Changing Patterns

Every once in a while, I find the need to shake things up.  I am sure we all do.  My normal routine is to get up, Monday through Friday at 4:40am, on Saturdays at 5:30 (and Sunday to turn off my alarm) and take little Miss Dog for her walk then have my coffee, get ready for my day- etc.  All in all, the routine suits me.  It gives me the "must" get up and get moving (to take the dog out) and then time to relax and get my kinks out and my joints working before I start my work day. 

This morning, when the alarm went off and the dog didn't stir other than to lift her head, I made a concious decision to shut the alarm off and take that extra 50 minutes and go back to sleep.  When I got up, I felt great.  I took her for her walk, came back inside, poured my coffee and rather than sitting down with my coffee and put on the news- I switched it up further.  I listened to the weather as I made a tomato and mozzerella salad for lunch, seperated my Wasa into containers, sliced my apple for my snack.  Now, the only thing left to do is to get dressed and put my coffee in my thermos pack the bag with my thermos and lunch and walk out the door.  Normally, I would still be trying to figure out what I wanted to bring for lunch and thinking about really starting the day with my mind going in fifteen directions at once.  Instead, I feel much more relaxed as I approach the 7:00 hour on a Monday morning.  What a delightful change of pace for me!  The only thing I "missed" was an hour of television as I usually use one of these hours to catch up on my DVR. 

This morning I am feeling blessed for having been given the opportunity to slightly break out of my routine and learning that I can still start my morning without feeling rushed.  I am also feeling blessed that my Rheumatoid Arthritis is at a stage that I am down to just about an hour of  stiffness and pain in the morning.  I am grateful  that I got a good night's sleep last night (almost a full 6 hours!) and didn't wake up with my Fibromyagia screaming at me.  In all, I am grateful for a wonderful start to this week.   I think tonight I will shut off my 4:40 alarm and see if I can duplicate it without the first wakeup.