Here's the problem. I just don't sleep at home anymore. I get up at 5 AM, than it's time for breakfast and the battle to wake up the older two kids. Shannon does Breakfast, then i walk the older kids in the cold to the curb to catch the bus. After they're off, it's back home to feed the younger 3 kids breakfast. We normally catch a few minutes of the Today Show. Then, Shannon or I drive TJ to preschool, while the other gets the younger two hopefully changed out of a dirty diaper. It helps when they are "on schedule." We then meet up and either get a work out in together or trade off between jogging and watching the kids.
So, by 10:00 AM, we're exhausted, and the day has just begun.
There is always something different with kids activities, schools, and sports. There is always plenty of business calls to make throughout the day, and oh yea home maintenance.
Anyway, it's just life, and I'm tired. Fortunately, I get to do a little thing called Third Day where, if we don't have morning radio visits, I do have the opportunity to sleep in. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to sleep too well at 75 mph lately, and I'm hesitant to use sleeping aids as musicians seem to gravitate toward addiction.
Anyway, I'm hoping for some good shut eye tonight.
Hi! Dittos on the Melatonin. I've been taking it for a few years now, started in college and it's great! although, as I was recently informed by a former cocaine addict, who learned in rehab that one should not take a lot of liquid with melatonin because it can lead to nightmares and such. Which I can attest to. I have had some almost sleep walking kind of behavior at a time or two, which I never thought to put with the melatonin. But anyhow, it does help me get to sleep earlier than normal.
Have a great week!
<3sunny
Posted by: Sunny | April 08, 2008 at 05:46 PM
With a family of five, it's never a dull moment, is it? I'm glad you are able to help out Shannon as much as you do when you are home. Hopefully, there's more help when you are gone? And hopefully you'll be getting some good catch up sleep when you are on the road.
Posted by: joanne | March 21, 2008 at 01:23 AM
You might want to avoid all caffeine! It stays in the system for hours. Avoid sugar as well, especially before bed time.
Posted by: Denise | March 20, 2008 at 06:27 PM
A fellow parent of 5! Ours are now 15, 13, 11, 7 and 4. It gets physically easier, emotionally harder as they get older. I think there were lots of years that we were sleep detrived and the trick for me wasn't really naps, but rest. If I got the idea that I needed a nap- then I almost felt pressure to sleep and then felt frustrated when I couldn't. Instead if I just said, ok, I need to lay down and rest, then I maybe slept, maybe not, but it was still good. We've also said "No" to elementary activities. We just don't have the energy to be gone so much, it makes our life too chaotic. Our Middle school and high schoolers get to choose one thing. Very few people seem to limit their kids activities, so we are weird but with 5, we just can't be running all over and stay sane. We need family time, and we also need peace and quiet together time.
Saw you in Sioux Falls last week - what a great time!!!! (First time my husb and I have been away together for a LONG time!)
Posted by: Pam | March 20, 2008 at 12:26 PM
I UNDERSTAND ABOUT NOT GETTING ANY SLEEP, I WISH IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS WITH THE BAND AND ALL BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST BEING A BIT OF A NIGHT OWL SOMETIMES. I ALSO HAD TO TAKE STEROIDS FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS AND THAT REALLY KEPT ME AWAKE. HAVE YOU TRIED DRINKING SOME OF THE HERBAL TEA? THERE IS ONE JUST MADE FOR FOLKS WHO CAN'T GET TO SLEEP. ODDLY ENOUGH IT HAS BEARS ON THE BOX AND I THINK ITS CALLED SLEEPY TIME GREEN TEA OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. HOW OLD ARE YOUR CHILDREN? I HAVE 4 STEP-CHILDREN WHO I HAVE BEEN MOMMA TOO FOR 6 YEARS ALMOST AN THEY ARE 10 ALMOST 11, TWO 9 YEAR OLDS AND A 7 ALMOST 8 YEAR OLD.
Posted by: TINA | March 20, 2008 at 07:48 AM
Tai,
I, too, will be praying for you and the rest of the guys, as this is probably something you all deal with at one point or another during a tour. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!
Posted by: tdpsycho | March 19, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Try and relax when you have a few mins (I did say TRY ;}) Put on a reeeeeeeally booooooooooring film - that usually works for me!! I sleep like a baby then!
Posted by: Emily aka EmmoGomer | March 19, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Sounds like some good advice from Sarah!
I'll be specific in my prayers now for you Tai. We can't function without good sleep. I work shift work so I know how important getting some sleep is..without it the shifts are LONG and horrible!
I'll be praying that you and Shannon (I know she is exhausted too) get some well deserved sleep every night!
Posted by: Wendy | March 19, 2008 at 12:36 AM
I hope you get some good sleep tonight...Goodnight
Posted by: Soccer Kid Gomer | March 18, 2008 at 11:33 PM
This is completely random, but my littlest sister is disabled and has a sleep disorder, so my mom started giving her melatonin to help regulate her sleep patterns.
I had some trouble last year getting sleep, I'm not really sure why, so I started taking it whenever I needed to, and it helped.
It is non-addictive, since it's a natural hormone, and since it makes your body respond to light you don't wake up with a "hangover". I still use it whenever I can't sleep.
It might be worth looking into--I don't know if it would help, but it's only 4 bucks or so at Wal-Mart.
Posted by: Sarah Nixon | March 18, 2008 at 08:49 PM