When our kids are off to bed and we return to the couch, still watching one of their cartoons, we look at each other and laugh before we browse for something else because our kids keep us young.

When we’re out in the backyard tossing the football or looking like goofballs trying to see who can jump the highest over the sprinkler, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re at the beach trying to find the perfect seashell or testing out our rock-skipping abilities, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re too tired to cook and end up with a plateful of chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re reading a bedtime story, trying to make our best villain voice, or indulging in just one more tickle fight, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re building blocks on the floor or helping with another science experiment or craft, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re wrestling on the floor or grabbing another snack from their cupboard of edible goodness, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re having another dance party and whipping out our favorite moves, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

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When we’re seeing who can go across the monkey bars faster or trying to fit down the slide without hitting our heads at the top, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re trying to beat the next level on our son’s video game or letting our daughter cover us in homemade bracelets and sparkles, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re playing hide and seek for the millionth time or piled into a blanket fort watching a movie, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re baking cupcakes with way too many sprinkles or testing out a toy we just put together, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re picking flowers on a long walk or pointing out the shapes in each of the clouds, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re gazing at all the beautiful stars or roasting marshmallows around the bonfire, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re jumping in muddy puddles or dancing in the rain, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re blowing up balloons for a birthday party or doing a flip on the trampoline, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re helping pick out a treat at the store or opening another surprise egg, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re checking for monsters under the bed or having a pillow fight, we look at each other and laugh because our kids keep us young.

When we’re filling the bath to the top with bubbles or blowing bubbles in the backyard, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re climbing up the bouncy castle stairs or accompanying them on another amusement park ride, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re competing to build the best sandcastle or zooming down a waterslide, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re teaching them a new board game or having the most exquisite tea party, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

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When we’re helping them pick what they want on the kids’ menu and drooling over what’s for dessert, we look at each other and smile because our kids keep us young.

When we’re watching them collect every pillow and teddy they own and building a giant pile to jump in, we look at each other and smile because our kids are so young.

When we’re listening to their heartfelt prayers at bedtime and tucking them in so tight, we look at our kids and smile because they truly keep us young.

When we’re talking about them growing up or told that it happens so fast we look up at the sky and just thank God . . .

that our kids are still young.