Pancake Wisdom

(Just reminding any readers who are arriving late to the picnic, the posts between August 30th and September 11th were written for a family blog in 2010 and I decided to re-post them on my blog because I think they're worth my readers' time).

We have had a long year. The kids are healthy, our toilets are mostly clean, Jeremy and I like each other, and the endless parade of papers get graded on time. But during my quiet moments, like at two in the morning, I found my pulse racing and my thoughts constantly reaching toward the next "due date."

I've been teaching advanced writing for the past twelve months and this week I realized that what was supposed to be "fun" and enriching, was actually intruding upon my sleep. And my ability to relax, ever. English teachers don't leave work at work; they grade papers at the park, the pool, and on vacation.

I usually prepare a hot breakfast every day, even if it's just oatmeal with apples diced into it. My mom always cooked a hot breakfast for us and I have happy memories sitting at the counter eating pancakes drowned in syrup. But, I haven't made pancakes in months. While I was in Utah a few weeks ago my step-mom finally said, "Listen, if you don't have enough time or energy to make pancakes with your little girls, then something needs to change."

So I resigned.

I decided to take some time to re-group and gather my chickens close, to sleep uninterrupted, make pancakes, and sit at the park unfettered by stacks of argumentative research papers. Life is long, and I think there will be lots of time for all that other stuff. I'm counting on it!