Summer Panic

I woke up an hour ago with my mind already racing through all of the things that I need to get accomplished today-phone calls to make, emails to return, laundry to wash, errands to run, but the pressure in my chest came mostly from the schoolwork that is hovering over me. For those of you who are thinking, "Schoolwork? Are you crazy? Aren't you on break?" my answer is, "Yes, sort of , and yes." I could use this opportunity to whine and fuss about how teachers don't really have summer breaks--at least many of us don't--we go to conferences, we take classes, we work on curriculum, we re-work lesson plans, we read. And while I guess I am fussing a bit, I am also using this space to remind myself of the old saying that my Mom used to gently admonish me with, "one thing at a time." I do have A LOT of summer school work to do as I prepare to teach a new class, and try to wrap up a total revision of our department curriculum, BUT, I am telling myself as a mantra this beautiful morning, it doesn't all need to happen today. I'll make my "list," try to pace myself, and remember that I can only do one thing at a time and do it well, and do my best to remember that my little loves deserve for their Mom to actually have a summer too.