Poker Chips And Singing

Gracie and Suzie were playing in the basement while I walked on my treadmill. They drug out Chuck's poker chips and had them scattered all over the floor. Knowing the girls hate to be in the basement by themselves, I gave them a two minute warning, "You two need to start cleaning up. I'm almost done" ...huff pufff...

They paid me no mind and continued to play with the chips. Thirty minutes on the treadmill and I was done. "I'm going upstaris to take a shower." I told the girls.

Gracie asked if she could have a turn on the treadmill. "Yes. For a few minutes. Then you need to clean up." I turned the treadmill on 2 and watched Gracie step on. "I'm going upstairs. I'll be back in a minute." Suzie stood up by the treadmill and waited for her turn to walk on it. Neither one of them seemed to mind that I was leaving the basement, so I left.

Still feeling energized from my workout I took the steps upstairs two at a time. I didn't totally trust the girls on the treadmill (or to pick up their mess) so I hurried with my shower and headed back for the basement.

Opening my bedroom door I heard two little voices harmonizing up the stairs. Quietly I walked to the basement door and listened, smiling to myself as Gracie stumbled over the words "...little ones to Him belong..." ...I've told her the correct words several times, but she just cant get it... Suzie stopped singing and said, "No. Wait. Lets start over." There was a pause long enough for them to each take a breath, then I heard, "Jesus loves me this I know..."

"Caleb" I whispered. Caleb was sitting in the TV room and popped his head around the corner. I motioned my hand for him to come. Seeing I was trying to be inconspicuous, Caleb tip-toed over to me, shoulders hunched and a smile on his face.

Looking him in the eye, I held my finger to my lips and nodded toward the basement. Our eyes shifted around as we listened to the sweet sound of their voices. Caleb and I locked eyes and we smiled even bigger. "I should get my camera, shouldn't I?" Caleb raised his eyebrows and nodded.

Figuring the girls would quit singing by the time I got my camera, I lightly walked down the steps and peeked in on them. There they sat, singing together and picking up poker chips. "What are you two doing?" I smiled.

Gracie and Suzie stopped singing and looked up. "We are singing while we clean up or mess" Gracie announced the obvious. "Yeah" repeated Suzie, "We're singing and cleanin our mess"

I sat down on the floor and helped them with the chips. They continued to sing until the mess was done. Their voices are so sweet together. I seriously need to get it on video.

We trekked back up the stairs. But unbeknownst (is that a word?) to me, Suzie brought the poker chip case with her. Just about bed time, I walked into the girls room and saw the floor scattered with various colored chips. "Su.Zanna!" I sighed.

Sitting cross-legged in a sea of chips Suzie asked so innocently, "What?" I took in a deep breath and sighed again. "Clean. Up." Suzie put her head back down and went about playing with the chips. I shook my head and walked back down the hall.

About fifteen minutes later I went back to the girls room. Suzie was picking up the chips, but taking her sweet time doing in. I sat down on the floor, and for the second time that night, picked up poker chips.