Friday nights

My kids call Friday nights "sleepover party night" because when they were toddlers I would let them watch a video in my bed at bedtime and then they'd sleep with me.  Now it's evolved into a night where we all pretty much relax together and watch a movie and eat whatever we want.  It's usually pizza or somthing we call "blue tray."  Blue tray is served in a plastic blue hors d'ouevre tray and I put different things we like in each section.  Usually sliced pepperoni, cheese, black olives, some veggies if I can convince them like carrots or tomatoes, and crackers or chips.  Essentially blue tray is pizza before you assemble and cook it.  The kids still want to sleep in my bed but now I lay down with them and then when they are sound asleep I go to another bed to sleep.

It's an important family tradition, and we give up things sometimes to have this time together.  I didn't apply for a job recently when I found out that I would have to work late on Fridays because this is important time together for us.  They have decided not to go to certain events, or when I've suggested that we go "out" to a movie on Friday they rarely want to do that.  I am grateful that, at this age at least, they'd rather spend a night chillin' with Mom than doing something else.  One time Sierra chose to go to a friend's birthday party on a Friday night, and occasionally I go to a weekend retreat that starts on Friday.  But in general this is our family "Sabbath."  It's necessary and sacred to us.

This morning they are sleeping a little late because we stayed up a little later than usual.  Jeremiah and I watched the movie The Blind Side.  This was a big deal because it's his first PG-13 movie.   I had already seen it, of course, and knew he'd be able to handle the drug references and the violent scene in the drug dealer's apartment.  The thing I thought would be difficult for him to understand was the flashback of the kids being taken from their mother to go to foster care.  And the thing I thought would lead to a question I might not be ready to answer, when Leigh Ann tells Michael "if you get a girl pregnant out of wedlock, so help me God I will drive up here myself and cut off your penis" didn't even cause Jeremiah to raise an eyebrow.  My original plan was to somehow distract him during this part, or ignore it and hope he did, too.  But instead we watched the scene together and in spite of myself I laughed outloud.  Still no eyebrow raising or questions.  Either he's somehow got all the facts on his own or he's oblivious.  Sadly, as his mother, I still have no idea.  All those Viagra commercials during sporting events on TV and still no questions.

The day will come when we will talk about the birds and the bees.  But apparently that day is not today.