Golden Slumbers

My alarm goes off at 5:00 A.M. every weekday. Sure, I hit the snooze button for a while, but once the alarm goes off the first time, I'm not really sleeping so much as beginning to mentally pull myself awake and prepare for the challenges of the day. I drag my "not a morning person" self out of bed no later than 6:00, to get myself physically ready for the onslaught of children to arrive at my daycare door.

My biorhythms scream to me that I am not meant to be functioning at that hour of the morning. You would think that after decades of this profession that my body would have adjusted, but it refuses. I simply resent being awake so early, and it takes me hours to get going. That is how I know I'm not a "crack of dawn" person.

I am so much more productive when allowed to go to bed when I want to, instead of forcing myself to go to bed when I should to try to get the amount of sleep I need. As it is now, I should go to bed by 9:00 in order to fit in 8 hours of sleep, but it feels unnatural for me to go to bed that early. Although I may be exhausted, I often get a second wind around that time, and that is when I get creative or industrious. My ideal sleep schedule would be about midnight to 9:00A.M. Today, I must admit I got considerably more than that...making up for the sleep deficit that I accrue throughout the week.

I feel amazing today! Although my day started very late, I had energy when I did get up. Weekdays are too busy to take time for a sit-down breakfast, so we fend for ourselves. Every Saturday and Sunday, however, I make Scott and me brunch. Since brunch, I've vacuumed, mopped the kitchen, cleaned a bathroom, washed pots and pans and half-way organized a closet. I'll be cooking dinner momentarily too. Quite productive for one of my precious days off!

Today, beginning the day when I felt like it, coupled with the freedom to spend it as I wanted, has made this the nearly perfect day. Oftentimes, there are errands or appointments to which we must attend on the weekend. Our work schedules are time-demanding, leaving little flexibility for say, haircuts or shopping during the week. It is spectacular to have an unscheduled day with no pressing obligations to just do as much or as little as I want, without guilt.

I suppose there would be one less item on my list of things for which I am thankful, were I able to sleep and awake whenever I pleased every day, but I don't think I'd mind. While sleep may not be a priority in some people's lives, it is absolutely fundamental to mine. Someday when I can live my dream of having a career without early morning hours, that will be the thing for which I am thankful.