those who stay up too late, will have to wait for their joy

I'm going to really really regret being up this late in a few short hours.
But its so quiet.

And I know that when I wake up, the authoritative sound of John McArthur preaching through Acts will mingle with the frantic sound of Romulus' piercing cry "Daddy, can I please have milk with a top" and the baby patting my face and pulling my hair. And then Gladys, who turns four on Saturday, will come in and begin the long argument about who gets to be on which side. Alouicious will descend anxiously with a shouting Marigold, looking soulfully into my eyes to inquire, "What's for breakfast?" Only Elphine will clatter on in her own way--getting dressed, brushing her own hair (how AMAZING is it to have a child who can brush her own hair), unloading the dishwasher, arranging chairs.

I will regret it so much as a stumble around the kitchen trying to decide between shouting or not speaking. Lately I've been going with not speaking.
But will eventually begin to thaw after pouring half milk, half tea, one sugar into everybody's little mug and dishing out cream of wheat (because, Alouicious, that is what we are having for breakfast tomorrow) and beginning to pray

"Let us humbly confess our sins unto Almighty God.
Romulus and Gladys this is the time for you to say and feel sorry to Jesus for hitting each other just now, Almighty and Most Merciful God, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.
Yes we'll look up what 'devices' means in the dictionary in a minute.
We have offended against thy holy laws.
We'll look up 'offended' on Friday. Please pray with me as I say the words.
We have done those things which we ought not to have done.
Can anyone think of anything they ought not to have done this morning?
We have not done those things that we ought to have done.
You may have more cereal in a minute.
But Thou O Lord have mercy upon us. Spare thou those who confess their faults. Restore thou those who are penitent.
I'm sorry I forgot to give you a spoon."

And so we will say the Daily Office of Morning Prayer together, substituting a song of some kind for the Venite, and one short reading for all the readings and psalm. And then I won't notice all the noise again until about 4pm, when it will wash over me like a wave and I will think, 'Why ON EARTH did you stay up till 11:32 blogging when you could have been sleeping!?'