[I want you to read this lovely piece, written by Marti, as if God had written it about you. Since every parent I know does this, God must have originated it.]

Why do I have so many photographs of my children sleeping? You too? Let’s take a look at this phenomenon.

When sleeping, their faces are relaxed with lips parted just a bit, their lashes as still as the midnight sky, and their hands so sweetly posed that I think they are impersonating angels. When each of my children finally give in to the day, a blanket of peace surrounds our home. It is given by God as a taste of heaven.

It’s true what they say, I could stare at Christopher, Anne, or Chandler endlessly and never get bored … that is … while they are sleeping.

Chandler is more physical then his verbal sister and brother when expressing himself, always looking for every possible opportunity to be active. Chandler has only two speeds: Fast and Sleep. Everything for Chandler is rather confusing, especially as nothing will stand still for him – until he is asleep.

“Chandler keeps me grounded,” writes someone who knows what it is like when nothing will stand still. As a retired soldier (and Catch citizen), she continues, “I love his spunk, innocence, and love for his family. I like the way he believes. I really love that he knows he is loved — not just by his family, but by his friends, and the Catch community. I first felt this way when John told us about his skateboarding down the hill of your street. In total abandon, he let go of what fears he may have been experiencing, and had total faith that he could do this! Even though he was hurt, I don’t think he will ever forget that felling of utter joy skating down that hill. I also love his child logic. He says it like it is without all the hoopla. I feel a connectedness to him. Is there a better hero than Chandler?”

With all respect, Lieutenant, living with a hero who provides breaking news and feature stories every moment of every day, can be exhausting. Yet the moment he falls asleep, as though fatigue-worn from battle, I am spellbound. Feelings of deep affection overtake me and I find him inexplicably and overwhelmingly adorable (a word I would be hard pressed to use when he is awake). I just want to fold him in my arms and keep him warm. It is so incredibly tempting when I see him sleeping to want to wake him, and sometimes I do when whispering, “I love you” — a heartfelt truthful response that wasn’t on the tip of my tongue when sending him off to bed. His half-awake smile in response is so sweet as if to say, “I know Mama,” or could I be mistaken? Is his sweet mocking mouth, curled conspicuously in the right-hand corner, really saying, “Now, I really have you.”

When putting his survival instincts on the chair by his bed, as he allows his guard to retire for the evening, everything begins to be a little darker and threatening with black shadows moving. The roar of the beasts is quite different when it is dark, and above all, you tend to lose the certainty that you will win. You are quite glad that you remembered to tell the Keeper of the night to keep the night-lights turned on. Only then can you lay out flat on a strong wind that is going your way, and after a time, hear gentle breathing. As the mother, I am the trusted keeper of Chandler’s night and as with the stars, he falls asleep as the night light burns on.

That’s when I rummage through Chandler’s mind, putting things straight for the next morning. On my knees, I linger over some of its contents, wondering where on earth did he pick this thing up, making discoveries sweet and not so sweet, pressing this to my heart with smiles, and hurriedly stowing that out of sight. As with Christopher and Anne, when Chandler awakens in the morning, the confusing and alarming thoughts that he went to bed with have been tossed out the window. On the top of his mind, beautifully aired and spread out, are his kinder thoughts, ready for him to put on.

Why do our photograph albums seem to contain more pictures of my children sleeping than when they are awake?

Maybe, after all, it’s a little like getting up close to angels.