Sleeping Late

I never knew what sleeping late was when I was growing up.  We lived on a dairy farm and everybody in the family got up before the chickens to go out and do chores so we could continue on through the day.  It was something I accepted - probably because I didn't know any different. 

Then, I remember when my own children were young and the traditions continued.  Bridgette had a friend who was a couple of years older and when this friend started school she talked about having to get up so early.  Why, it was still dark, even!  Bridgette just looked at her with this "so what?" look on her face.  Perhaps it was because she had done this most of her life and didn't know things could be different.

That was one promise I made to myself when I was in graduate school.  If I ever got a job teaching school, on weekends and holidays I intended to sleep late.  At first I sometimes had to force myself to stay in bed till eight o'clock.  It wasn't a big chore.  I just kept a book on the bedside table and would lay there and read.  At the time I was still a night owl and I had no problem sliding back into sleep and awakening later when the sun was already up.  Since I've gotten married, I have found that I have no problem sleeping later or going back to sleep and getting up after the sun has already warmed the horizon.  Why, I can even do this when I go to bed at an ungodly early hour like ten o'clock or even nine-thirty.  Plus, I sleep far more deeply and continuously - none of this awakening at two o'clock and not being able to roll over and fall back into sleep.  As soon as my head hits the pillow, I begin to nod most nights even if I think I'm going to read a few pages while Mike snores beside me.  For some reason, I just need more sleep. 

Yesterday, when Forest was visiting, he informed me that his parents are just as cruel and thoughtless as mine used to be.  He doesn't even get a full night's sleep.  He told me that he only "gets to sleep half the night."  They have to "get up in the night-time and go to the barn to help milk."  He likes it better when he gets "to sleep till daytime."  Boy, so do I.  I shared with him that Mike sometimes has to get up in the middle of the night like that and go to work and it is really hard for me when he does. 

On Monday, when Mike had to get up and leave for work at six o'clock in the morning, it truly felt like the middle of the night just as Forest described for himself.  I was almost unconscious when Mike got up to shower and ready himself for the day.  I apologized for not being a better wife who got up and cooked breakfast and packed a gourmet lunch but I just had to be selfish that morning.  We had spent most of the weekend outside enjoying the beautiful spring weather and puttering in the yard and my body and my mind were simply too pooped.  So, I just mumbled and groggily kissed him goodbye when he bent over the bed on Monday morning.  I guess I'm a lot like Forest.  I don't like getting up in the middle of the night.  I like to sleep "till daytime."  Now-a-days I don't just like sleeping "till daytime."  I NEED it!