A Trial Separation

Sometimes, even though two people might love each other very much, they just reach a point where their differences become too great. Maybe they've tried to find ways to compromise, again and again looking for a way to make it work out, but each time they fail. And the more they try to stay together, the more apparent it becomes that it just isn't working. So finally, out of despair, they talk, and agree to a trial separation. Nothing permanent, not yet, just take it one day at a time and see how it feels.
That's what happened in our house last night. After over five years together, Sarah and Abby have decided to try sleeping in different rooms (I had you going there for a second, didn't I?). Their sleeping patterns are just too different. Abby requires very little sleep, and Sarah requires an inordinant amount of sleep, and every day the problem gets worse. Yesterday, Sarah was like a girl possessed - tearing up paper, scribbling on her artwork, carving on the kitchen table. That's what happens when she's tired, or maybe even exhausted. I put them to bed by 7pm each night, and Sarah goes right to sleep despite the fact that Abby stays up looking at books for about an hour. But in the morning, Abby wakes up before 5:30, and she tries to be quiet, but Sarah always wakes up. It just doesn't work. Plus, their room is right over ours, so every morning Perry and I wake up before 5:30, too, when Abby walks to the playroom or drops a book.
So, after lengthy discussions, we all decided that Abby would sleep in the "pink room" while Sarah would stay in her bed. Abby has wanted to do this since we moved into the house, but Sarah has always been the one who didn't want to separate. Until a few months ago, she wouldn't even go upstairs by herself! But she's becoming more confident and secure, and she decided that she was ready. This morning Abby came down the stairs at 6:15 (it was "six-zero-zero" on her clock), and a few minutes later Sarah came down. We didn't hear a peep before then. Everyone agreed that the experiment was a success. But, I'm going to call it a trial for awhile. It really makes me sad that they're not together anymore - it was so sweet to check on them at night and see them together. But if this will help Sarah regain control of herself, it might just stick.

p.s. I got some pics of the picnic, so I edited that post.