Three on Thursday: Rising Early

I am, by nature, an early riser. I am not, by MOTHERHOOD, an early riser. Pre-kids I loved a 5am alarm, hitting the road running (literally) and catching the daybreak with a workout already under my belt. Unfortunately, once I had two kids, I slept until the baby alarm woke me up, stumbled around for what seemed like an hour before I was ready to even say a word, and always sort of started my day on a rough note. In January 2013 I decided that enough was enough, and I was going to start waking up with my husband, which is 4am. I was tired of waking up after he was gone, tired of not seeing him until 9 at night, and tired of being super tired in general. I will go ahead and claim that this was the best decision in my mom life, so here's what I have to share about rising early:

 1. Time Management - I used to wait until the kids went to bed to start chores, which would turn into watching a show while I folded laundry, which would turn into either forgetting about laundry and binge watching a show, OR falling asleep on the couch, which just isn't a good habit. I also struggle with the thought of a "run on day" - aka, the cycle of waking up and heading to bed with my kids, which leaves NO time to clear my mind between "shifts". Now, when I wake up at 4, I only have about two or two and a half hours before the kids get up. That is plenty of time to catch up on housework, OR time enough to "veg out" on tv, blogs, or reading, but with the knowledge that it has to eventually stop so the day can start in comparison to limitless hours in the evening.

2. Health - I have always been a big advocate of a balanced lifestyle and exercise. From the moment I stepped foot on a running trail with my dad at nine years old, I was never the same (more on that next Thursday!). Motherhood has the potential to completely rob me of that "part" of my life. There just aren't enough hours in the day to homeschool, clean, cook, manage, AND go on a run. Waking up early to run, hit the gym, or do a workout DVD not only helps me maintain energy levels comparable to my kids', but also keeps me from being too exhausted at the end of the night. I also believe that a morning workout is more likely to keep me eating clean as to not "ruin" the work I put in that morning. Plus, there is just NO better feeling than a workout, shower, and fresh start to the day.

3. Beauty of the Morning - There is something so incredibly beautiful about watching the day begin. I can't tell you how many mornings I have watched the birds in my back yard chirp and wake up the rest of the little creatures. To witness God "waking up creation" is something that NEVER grows old, and we all have the opportunity to catch that out of our own windows. There is a quiet peaceful tone to everything around me. My kids sleeping peacefully, my dog finally resting after a night of standing guard, the smell of fresh coffee, the sweet sound of birds, and the hustle and bustle of neighbor's cars coming and going as they, too, prepare to start a new day. The morning light breaking in the sky always feels like a personal "God kiss" no matter where I am as I witness it, and it is generally the time I choose to sit and read or pray before my day's responsibility begins. I am truly SAD when I sleep past daybreak, knowing that I won't get to see it again for another 24 hours. Rather than waking up in a rush as my kids demand breakfast, I much prefer to feel peaceful and ready for them to rise after having spent time admiring creation with Jesus. 

And lets be honest, sometimes...I just wake up for the coffee...