4:30

That's the time I got out of bed three days this week to get ready for my early morning doctor's appointments. The world is very quiet and dark at 4:30 in the morning. Only my dog seems excited to be up so early.

By 6:00 I'm ready and on my way to Newport Beach. The freeway is wide open that early in the morning, and I'm able to make the commute in about 30 minutes. As I drive down the 405 through Costa Mesa, I can see the first morning light creeping up behind Saddleback Mountain. As much as I would have liked my morning to begin a bit later, once I'm treated to a sight like that I start to feel blessed. How often to you get to see the sun rising over the mountains?

By 7:00 I'm done with my appointment. After a quick detour to the bakery for a decaf latte and a scone, I head up Pacific Coast Highway to get to school. By now the sun is up, and as I drive up the highway I can see the waves crashing on the shore to my left and the serene wetlands on my right. One morning I actually saw a small flock of pelicans flying across the highway from the wetlands out to the open ocean - going fishing, I'm sure.

I'm so grateful that my alarm doesn't go off at 4:30 every day, but I'm also appreciative of the beautiful things I was able to witness this week that I wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Thankfully, this morning's commute to the doctor's office took place well after the sun had risen! My ovaries are painfully swollen at this point, and every step is painful. The doctor had me increase my dosage for last night's shot, so that may have something to do with my discomfort. All the errands I thought I would do today will not get done. I managed to pick a few things up at the grocery store, but I think the rest of my day will be spent on the sofa reading my newest book. I have to admit that I like having an excuse to put my feet up and rest. I only wish Michael were home already to keep me company. But, he'll be home tonight - he has to be. Tomorrow is a big day for us.