366 Days until my next birthday!

How do we account for what we've done, what we hope to do and where we are at? These are rhetorical in the sense that I won't address them directly here, but I hope to be able to look back a year from now and have come to better terms with them. Fair enough?

I have recently taken up the practice of yoga. I am not sure if that makes me a yogi-wannabe, yoga enthusiast or simply one who does yoga! Whatever the case, I am learning more about myself as I learn to pose, breathe and attempt to "get zen." I know that taking time away from my kids, from my work, will only benefit both.

To celebrate the big 30 something, I was treated to a special breakfast with my family. I let it slip to my grad seminar that it was my birthday ... the next thing I knew several 20 somethings were singing "Happy Birthday" to me! Nice start to the day! Three classes later I was on my way to meet my boys for a dinner out. Sitting at home typing I wonder if I had to comment each time B1 turned around at the table of ladies behind us or whether I should have shared my frozen margarita with B2. Perhaps I could have employed more of my yoga inspired outlook instead of during the car ride home asking my children to each rate how they behaved at the restaurant! B1 did not hesitate with a score of 10. At least we laughed rather than critiqued his assessment (after all he is 4 and a half). Thanks my lovies for a wonderful birthday!

Yoga means union - connecting mind, body and spirit. I invite mothers, academics and mommy academics to join me in thinking through the challenges of these complex, multifaceted identities.