What Do I Value?

Loaded question, right?

I am speaking on merely basic terms...nothing major...at least that's my intention.

I am realizing...
...that I will have been out of high school for 10 years this year.
...I met my husband 8 years ago.
...I finished college 6 years ago.
...we will have been married for 6 years in May.
...we had our first child 3 1/2 years ago and are expecting the arrival of our second daughter at the end of June.
...I will be 28 years old in July...(young, right?)

After realizing all this, I am moderately amazed, but not surprised, that what I humanly valued 10 years ago, I still greatly value today.

I value...
...good conversations with great friends.
...a good dessert loaded with calories. :o)
...a fast-paced, well written book.
...my "me" time.
...my family.
...positive, infulential people in the media and in my personal life.
...common sense and reasoning; logic is a virtue in my world.
...well delivered critiques.
...simple joys that can be found when playing with small children.
...SLEEP.

The last one...SLEEP. It has become something that I've never really been able to fully achieve when I most want or need it. I love sleep. I love being warm and cozy in my cocoon of covers. (Brian wonders why I try to kick him out of bed in the morning...it's simple; I Want The Covers - and to a degree the bed - all to myself.) I love feeling refreshed. (My body requires more sleep than the average adult. Please don't laugh at or mock me when I say that I thrive and do my best on at least 12 full hours of sleep.) I love being able to start a new day with a fresh outlook...even if it may be noon when I roll out of my cocoon.

When I first came to Chicago, I had to be at work at 6:30am...6:30AM!!! When there was an opening to work in the "late classes" 3 days a week, I jumped at it because it meant that I wouldn't have to be at work until 9:30-10am or later...I didn't care that it meant I wouldn't get home until 7-7:30pm, I wanted my sleep.

I stopped working when Mackenzie was born. Now, we all know that if you plan on sleeping when you have a newborn, you can just kiss that pipe-dream goodbye. I was blessed that she would sleep until 9:30am or later, but the broken sleep with 3am feedings killed me. I'd nap when she'd nap, but it's not the same as a full night's rest. (I am NOT looking forward to the sleep schedule that awaits me in a few short months.)

I can only dream of a day when I can make my own sleeping schedule...that'll be when the kids are all in college, unless I've gone back to work full-time by then. :oP Which means I've got...hmm...over 19 years to go at least (add more years if we have more kids.) During those years I will be at the mercy of school schedules and events. I will be responsible for dragging my children out of bed to get dressed, fed and out the door so they aren't late. *sigh* Oh well, it's worth it.

I can long for the days when I can sleep as long as I want, but for now I will cherish the days and nights when I stay at my parents' house, or the child(ren) stay with others overnight. I will milk those precious hours of sleep for all they are worth...and I will value them all the more.