Start smoking and just enjoy some good food. I definitely recommend starting out with some forgiving cuts like ribs or a pork butt. The following is from an old post that will provide you a basic checklist. Have Fun and Relax!!
Your mind is spinning 100 MPH....slow down and breathe! lol! We've all been there - the anticipation, and so many unanswered questions! Your plan of an early morning start is fine. If I'm doing an 8 lb butt for dinner, I'll get up and start it around 3-4 a.m. and go back to bed! Get the smoker prep'd the night before (foil, wood), make sure to poke a hole in the bottom foil for the drain/air hole (learned this the hard way once), and get your kitchen ready to put the butt on a shelf and in the smoker. I actually have a little checklist for those early wake up starts, so my foggy head doesn't forget anything:
♦ Foil in smoker
♦ Hole in bottom
♦ Wood
♦ Water pan with apple juice
♦ Meat in the smoker & temp set
This is how simple it is. Just put it on early, like you thought above, set the temp and go back to bed. Trust me, it will not burn or get done before you get up.
Once you do this a time or two, you'll see how easy smokes are in these smokers!