Insomnia

It's been one of those nights when I can't sleep. They're pretty rare, what with working full time and raising two small children; most nights, my mind is asleep far before my body actually makes contact with the bed.

But this evening, I slept for two hours, and woke up. I tossed, and turned, and tossed some more, and then came to the computer to do lesson plans.

Not two minutes passed before I heard my boy wrestle the night time demons. O has always had trouble sleeping, and melatonin helps him to fall asleep. But every night, between 12 and 2, he typically wakes up and talks. Or screams. Or both. He finds his way to our room much of the time, and into our bed.

"Mama." His voice, thick with sleep, called for me. "Mama." He was at the bedroom door, and I surprised him with the fact that I was behind him in the kitchen rather than in my bed. I picked up his chilled little body (he refuses pajamas for the most part now) and carried him into bed.

But he wouldn't sleep. Perhaps he typically doesn't sleep; it's possible that I'm so exhausted that I don't notice how he lies awake and fiddles with the covers, or that he shoves his legs in between my knees for pressure. Every time I thought he was asleep (since I clearly wasn't), I tried to slip out of bed.

It wasn't happening.

An hour later, he was finally asleep, and I snuck off to finish what needed to be done.

***

The quiet of the night isn't something I typically enjoy, as I stated earlier. I'm a morning person. But I had time to reflect this evening. I prayed for friends. I read articles. I thought about gratitude. I started on a side project that people have been telling me I should do for a long time. I wrote a few notes. I thought about all the things that needed to be done. I watched a TV show.

I got so much done.

And I'm sure I'll regret it at some point, but not right now. There is so much to be thankful for, and so much to get done.

The day is full of promise, and the world is waiting.

And I'm coming for it all.