Thankful for 2nd shift

Today I am so thankful for the year and a half my husband spent on his crazy schedule 2nd shift.  He would be gone so many hours of the day and there were so many negatives about that shift, and yet it was perfect for that time.  It was such a gift I only just now begin to comprehend.  I would go to sleep when the children headed to bed and I would wake up to his phone call on his way home from work in the middle of the night.  We would talk about the days events, about our struggles, our joys, and our trials.  Ali would usually wake up right about the time he was getting home.  I often got her out of bed to say hello to her daddy and play with us for just a few minutes.  Then I would put her back in bed.  Al and I would spend another couple hours unwinding together.  Ali would sometimes play and sometimes sleep.  But we always looked over and saw her laying there beside us in her crib.  We laughed and deeply enjoyed seeing her playing with her crib toys.  Often we'd talk to her as she'd wiggle and squirm.

God gave Al and I this precious time together that we so needed to hold our marriage together in the midst of the craziness, trials, and burdens of our life.  It was one of the best parts of my day.  But I also just realized how Ali got to share that time with us.  Time that the other children didn't get while they were fast asleep in their beds.  This refuge, this beautiful treasured time we only shared with Ali.  She got a little quiet time alone every night with just mom and dad.  Time we wouldn't have had like that on this new day shift schedule.  Al's first day on dayshift was the day we took Ali to the hospital.  God's timing is always perfect.