Sleep is overrated

I had a rather lovely evening last night, catching up with one of my best friends who recently moved across town. "Across town" doesn't sound too bad, except that the Portland-Metro area is sprawling, and "across town" means the polar opposite end...45 minute drive with no traffic. There's always traffic.

It's rare that we get to hang out because of this distance, but we chat and text regularly. Last night was a rare opportunity to actually SEE each other, have coffee and catch up on the mundane and not-so mundane of our lives. After a delicious coffee at Silk, we retired to the Japanese restaurant across the parking lot for some delicious miso soup and sushi. Aside from the thermostat being set at a very chilly 60 degrees F (fine if you're working, but freezing if you're just sitting and eating), it was a lovely meal, complete with inappropriately loud laughter and name calling.

We then ventured BACK across the parking lot to the Salvation Army, where I nabbed several books for less than $5.00 total. One is a traditionally bound book, with a fabric cover and it's old enough the boards have gone a little soft. It looks lovingly worn, and I can't remember the title to save my life, but the story sounded interesting as well. However, for $1.49, I'd have bought it just for aesthetics if the story was boring.

After bidding each other good night, I went home, thinking I was in time to sneak in and tell little M good night before she dropped off to sleep. No such luck, as the girl was put to bed early (long story, but she needs more sleep, and I'd forgotten we've been moving bedtime up), and was out like a light when I got home. So, I took a nice long bath, reading one of my new books. Then went to bed, read a while longer and finally put it down when I couldn't keep my eyes open.
So I fell asleep somewhere around 11pm.

In the dead of the night, our door is flung open, and our little M is trying to get Matt to move over to make room for her in our bed. She chatters on as we try to sleep, and eventually rolls onto me and whispers in my ear "Mom, do you want to take me back to bed?" Um, yes? I can't sleep when she's in our bed, though I sure try.

We traipse back to her room, she bundles up, and I read some Dr. Doolittle to her. Three chapters later, I'm nearly falling asleep reading, and she's still NOT ASLEEP. I finally say "That's all I"m going to read", and put it down. She knows not to argue with that, especially when it's the middle of the night! Sometime she finally fell asleep, around 30 minutes to an hour after we went in there. I also fell asleep, and at 4:30am I woke up and went back to bed, pausing to reset my alarm for later, and just resign myself to a very short work day today.

Up at 6:15am, then on my way, realized I have to get gas before I could get to work. I did so, and FINALLY arrived at work at 7:45. I prefer to be here at 6:30 so I can get in a full 8 hour day before leaving to pick up the girl.
Today will simply need to be viewed as a treat - less work!