Memorable Moments with Mom

I love fires! Before you pick up your phone to call the proper authorities to warn them of my pyrotechnic tendencies I mean a controlled fire that one makes in the safety of a fireplace or outside fire pit. There is something about the warmth of the fire on a cold day or night that lulls the emotions to rest. As much as I enjoy fires, and while I have both a fireplace and an outside fire pit, I'm ashamed to say I have only used the fire pit once, and have just recently put the fireplace to use. In June we had an AC unit installed, and the contractor must have crossed wires and disconnected the heater. We often experience extreme temperatures on the hill, as there are no shade trees, only brush. It hasn't been extremely cold in the evenings, but it has dipped down to lower 60's. As a source of heat, we decided to put to use the piles of firewood and kindling we have stockpiled at the back of our property along the fence line. I refuse to place in a television in our sitting room where the fireplace is located, so the children had no choice but to enjoy the fire while listening to me read aloud. They loved it so much they decided to have a camp out in our sitting room. My goal for the girls while they are in our home, is to expose them to as much God as possible, to create meaningful experiences and memories, and to educate them as much as possible. All of us, except George who is only home on the weekends, have come down with some type of cold. While I'm unable to hold four children in my lap and rock them to comfort, I believe they felt that love last night and the fire was able to capture their woes as a substitute for my all too small lap. I look forward to the holidays as we travel with the girls. They have never experienced traveling, staying in hotels, or a real vacation. Our goals as parents should stay consistent with our own children. They will have the rest of their lives to be adults and be independent, yet they will only have a few years to build memories from their childhood. Let's help them build all they can.