2 a.m.

This family member has NEVER had sleep issues!

I awoke with a start from a very deep sleep.  A combination of added miles on my runs, Martial Arts classes (yes, to include myself..who can say "no" to the OA, the ninja, AND the mermaid??), the kid's school, and the gorgeous sunny weather we've been blessed with these last few days has had me crawling into bed without even the slightest consideration of needing to read or knit to calm my mind in preparation for my much coveted sleep.

Sleep.  I didn't sleep through the night with consistency until we moved to our newest location about a year and a half ago.  My Ninja was 7.  I do not exaggerate.  Sleeping issues were probably our hardest fought demons of autism...at least the lack thereof was of monumental consequence to the entire family...and by that I mean "Mommy" because I set the tone for the mornings and the tone was not always...beautiful...back in those days.

Speaking of newest location, for my readers who do not know, we moved over several hills and through some woods to a lively little college town to follow the Oversized Asian's job promotion.  It has been a whirlwind, and we moved twice in one year.  Our first move was to to a rented home which was lovely but plagued with carpet and no back yard.  Ahem, two dogs, two children, and a stack of allergies...one gets the picture...(and the picture wasn't pretty and was drawn daily in the carpet...ACK!).  Our second move was into our current home which we are purchasing.  The OA and I have already ripped up the majority of the carpet that creeped in the bedrooms which has left us walking on concrete that I envision painted a gorgeous white someday.  Always a work in progress...this thing called "home".

Sleep.  Something I've learned how to function with deep, short spurts of.  It's kind of fun succumbing to the odd hours of my occasional bouts of insomnia.  Tonight, or rather, this morning I felt the intense need to pray with sincerity over my family, my home, and another family, and their home.  For the possibilities and the protection and our peace.  And for sleep.

My favorite thing to do is to peer in on my children as they sleep.  Is there a more beautiful moment to quietly thank God for His undeserved blessings?