Date

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From somewhere in the deep recesses of unconsciousness I can hear the jingling.  The wretched jingling.  Entering my dreams, beckoning me to re-enter the land of the living.  Wondering where this detestable sound could be coming from, I allow my eyes to open ever-so-slightly and realize that I was sound asleep, buried deep beneath the covers, and it is morning.  The uninvited musical disturbance is my alarm clock notifying me that it is 6.00am.  

Bleh. 

Dragging myself from my bed in the morning, no matter the time, is likely the most difficult thing I do all day.  In the dark, enthusiasm of the night before, I set my alarm clock for the required time, certain that tomorrow will indeed be the day that I willfully and with reckless abandon leap up from the comfort of my slumber and embark on the day energized and ready to move. 

Somehow, that day never comes.

Every morning, no matter how early or how late I go to bed the night before... whether I am on vacation or in the thick of a busy week... whether I am motivated by an early morning appointment or am allowed a little reprieve from the urgency that is everyday life... I hate getting up in the morning.

Those who have been following the blog recently know that we've been struggling a bit with a lack of 24-hour water in our house.  Therefore, the discipline of getting up on time every day (on time = 6.00a) has been strictly enforced.  "Can't I just sleep another 9 minutes 'til the snooze comes again?" I plead with myself every single day?  "No" comes the sharp answer from the part of my brain which regulates the need for water in our house.  If we don't get up on time, we miss the water and have bigger issues later.

So, I have now become used to getting up early and have actually come to enjoy the early morning hours... that is... once I am vertical and getting on with what needs to be done.

The part that I most enjoy, however, is that Kevin and I are both awake at that hour, both working on the household tasks, both drinking coffee, both getting the newspaper the moment it touches our doorstep, and both eating breakfast together... all while the children are still in bed and the house is marvelously quiet.   

Like most parents of young children... or all children who live in the house?!?... we cherish these quiet moments in the morning when it is just the two of us.  Our life's circumstances do not allow us to go out for 'Date Night' and so I have come to cherish these early mornings of collecting water, doing laundry, washing dishes.... together.   It makes getting up so early worth it.  It makes dragging myself from the comfort of my blankies and pillow a little more bearable.  At least we are together... in the quiet, in the coolness of the morning, a few stolen moments of calm in an otherwise chaotic existence.

~lk

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