Up early

I didn't sleep good at all last night...and by 4am I was too annoyed to keep on pretending like sleep was right around the corner, so I got up and watched a weird movie (Happy Endings...anyone??)  I was annoyed because I am known for being an excellent sleeper, and my weekends are when I reallllllly get in the good sleep and wake up to my body's alarm clock.  My heart sinks when I know I don't get to sleep in again for 5 days.  Boo hoo.

So after my weird movie ended and I had watched 2 episodes of Friends and 1 of Cougartown (I need to watch that show more, I love it!) the sun had come up and I decided to walk to get coffee.  I am still discovering what is nearby in our new neighborhood, so I was delighted to find that there are a few coffee shops within a mile of our house.  I wanted to try this new little Sojo coffee but something in my scientist brain told me to check their hours of operation, and sure enough, they were closed on Sundays.  So off to Starbucks I went.  Frost was still on the grass and sidewalks, but it felt so good to stretch my legs.

I want to become one of those people who take a trash bag on walks with them and pick up litter.  That would be a sweet workout, with all the bending and lunging.  Maybe I'll get one of the picker-upper things, if this becomes something I really do?  But seriously, to the person who disposed of their large electronic device on the side of the road...really??  That was something you needed to toss out your window, not take home and throw away??

(if you are wondering where this post is coming, here comes the point...)

Once at Starbucks, I sat down with the paper for a bit...rummaged through the coupons (I also want to become a couponer...someday) and comics, then stumbled across an article about an author who got a call one day from a soldier who had found his book while deployed, and had really enjoyed how the book made him forget where he was and what he was doing.  This author was so touched that he decided to call his publisher and see if they could donate 10,000 books to the troops.  Many years and donated books later, the author got in touch with the soldier again, to say thank you for the idea, etc.  The soldier told the author that his mother had just passed away from breast cancer a few days later, so he really appreciated the call.  The author was stunned, as his own mother had just passed away recently from the same disease.  He was so amazed at how an opportunity to express gratitude had brought two men together with a very similar and powerful connection.  The author then realized, and mentioned to the solider, 'Our mothers never leave us.  Ever.'

That was just the line I needed to hear this morning.  I want to be the kind of mom that, long after I'm gone, I am still present in my children's lives through traditions and silly songs and board games, etc.  I was so touched by the idea that a mother's impact can be so powerful that her spirit never leaves.  I want to be that mom!

I guess that is motivation worth being up early for =)