don't forget to soak it up

This morning I got up early to pray and to write.
I fell back asleep half way through my prayer time and
dreamed that I was an hour and a half
late to meet my friend Lindsey for coffee.
Luckily, I don't have to meet her until Thursday afternoon
so we are good. But I tend to get frantic when I am on a writing deadline
and it shows up in my dreams.
Before the boys were headed to school, I was already at the computer.
I asked the boys, "Pray for me that I can get a lot of writing done."
Addison looked at me and said,
"Mom, how many books are you going to write?"
And I said, "Why? Do you not want me to write any more books?"
He said,"No...
I just want to know if you are going to pick me up late from school."
He knows all too well the hours I keep when I am writing.
I said,"Today, I will get done writing early
and I will pick you up from school on time."
Will piped up, "And then you will you spend time with us?"
Sweet mercy, the children, they are truth tellers, one and all.
"Yes." He pinned me with a solemn stare
 to make sure I would keep my promise.
I hugged them and kissed them
and remembered what my sister Erica says,
"These are the good old days...we have to soak them up."
So I have made a pact with myself. I am writing like crazy this week.
I may not even breathe. And then next week, when it is spring break and
the boys are home for 10 days straight?
We are going for broke. There will be chocolate and fun and snuggling
and playing and sleeping in and time spent together.
And I am going to soak it up.