A Little Rain Must Fall....

So we had quite a storm at our house last night. There was rain and thunder outside too.

We put the kids to bed at the normal time and sat down to have some time together alone. If you have children you will understand what I mean by together alone. That's when we heard the crash and the giggles.

We walked into my eldest daughter's room to see the two girls had unlocked and opened the window and pushed out the screen. As we got closer we saw the pile of toys in the mud outside her window in the pouring rain. As my Husband taught the children about the dangers of what they had done and the consequences of said actions I was out in the pouring rain fishing toys out of the mini-lake behind the bushes outside my daughter's window. Good times.

Everyone is back in bed and toys are back in the garage where they can be properly hosed off before coming back into the house. J and I back to the sofa for our date. About 20 minutes later in runs our three (almost 4) year old yelling, "SOMEONE SAVE SISSY SHE JUMPED OUT THE WINDOW!!!!!" Oh. My. Gosh.

So J runs out the door and I run into her bedroom. What we found appeared to have once been my first born out in the lawn soaked and looking like swamp thing. I will tell you what, I have never been more scared or angry as I was right then. I praise God that Jason dealt with her before I did so I could cool down! We got her into the house where she demanded fresh clothes and to be washed up. Guess who loses the right to demand things? That's right children who jump out of their windows. So she did the best she could to clean herself up and change as we secured her window once and for all. Consequences ensued and there was a lengthy discussion about the dangers of her actions and what could have happened to her.

That was not the way I like to tuck my kids into bed. Anger and tears are not the last thing I want for them as they go to bed, but the lesson had to be learned. We went back to the couch feeling a bit shaken and tried to relax, but I just couldn't leave it like that. That's when I looked outside to see the beautiful arc that God had stretched across the sky. It reminded me that after the storms there needs to be a sign of peace and of reconciliation. So I walked into her room and got her up, walked her outside and showed her the glorious display of colors that was laid out for us.

She asked me why I would do such a nice thing for her after she had done something so naughty. I reminded her of Noah's story and how God used the flood as a consequence, but the rainbow as a promise and a sign that the flood was over. I also reminded her that no matter how naughty she acted I would never stop loving her, that in fact my love for her is what made me so scared in the first place. Then after snuggles and some kisses I tucked her into bed for the last time and we were both able to fall asleep peacefully.

It was a rough day full of small and large storms with the children, but it ended with snuggles and a chance to remind our daughters of God's love, and our love, for them. Oh yeah and we all got to see the awesome rainbow and marvel at the Master Artist.