Night 1

So I have my first night under my belt. Working the 3rd shift is like learning a foreign language. Not the actual work, it the understanding your body's internal processes (processi,pl?) I tried to sleep for a few hours before I went in and that only worked moderately well. I felt pretty good for the "busy" part of the night at work. But as the inevitable lull hit I started yawning more and more. And honestly, the 5am-7:30am part of my shift was the hardest. Seeing the sun start to brighten up the night sky around 6am was nice because it meant I was getting closer to the end of shift...but keeping my lids open was brutal. And the last hour is a partial blur, I know I didn't accomplish much. Thank goodness T-Dad went into work late today and was able to take the kiddos to school and the dentist (bad timing on that appt.) because I walked into the house and straight to my bed. I'm too old to pull all-nighters...but I guess that's gotta change.

The Night Shift

Well, I am up early in the hopes that I will be tired later. That's a funny first. Tonight is the long awaited first night of my new job working "nights". And by nights, I don't mean evening shift, or Late Evening or even late,late night. I mean 11:30 pm - 7:30 am, 5 nights in a row, every week. To be honest, I am excited. I was hired several months ago for nights but I had to work days all summer because my workplace has shortened summer hours, no night shifts. I am very grateful for this job. Having been looking for over a year for something steady, with decent pay and in my field...I know what a rare, special gift the universe has chosen to bestow upon me. And now comes the day of reckoning, the switch to night shift.
I think I will be able to adjust my sleep schedule sufficiently to make it work. I have strange sleep patterns anyway so I am hoping with some minor adjustments my patterns will fall in line with my schedule. The current plan is for me to take the big kids to school in the AM, while T-Dad takes Early Bird to daycare and goes to work himself. Then when I get back from the school drop-off, I will go to bed...in my quiet, dark (light darkening shades), cool bedroom. Waking in the late afternoon to go pick up Bug and Meely from school. Then returning home, messing around with them, preparing dinner, etc. Until T-Dad and E.B. get home. Then dinner with the fam, time for dishes or a quick game,then books andi bedtime for the kiddie and mom. If I get in a couple of hours of sleep in the evening, I think this should go go much smoother. I will wake up 45 min or so before I am due to work,get ready, and head out the door about the time T-Dad turns in for the night.