It's Not Yet 7AM.....

and Ben and I have been awake since 3:30AM:-( Ben was getting up at that time anyway in order to take a day trip to Florida, and Rachel, for some reason, woke up at that time crying and calling out for Daddy. So, Ben went in to comfort her and get her down to sleep, and I tried to stay in bed until at least 4AM.

Ben left around 4:15......and Rachel never quite went back to sleep. This is why we don't negotiate w/ toddlers and sleep. I know, that sounds horrible, but they are smart! She knows how to cry in a way that tears at my tired heart strings.......once you go back in and negotiate, there is no turning back. So, instead of having 3 hours to myself to read the Bible and finish up some things for work before the day began, I have been trying to work while hearing my name pitifully called, and sleeping w/ Rachel in my rocker (which she did really well for 45 minutes) and trying to sleep w/ Rachel in our bed. Let's just say that trying to lay down w/ her didn't work out so well......all of a sudden, someone got some energy and moved around more times than I could count w/out caffeine and stole more of my pillow and blankets than her father typically does. So, she's back in bed, and I haven't heard crying for the past 10 minutes. I'm hopeful that means that she finally crashed on her own.

I wish I knew why she woke up.......for Rachel, it's typically a combo of things (bad dreams, molars, little gas, and the list probably grew too once she was up). I'll admit it though, I did enjoy the snuggles while she was sleeping(even though my back, legs, and arms were protesting), she was exceedingly cute even when she got her burst of energy when we were laying down, and I did get some good prayer time in that eventually moved away from the "Please help her sleep, Lord!" begging. So, it does confirm that the Lord knows how to get my attention, and He is in control;-) It's amazing what He teaches us before caffeine and 7AM!