Waiting For Bed Time

I slept in this morning…all of the way until 8:30 a.m.; the sun faintly streaming into my room, the sound of a neighbor mowing the lawn, my children watching cartoons, life easing into a day. 

It was glorious.

 

It was also a sign of two things:

1. I am getting old.
2. My kids are getting old.

Remember when we used to sleep in until 11 a.m., even noon…completely missing the breakfast menu at McDonalds? Barely making it up in time for kick-off of the Packer game? 

I know I am getting old because the thought of wasting an entire ½ of the day seems ludicrous to me now.  But I used to do it all of the time.

Then, remember when our kids were little and no matter how much sleep we got – or didn’t get – they were up at 5 a.m., ready for the day to start?

As someone married to a funeral director, those are the days I remember most.

I remember days when I couldn’t wait for bed time to come. At 8 a.m., I’d start praying for the end of the day to come quickly. I’d plan a rapid succession of bath, book and bed for my children. I’d lovingly remind myself, as my eyes drooped and my energy ebbed, that I’d be able to return to my bed in about 12 hours.  I would spend most of the day waiting for bed time.

These days usually followed nights full of calls, babies and barely making it into Stage 3. They would always start way too early and my director would always be gone all day long.  They were usually work days.

I love the advice that people give new mothers – “sleep when your baby sleeps.”  Sure.

I never did that.

When my baby was sleeping, I was working.  When my second baby was sleeping, I was either working or coaxing her older sister to nap.  When both of my kids were napping, I was either working at work – or working at home.

And if my director had a night like I did – and he had a chance to rest – he rested…because the next night could be just as bad, if not worse, and he had to work the next day…no matter what.

When you’re sharing life with a funeral director and you have kids, you know what it’s like to wait for bed time.  And it’s perfectly acceptable to change the clocks to make it come sooner. 

Now that my children are older, I feel very lucky to have the luxury of sleeping in until 8:30 a.m. I know how blessed I am that they sleep a lot longer than they used to – and if they get up before I do – they can turn on cartoons, grab some cereal and kick back until I’m ready to greet the day.  

If you are a new mom or dad, spending your life with a funeral director, just know that it’ll get better.  And if you are a seasoned parent, take a moment to feel the blessing we have of knowing how great we have it now. I know that I’ll never take it for granted.  Glorious.