Stop or I'll Sing!

It's been really cold these last few days - temperatures in the single digits with wind chills well below zero. Yes. I am aware it's January in Chicagoland. I get that it's supposed to be cold. But sometimes I forget exactly how cold, and I do silly things like step outside with no coat and just my socks to grab a box off the front porch. Then I come back in the house and I'm chilled to the bone for a really long time.

That's what happened today. I decided there was no better way to kick that chilled-to-the-bone feeling than to climb into my bed, pile on the covers, and read Garlic and Sapphires for awhile. One by one the kids found me and snuggled down next to me. Kelsey was on the outside corner, Erin was on the other side, and Drew was sort of bouncing all over the place.

It didn't take long for the silliness to set in and then Erin started nudging Kelsey and me ever closer to the edge of the bed. Kelsey was warm and comfortable in her spot and she wanted to stay there. Her pleas to her sister for mercy went unheeded, right up until she threatened, "STOP OR I'LL SING!"

Please understand that the Good Lord has blessed Kelsey with many talents. She's gorgeous. She's funny. She's smart. She's a gifted writer and poet. She's coordinated and athletic. But she is a terrible singer. I say that with love, since I can't sing either. The irony is that while 4 out of 5 members of the 5 Ring Circus are awful singers, we can all tell when someone's singing off key, and it drives us crazy. So when Kelsey threatened to sing the tables were turned, and suddenly it was Erin who was begging for mercy.

With most of the holiday stress behind us, it felt good to hold each other close in a warm house, act silly, and enjoy the day.