Just when I've got it figured out, they change the rules.

Just when I think my boys are the human equivalent of a wild Mustang horse they go and surprise me.

We had all of Angie's cousins and their families over tonight for our annual get together, along with spouses and children. All told, we had 8 adults, a 7 month old, a 3 year old, a 6 year old, and my three hellions under one roof. Amidst all the eating, talking, yelling, crying, and general mayhem I noticed Rakes and Trot were MIA. Imagine my surprise when I wandered into the playroom and found this image.

The two of them, as quiet and still as church mice watching "Peter Pan". Rakes with his shirt on backwards and Trot with his pants halfway down his butt in complete awe of a movie made who knows how many years ago. All the noise, chaos, and people in the house forgotten, for a few brief minutes they were a couple of absolute angels watching a smart aleck kid in green tights fly around a pirate ship. It's moments like this that make this Dad start to tear up and wish I could stop time in it's tracks and things would stay just the way they are.

Insignificant in all this is that they were rooting for Captain Hook to JUST THIS ONCE beat Peter or wondering why can't Wendy be the one the crocodile wants to eat; they just looked so small and innocent that I wanted to grab both of them in a big bear hug and not let go.

Naturally, the moment was gone as soon as I took the picture; Rakes grabbed his light saber, Trot grabbed a plastic .357 Magnum and they were off to terrorize their sister and cousins for the next 30 minutes.

It doesn't really matter, though. I got my moment.

And that's good enough for me.