'Daddy, I'm hot'

I get to put the boys to bed most of the time, and one of the last things I tell them, along with 'I love you' is 'No talking; no coming out -- go to sleep.'

But someone always comes out. Tonight, it was Porter. He peeked out from around the door. I always can see them coming since I sit in the big yellow chair -- straight shot from me to their room. He walked quickly, short steps, up to me and said in a little sleepy voice, "Daddy, I'm hot."

Of course he was -- he's like me. We had the air on 72, but it blows first in their room before hitting the thermostat in the den, so it sometimes gets warmer in there. Plus, he's hot natured, like me, and he was sleeping under his sleeping bag, with a t-shirt and undies on. He usually sleeps nekkid...

"You can take your clothes off. And I'll turn the heat down," I told him -- I helped him off with his t-shirt, and he scooted off back to bed.

It made me think, though -- when I get hot, I can just walk over and change the temp. When I'm thirsty, I get a drink. When I'm hungry, I hit the fridge -- or if it's something in particular I want, I can make it, or go get it. When I go to the bathroom, I can turn the light off myself.

But they can't always do all that -- Jackson and Porter are growing into very self-reliant little boys, but they're still little boys. I forget sometimes that as much as anything else they need me and their Mom for, they need us for the little things. Little things are big things for them.

Reminder to me: it may be something small or trivial to me, but when Pid's thirsty, he's thirsty -- If I don't help him, who will? Even if he doesn't say 'please.' It is a blessing to be needed and loved like that.