Morning Glories

I both love, and hate, getting up early on a day off from work.

I hate it, of course, because I need all the beauty sleep I can possibly get, and so to be up at 7 on MLK Day isn't going to help clear up the "sleep deficit."

But there are advantages. David drove us down to Woodbridge today so he can do his Communications Merit Badge at Occoquan's Merit Badge Day. If he succeeds today, he'll have completed the last one for his Eagle, and can turn to doing his project, which he decided on the way down would be at Pohick Bay Park if he can make the connection.

And so before Grandma's final eye surgeon appointment, I have a few minutes at Stonebridge to sip coffee and watch the sun come up. It's cold today, not even 20 and with a brisk damp wind that truly brings winter into the body. There's hardly anyone out at this time, which means traffic is reasonable and there's plenty of parking near the Starbucks. Coffee's hot, plenty of seats, and the warm sun creeping over the stores across the street reminds me how phototropic I am.

To be sure, the day will evaporate in a haze of activity. Merit Badge Day, Mom's doctor's appointment, picking up the boy, reviewing more of my homework for the FY 2017 and FY 2016 budgets, picking up Sarah from her sleepover last night, working on my writing, working on David's financial aid applications, serving on an Eagle Board of Review and at the Troop meeting with David tonight...much will be packed into just these next 15 hours.

But for right now, I can savor the sun, I can enjoy the calm of the early morning, and I can give thanks and praise for it. And despite getting up early, that's not a bad way to spend a morning.