------- . . . Yes, it really seems true that my favorite part of fatherhood is bedtime. Each and every experience has a charm of its own, but there's just something about that tender moment when you lay your child down, kiss his head, and say goodnight. Some nights I'll crawl in bed beside my little ones and read them a bedtime story, or just talk about all the wonderful things that filled the day with delight. Other nights I might just tuck the corners of the sheets under the mattress, say a few words of encouragement, and bid my wondrous child a fantastic journey into dreamland.
-------When my first son was not quite two years old, I experienced one of the greatest moments of my life in the simplicity of his words. I took him with me for a rare ride in my truck as I went on a routine run to a nearby convenience store for a few items needed for our evening meal. I didn't think much about the simple event. I was just happy to have him alongside me, and he enjoyed being treated special, buckled in with the "big boy" seatbelt instead of his usual car seat in Mommy's car. We returned home only moments after departing with our groceries in tow. I thought nothing more of the little task for several hours.
-------That night as I tucked my son in bed and told him goodnight, I heard a faint mumble. Bending down to position my ear closer to the tiny mouth I asked him to repeat himself. "Gank-oo fur takun' me wiff you in your truck a-day," was the reply. Tears filled my eyes in an instant as I became numb with the warmest of emotions.
-------To think that something so routine, so trivial, could have an impact so strong. I felt a kind of love I'd never experienced before in that little voice's gratitude. His words told me I was special, and that he was happy to share the moment with me. More than that, his words told me that my twenty-three pound little boy had a twenty-three ton heart.

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