The early bird gets an early bedtime and that's about it

Sunday I broke an unwelcome streak: Number of days in a row I got up before 7 a.m.

I slept in until 7:30 a.m.

This, I think, is by far the biggest change I've made in having kids, and it's also the most disturbing. Before Children (B.C.), 6 a.m. was the unholy hour (it's no coincidence that there's a 6 in the time). I got up before then only to climb mountains, which was fun, or when I had to go to an assignment, which was usually not fun (Easter Sunrise Service, for instance). And I was always in a horrible mood either way.

Even when Jayden was born, I'd escape the witching hour more often than not. Kate, a morning person, usually got up early with the boy. I'm actually not proud of that, but that's the way it was.

But now? I'm usually up by 6:45 a.m., and now that I'm training for the marathon, I've strapped on a head lamp and began a run at 6 a.m.*

*I swear, seriously swear and hope to die and stick a needle and all that, that this will not become a marathon blog. I'm sure you're sick of hearing about it. It's basically most of what I've got going on in my life right now, so that's why I'm writing about it. I apologize.

I have to admit, I've enjoy the morning these days. There are sunrises, which turn the sky pink, and there is a certain chill in Colorado that you can only find in the morning, and this chill is annoying and special at the same time. Plus I've seen a few more animals on the run, like a few crazy foxes, and that's pretty cool.

But it's also disturbing to be awake, up and bright-eyed and sorta bushy-tailed because, well, it's another sign that I'm becoming my parents. And I usually go to bed by 10:30 p.m. That's kinda lame. I used to stay up playing video games or with my nose in a book until 2 a.m. sometimes. Now at 2 a.m. I'm dreaming about my flushes getting there in huge, multi-way pots (which is proof that it's really a dream, I don't even get excited in my dreams any longer because I know they're just virtual chips that will disappear the moment the roar of Kate's shower jabs me awake). 

I love running in the morning now. I've got a run scheduled for Saturday with a group at 7:30 a.m.

But I'm not a morning person. I'm just a person who gets up early all the time.