapped the following picture a few months ago when this same son came downstairs after getting ready for bed. It totally cracked me up, as Son #1 has been wearing this same t-shirt to bed for something like 11 years. When he was just a little guy, a friend of ours was in pharmaceuticals and gave him this t-shirt. I put it on him as a night shirt. It fell midway between his calf and his ankle. He frequently wore it as a toddler, and you could say it grew on him. It was soon associated with comfort and all things familiar. Now as an almost-teenager, he still often wears it to bed. Thread-bare, worn, and a bit snug, its days are probably numbered. But I love being able to track his growth with a silly, unexpected thing like this t-shirt.

As bittersweet as these reminders of growth can be, I'm so thankful for not only the physical growth and health that God has given our boys, but the emotional and spiritual growth, as well. I'm more acutely aware than ever before how very quickly these days are passing. And with each new milestone...with each new marking up the growth chart...I'm praying with fervency that God captures their hearts. I pray they'll be convinced, without a doubt, that there's no way they could live without Him.

[And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40]