Saturday, August 2, 2008

free caffeine

Psalm 127:2-- 2-- In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.



For some reason I have found Mountain Dew left in shopping carts twice recently. The first time was at Target a couple of weeks ago. I found a 12-pack of the caffeinated beverage on my way in. Seeing that it had obviously been paid for, and being extremely tired from getting up to feed Owen every night, I claimed it for my own. Then this week after doing my regular grocery shopping at Kroger, I returned my cart and found a 20 oz. bottle of Mountain Dew Voltage in another basket.

After the first incident, I joked with a friend that God knows how tired I am and decided to bless me with some caffeine. After the 2nd, I am really believing it!

Now bear in mind that I am not a caffein-e-holic. My husband and I own a coffee shop, but I am still careful about how much I consume. Many pregnant and nursing women take a complete hiatus from caffeine. I am not such a person! I cannot drink hot coffee in early pregnancy. It absolutely turns my stomach. The occasional iced latte, I can handle for some reason. But by the halfway point, I have been able to get back into my morning routine and have a cup of coffee in the morning. On occasion I might have some sort of cola-type beverage or iced tea in the afternoon (Sonic's are the best, esp. during happy hour!). But by dinner I am decaf all the way.

I had forgotten how exhausting newborns can be, but luckily the caffeine doesn't seem to stop him from napping during the day. It's getting Owen to sleep initially and getting him back to sleep after the 6 a.m. mark that has been so difficult. Don't get me wrong......I love watching old episodes of the X Files or Wings in the middle of the night, but I love sleep more!

There's this verse in the Psalms about the Lord granting sleep to those he loves. I find myself begging for God to be true to that verse daily. Somehow I make it through each day, but there are moments when it seems impossible. Surely more sleep is just over the horizon.....and cooler weather. Until then, I've got my Mountain Dew to give me a boost. :)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh Shelley, I know right where you are. Our second baby was a horrible sleeper right from the start -- and stayed that way until he was 3. Nothing seemed to help. I thought he was going to be the end of me. I remember times when he was up 4 or 5 times a night. One time, in complete exhaustion and frustration, my husband Dave flung back the covers and jerked out of bed. Stomping out of the room, I heard him say, "That's it..I'm not helping to pay for any of that kid's college!!" I, on the other hand, stayed in bed and giggled...too tired to even move (after many, many feedings already that night!)