You'd Think the Five O'Clock Hour Is Untouchable

I have a lot of kids.

Thank you, Mrs. Obvious, right?

So, I have to do a lot of planning. While I tend to err on the side of color coding and lists, I have become more flexible as I have aged, and have had kids who decide the night you're supposed to be with friends is a GREAT night to throw up.

I'm digressing.

My life exists in somewhat harmonious chaos because of my scheduling. It's the way it has to be, and as I get up in the wee hours of the morning to do the one thing for myself, I remind myself that this is a season. A season of getting dressed in the dark, waking before some college students even rest their heads, and go work out.

I love my 5:00 time. Quiet drive. Sunrise on the way home. Friends at the gym. A good sweat.

These are things that make for a good day, in my book.

However, when your alarm goes off at 4:35 (note the :35, so that I can "technically" sleep a little later), and you notice the all-to-familiar glare of the iPad from the chap next to you, you groan, just a little.

Not because it's so early.

Not because you don't want to work out.

It's because it's the Calf Cam: Joe's key to calving surveillance. It's been a game changer this year, for sure. We have enjoyed following the miracle of life, and Joe has enjoyed not having to get dressed at 2 AM to go drive the mile and a half to the barn to check mamas.

Win-win.

However, you'd think that these mamas would be sympathetic to another mama...aka, me. You'd think, those of you who live in a "normal" world, that the five o'clock hour would be untouchable.

In livestock, and I'm sure other professions (can I get an amen from OB docs out there?? Sorry for my early morning births. How about funeral directors? Firemen? Tow truck drivers?), this is just a joke. There's no hour that isn't untouchable.

So, while I read all the workout pages that I follow that proclaim there's no excuse for no workout, I would like to thank them for their shaming and back handed encouragement. Then, I would introduce them to my six children and husband who spent the morning working on a mama who eventually delivered via some "encouragement" (read: pulling), but no C-section! Then, maybe one can understand my plight to physical fitness has to include the births of animals.

This time is important to me, but let's be real friends. Working out and "me time" are slivers of time that help me be a better mom, wife, friend, fit in my skinny jeans, whatever. However, knowing that I missed a workout because Farmer Joe worked on an animal for nearly three hours, saving her life and the calf, only to come home, shower and head to school with minutes to spare makes my exercising seem of small importance.

Unless, you take into consideration swimsuit and shorts season. Then we are back on an even playing field.