Ask almost any mom who made the first mistake and she’ll tell you.

Once you let your child sleep in bed with you, it’s down hill from there. When our oldest, Holly Faith, now 3, was born, we were so excited to be parents. We followed all the best advice, but when it came to sleeping at night, we were desperate.

It started as an accident – a tired mom desperate for sleep so she could go to work the next day. With breastfeeding Holly – and later Heidi – I had to be the one to get up in the middle of the night. One night, after Holly had nursed, we both fell asleep in the rocker recliner.

And that’s where it all began.

Soon, she only wanted to sleep with Mom – and later Dad, with all three

of us in the bed together.

Before our youngest was born, we worked very hard and got her used to sleeping in her own bed. When the baby was born it was, like they say,

déjà vu all over again.

The baby slept with Mom in the rocker recliner and soon, Holly wanted to sleep in our bed with Dad.

I suppose that if we ever worked really hard at it, we could break our sleeping habit. But, as a couple of parents who had children a little later in life, we know one thing all too well -- life is short. We’ll blink our eyes once and the kids will be in school, twice and they’ll be graduating from high school.

I kind of figure that pretty soon, the kids won’t want much to do with their old-fashioned, out-of-touch parents. And maybe then we’ll get a good night’s sleep.

But from time to time, it wears on me a little bit.

Last week, it seemed I was especially tired. All the gloom and doom on the news – especially the ever-sinking economy -- had worn me out.

Holly, though, wasn’t quite ready to go to sleep.

Daddy was rocking the little one to sleep, but Holly wanted to go to bed with me. She tossed and turned, whispered, giggled, sang songs and said her bedtime prayers – about 50 times.

“Please scoot over and hush,” I said. “Mommy's very tired.”

That didn’t work. She rolled around some more, whispered more, and asked

how to spell about 20 more words.

She finally was ready to go to sleep, but wanted to cuddle. I was on the

edge of the bed, ready to roll off.

“Holly,” I whispered angrily. “Scoot over. I’m trying to go to sleep.”

Her response was quick.

“But Mama,” she said, ever so sweetly, “I just want us to be together.”

Talk about feeling bad. I was tired, grumpy and wanting to go to sleep.

All I wanted was to be left alone -- and all she wanted was to “be

together” with her Mom.

I gave her a good-night kiss and decided I could curl up with my little girl. I could get a good night’s sleep tomorrow night.

And I said a thankful prayer for two healthy children, a devoted husband and a warm house.

As our daughter drifted off to sleep, I touched her hair and one specific Bible verse came to mind:

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” – James 4:8.