What a difference!

In my previous post--Tag--I mentioned that it bugged me to get up before 8am. I didn't think much of it until today, when I thought to myself, "Wow! Does that really say 8am?!" That's AMAZING! Why? Let me rewind my life a bit and let you in on a little secret--Robyn before Annabelle.
Let's go back to any given Monday prior to 5 September 2007. I never woke up to an alarm--there was never a need. I would roll over and look at the clock: "9:00 am?! Thank goodness I have another hour!" Then I would drift in and out of wonderful sleep until about 10 am, at which time I would eat a yogurt, get dressed, and head to the gym at 11. It was fantastic working out at 11: fewer people, semi-entertaining TV playing above the treadmill for my viewing pleasure, exercising alongside stay-at-home moms rather than attention-seeking singles who strut their stuff to the drinking fountain between each set in order to a) look at themselves in the mirror or b) look at someone else in the mirror. It was ideal. I would head home between 12 and 12:30 to eat lunch: A frozen Lean Cuisine meal from the freezer. I love having a hot and nutritious lunch ready in 3-5 minutes! From there I would shower, curl my hair to perfection, apply my make-up, and make my way to the closet where I would choose from an assortment of dress pants and cute shirts, purchased from Express and Dillards to name a few. Throw on some 3-inch high-heeled boots and I'm out the door to Discover Card! Most days I would make it on time by 2. Other days, when I'd drift in and out of sleep until 11, I'd report for collections duty at 3. Such felxibility! I'd begin my day by a) heading to the cafeteria to get some water b) checking my email and c) checking my stats (in my defense, I was fairly competitive and wanted to peform well). I would take calls for a few hours, while simultaneously catching up with co-workers. Then when 6:30 or 7 came around, it was time for some good reading--Bring out the US Weekly, In Touch and Life and Style! Catching up on celeb gossip while negotiating with people who tell me, "You can't get blood from a turnip," was something I managed quite successfully: "Well sir, we here at Discover Card didn't issue a credit card to a turnip." Flip, flip, flip through the pages of my chosen mag. After work I'd head home, watch some TV while Josh studied, and go to bed around 11 or 12. I spent many days just like this one--2 years to be exact! Josh would tell you days like these will suck the soul right out of you :) I may have allowed a bit of that to happen.
Now here I am. This morning I woke up at 7:49am. I made my way into Annabelle's room. She was standing up in her crib, eager for me to come in and begin our day. I change her stinky diaper without a problem, but when I have to get something out of her nose I nearly vomit--How much sense does that make? I feed her a chocolate chip Eggo waffle, and rather than a yogurt I simply finish what she doesn't eat. We play around in our PJ's, read some books, and put the llama, bunny and chicken back into their stable at least a dozen times. Then she naps and I make an attempt to be social--getting onto Facebook and Blogger to check for updates :) I decide since we're not heading out into real civilization today, there's no need for curls and lip gloss, not to mention the 3-inch heels! My Pants and shirts from Express still hang in the closet, but I reach for the drawers instead, and lift out my Barq's Root Beer Tee I bought for $18 at the Coke store. At least if I get berry applesauce on this I'm not out $50, right?! The remainder of my day is filled with cleaning, pushing the stroller outside for exercise, diaper changing, playing at the playground, reading, and actually enjoying quiet time with Annabelle. I haven't bought a supermarket tabloid in months, and the three magazines sitting atop my ottoman are "Woman's Day," "Experience Life," and "Martha Stewart Holiday."
What a difference! I feel so different from the person I was 2 years ago. I feel that I now understand what is truly important, and why. I always knew it, trust me. But I wasn't living as though I knew it. I wouldn't trade my Root Beer Tee for my 95% silk, ivory babydoll in a million years. I love being with my daughter. I love the feeling of having really hard days because I know that growth can come from that. It is better than having 104 pretty good days, where my only trial is getting an elderly woman on a fixed income to pay her monthly minimum. It's challenging that's for sure, but it doesn't make me a better person and better prepared for life in the hereafter. And with everything there is to do, you better get up by 8am or you're going to run out of time and get your soul sucked right out of you! :)