True Story

So, on Friday evening after returning from a quick excursion to the Gaylord Texan, we were all happily hanging out at home. At about 9:00 p.m. that night, Anna started asking if she and Alex could sleep outside in the backyard. My immediate reaction, although I did not voice it, was "I don't think so!" I felt this way mainly because I was ready to be back in my own bed and there was no way that I was going to be spending the night outside. And, there was no way I would let them stay out there by themselves.

However, just before I could get my response out of my mouth, Chris silently motioned me over. He said, "Let's just let them...they are not going to last, so we can just toss some sleeping bags on the trampoline and then they will be satisfied that we at least let them try." I quickly agreed...there was no way they would last more than 5...10 minutes tops, without one of us out there.

So, I happily turned around and granted Anna's request. Needless to say, they were thrilled and somewhat astounded that we had agreed. They ran upstairs and put on jammies, which were in no way warm enough to last for long. But, I didn't utter a word, after all they weren't going to be out there long. We threw two big sleeping bags on the trampoline and they hopped in.

They were so excited and way too pumped to go to sleep...





Right?....WRONG. Chris and I had started on cleaning out our closet and I realized that about 10 minutes had passed....I needed to go check on them. I peeked out the window, but no one was moving our bouncing around. Strange, I was sure that they would be restless. I waited about another 15 minutes and still they had not made a peep...no one had tried to come in...nothing. So, I ventured out the back door to have a look up close...



They were both sound asleep. I was SHOCKED, I couldn't believe that there had been no requests for another hug, no need for a drink of water, no one asking for me to sing another song. Maybe I should let them sleep outside every night!

In the interest of sleeping in the next morning, when Chris and I went to bed (at 1:00 a.m.) we brought them in the house. Neither one woke up during this transition, so when Saturday morning rolled around Anna's first words out of her mouth were, "Why am I in here?"

Maybe, just maybe, some day I will be brave enough to let them stay out all night.