In the Dark

Photo by txkimmers.

The other night Orlando was walking around the house turning off all the lights and shining his flashlight around.

Rom kept turning the lights back on because he was trying to get stuff done.

Finally, we decided we'd have the lights out for five minutes for a flashlight free-for-all, and then turn them back on.

The house went dark, I handed Mica a flashlight, and then we watched the kids running around shining lights on the ceiling, their feet, each other, the mirror...

I suddenly realized that I was sitting still. I realized I was sitting next to my husband. We were holding hands! And talking to each other!

We were engaging in conversus noninterruptus!

There were no kids crawling on, under, or between us. No one asking us if we knew who the biggest robot or strongest superhero was. No one crying because they'd been bonked, run-over, or had a toy unceremoniously taken from their hands from a sibling.

Our kids had no idea that the lights were out for much longer than the originally planned five minutes.

I think we've found a new nightly ritual.