a six-year-old boy's prayer

Word for word, this was my son's prayer tonight at bedtime:

Dear God,

Please help me stop being so funny. When I talk at school, my friends laugh so hard they stop breathing. I am really afraid they are going to die and I don't want that to happen because then I'll have to make new friends. Also, thank you for my Mommy coming back. I'm very happy that she is home again because I love her and the house was starting to get messy.

Amen.

The children greeted me tonight in the driveway, with bouquets of flowers and handmade signs as I stepped out of the car that drove me home from the airport. I'm certain that the feeling of adoration that swept over me was compounded by the fact that I've been out of town for the better part of two weeks. Charlie, on the other hand, who has been holding down the fort on his own is undoubtedly ready for a two-month vacation.

In addition to hosting a Girl Scout meeting (in my absence), he has volunteered, cleaned, cooked, laundered and kept our children healthy and happy. There's not a word in the English language to conjure the admiration I have for the man who is truly my better half...

So, I guess I'll just say that I'm incredibly lucky.