Back at the very beginning of summer when we first started talking about middle school, John asked if he could get a big bed in his room rather than his “baby beds”.  I admit, they are babyish – not the size necessarily, but the scalloped head and foot boards that I chose when he was two.  In the blink of an eye, summer was gone and no new bed had been procured.  Oops!  I tortured him and Honey by making them cruise the internet for beds for at least an hour on Saturday afternoon, and we did order one but it hasn’t arrived just yet.

Well, the night before school it dawned on me that the boys would have extremely different schedules for basically eternity.  (As in until John is a senior and Whit is a freshman.  In high school.)  This coupled with the fact that I knew a big bed was coming (and little brother would be booted from the room) prompted me to ask Whit if he might want to try sleeping in his own room.  For the first time ever.  As soon as I said it, I regretted it, but he said “sure”.  He’s had his own room since we moved here eight years ago, but he’s shared John’s room since the very night he left the crib.

I was already on edge about school and this really just about did me in.  He happily read his book for a few minutes while I put away some laundry.  I went back in to lay down with him and found him like this…

… asleep in his own room in the bed that was my sister’s growing up with his stuffed animals around him and his book on his chest.  So big, and so little all at the same time.

It’s the end of an era here.  A sweet set of years where two brothers shared a room and fell asleep talking, night after night after night.  Hold on to your babies, ladies.  It all goes by way too fast.

Sweet dreams, boys.

DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED
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