Finding time...

Ah, summer is here, and I have all the time in the day to practice whenever I'd like.  Right?  Well, not exactly.  I still have these little people who live in my home, called Children, who need some level of care and supervision, so I'm not able to just jaunt off to a studio for a class whenever I'd like.  And there were 2 times yesterday that I wanted to do so, and these "Children" and their "needs" just got in the way!

I'm being cheeky here.  I love my children dearly, and I wouldn't have my life ANY other way.  Husband and I have been married for nearly 12 years, and children have only been a part of our life for the last 8.  I can barely remember what life was like before them, and I can't imagine what life would be like without them.  How could you NOT love children when you have an exchange like this at the ripe hour of 6:30am? (Child #2:  Mommy, can you please scratch my back?  Me: Yes, but what are you going to do when I'm not around to scratch your back?  C2:  I'll get a wife.  But I DO NOT like girls.  Me:  That might be a bit of a problem.  C2: Well, I'll wait and see.  Maybe when I turn into a grown up, I'll like girls......  Can you just scratch my back?)

Yesterday morning, Child #1 was at swim team practice at the bright, early hour of 8am.  He is motivated to be there, especially after staying up late each night to watch Phelps and Lochte in the Olympic trials.  Child #2 goes to morning camp at 9, leaving me just enough time to make it to a 9:30 studio yoga class.  My plans were in place....but the studio class ended at 10:45, meaning that Child #2 would be left alone after practice for 45 minutes.  It didn't work out for me to go.  After chatting with Husband, he explained that he was going to work a half-day (in the summertime, bosses are a little more forgiving with the Friday clock-out time), so maybe I could take the 4:00 studio class.  It was a great opportunity, and if I left at 3:30, accounting for heavy summer Friday traffic, I would be able to make it.  Only problem, Husband's "half-day" meant leaving work at 3.  Catching a 3:10 train meant he wouldn't be home before 3:45 - really not enough time to make it to the studio.  So, backup plan was also foiled.

Almost.  I remembered that I was trying to do yoga.  I can do yoga ANYWHERE.  Including my living room.  Enter backup plan 2: I decided to revive my home practice.  I figure if I'm going to become a yoga teacher, I might as well get used to leading a practice, and what better way to get started than with myself?!?

I unrolled my trusty striped yellow mat (I save that beauty for special occasions - like practicing at home, since my Manduka mat picks up lint from the carpet a whole lot easier than Old Yeller does!) and got to it.  I started in downdog and took several deep breaths while deciding what to do.  I could feel the stress and frustration from the day melting away - I imagined it dripping down my back and pooling at my hands, and I started moving.

The practice wasn't perfect, but I threw in some vinyasas, and built my way through the familiar postures, adding one after each round.  Downdog, plank, chaturanga, updog, downdog, low lunge.  Repeat on left.  Second round:  Downdog, plank, chaturanga, updog, downdog, low lunge, warrior 1.  Repeat on left.  Third round:  Downdog, plank, chaturango, updog, downdog, low lunge, warrior 1, warrior 2.  Repeat on left.  And so on.
Sound nice?  It was.  I should have put on some nice, mellow music, slowed everything down with some deep breathing, lingering in each pose...but I have plenty of time to make it better.  Hopefully someday I'll be ready to guide you on the mat!

"...joy's soul lies in the doing" - W. Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida