Good Morning

Christmas Break - the time we all anticipated, dreamed about and pined for as kids every year starting right after Thanksgiving.  Now, as an adult who works for the public school system, I'm right back where I started - anticipating, dreaming and pining for the next break on the horizon.

Switching to the school system has changed my life markedly.  I am home earlier.  I can watch Ellen most days and start dinner before I would've even made it home from my previous job.  I get a break from therapy throughout the week, switching to working with the above-average range 1st graders or leading the Spanish club.  By the time lunch rolls around, I'm on a short course to the end of the day, which is so motivating.  And, of course, I get the breaks.

I love having time to organize my house, to start AND finish projects, to cook elaborate recipes for my husband for dinner, to grocery shop in the morning, and to see my family.  But one of the small things that I cherish most during my time off is the early morning.  Oh those wee hours!  Don't be mistaken, I enjoy sleeping in as much as the next person, but this break I've tried to stay in my routine on Mon, Wed, Fri of going to the gym at 5:30, which leaves me bright-eyed and bushy tailed in my den by 6:30.  And it is magnificent.

I get my breakfast, go in the den and snuggle up on the couch.  I have at least an hour usually before Thomas is waking up (if he hasn't already left to go exercise himself).  This break, it being Christmas, I turn on the lights on the Christmas tree and peel my eggs (yes, I love to eat boiled eggs for breakfast, and yes, Thomas reminds me frequently that this is disgusting, but I don't care, I love it and that is what my morning time is for).  I salt and pepper my plate, dip my egg and sit back to read a book while I eat.  It is silent and the light is just rising outside.  This morning, I read 2 chapters in my book, finished up a few turns on Words with Friends, polished off some Christmas candy from my stocking (after my eggs, of course).  It was glorious.  And then, when I'm calm and relaxed and ready, I can start my day and still have hours upon hours to organize, plan, and finish my list of projects for the day.  There is nothing like that hour or so in the early morning, after working my body out, of just being in the quiet doing whatever makes me feel calm.  This is the part of being on break that I enjoy so very well.  The Calmness!

In a short week, school will resume and those calm moments will be few and far between.  But no worries, I'll be looking forward to Spring Break ;)