Relaxing

A few weeks ago, I felt I had more on my plate than I could manage. I'd put life on hold for a few weeks to enjoy our guests, and once I dived back into Shanghai headfirst I could hardly find time to catch my breath.

But I said good-bye to everyone moving away. We said good-bye to L--'s school, and we enrolled in another. We began the search for a new home, and have two really great options. I finished another article for local publication. And lastly, today I taught my first Music Together class.

I was pretty stressed about this class. I didn't sign up to teach because I had any real interest in being a teacher, and bringing music to other kids. I looked at this summer and saw weeks of empty days yawning on toward August, with two lonely kids clawing at each other. They needed music classes, so I offered to teach them. I was amazingly nervous, confident that my lesson plan would be messy, that I would not be able to manage the room, and that I would forget the words to the songs. Well, I did forget one line of the song. But everything else went pretty smoothly, and I realized that its not a very hard job. Singing with kids is fun, and since Mom is holding them, I only need to maintain an energy level through the class that the kids are willing to follow. I can do that, and I enjoyed it.

And after class this afternoon, I sat and read a book. And after putting the kids to bed tonight, I sat and watched TV. And I felt no guilt either time - there was nothing I really needed to do with that time. I've still got a To Do List, but its all minor, and its all stuff that can fall away without any major consequences. My time - beyond 3-4 hours a week as Miss Lynne - belongs to myself, and my children.