Go time!

As of tomorrow, my husband is getting a shift change with his job. Instead of working during the day, he'll be working at night. This will also mean that the "morning routine" will change, as well. Since he won't be getting to bed until 2:30-3 a.m., it will now become my job to get our daughter up for school at 7 and drive her there. He'll take on the task of caring for the baby in the mornings. (I know they say that couples shouldn't "divide" jobs in their marriage, but, you know what? So far, that approach has worked out pretty well for us. Of course, it's not set in stone. That kinda thing changes if one of us is busy with the kids, gets sick, isn't home, etc.)

Part of me is NOT happy about this, because I've enjoyed being a night owl. But now I will HAVE to become a morning person, on account of the school thing.

Another part sees one thing: Opportunity. Just as I reveled in the peacefulness of the late evening hours to write, read, whatever, I can also do the same in the early morning hours. That is, before it's time to shower and get Jen up, etc.

Not only that, but now I can FINALLY do something I've been wanting to do for so long: Go for a run. It's been a loooong time since I have done any running, and that desire to run again has just been burning within me SOOO bad! I WANT to run again! I really want to. And with this shift change, some part of me is saying, "Now I CAN run again!" Of course, I know I can't jump into a running program whole hog. I have to plan my route, start small and figure out the best time to do it. And with hubby at home, it's the perfect opportunity to start it up again. I wouldn't run in the evenings, because it's not safe to be out at night by myself, but now I can do this since he's with the baby in the daytime.

It's also an even bigger opportunity to write a story I've had planned for a long time. The character in my story is a 13-year-old boy who is a runner. Maybe I'll be able to relate to the struggles he faces in the story, even though there's a huge age and gender difference. (Hah!) But the story has a religious theme and that is how I think we can relate to each other in our quest to succeed as a runner. Both I and my character are Christians. (I'm not giving away the details of the story here, but I will just say that the character and I will BOTH have a physical struggle to overcome.)

So with something bad comes something good. It's still interesting how this change just happened, just like that. I'm so grateful that my desire to run again has finally been answered. (Praise God! He's been answering so many of my prayers!!) But more important, I'm grateful for that little nudge within telling me, "It's go time!"

Bring it on!!