I Shall Overcome

"I shall overcome.  I shall overcome".

I've had a problem for pretty much my entire life.  I have not been able to wake up in the morning.  I sleep deep.  Really deep.  Ask my college room mates.  It is  possible to sleep straight through a loud ringing alarm clock.  No need to press the snooze button-- I just plain wouldn't hear it.

It was embarrassing to explain to my BYU professor why I was chronically late to his 8 AM class because, "I couldn't wake up to an alarm clock".
My dad told me I could wake up if I really wanted to.  Nope.  You can't wake up if your ears do not tell your brain there is a loud noise.  
In my defense I will only say that I come from a long line of heavy sleepers and I am not alone in my struggles, although perhaps I have to most severe case in my family. 

So as the years have passed, I did acquire the ability to wake up to a crying baby.  But I still was a little slow, so Abe would usually bring the baby to me and then I'd nurse in bed.

But today I have an announcement to make.  I have overcome my problem.  For 2 weeks straight I've woken up immediately after the little beep on my cell phone alarm.  Even before the actually ringing alarm starts.  Somedays I even wake up moments before the alarm goes off.
I thrilled to discover I might actually have an internal clock.  Who knew?
I am walking every morning with my friend and it is great.  But I must remind myself, 30 minutes of walking in the morning cannot justify chocolate and donuts before bed.  Darn.