MAY-THE WILD RIDE

I can't be the only mom out there that feels like May is just a really tough month. This May has been especially wild. We started out May in Jamaica. No, I am not complaining about that one bit. Justin and I went to be there to see my sister and her long-time sweetie tie the knot. It was a beautiful wedding and amazing trip. Too short, but amazing. What I should have done was used that trip to prepare mentally for the rest of May. I did not. Sure, we relaxed and spent time enjoying one another without the boys around, but the reality of May wasn't on my radar.

The reality of May hit when I got back and looked on the calendar. The reality was driven home a little more when our regular sitter looked at the calendar on her first day back and said, "You guys have a lot going on!" Right when we got back was the day I dread most of the year (see previous post) and then we went full swing into chaos. May is so odd when you have kids. You have one foot in summer and one foot lingering on those final steps of the school year. There are summer sports beginning, year round sports (for us gymnastics for B)ending, Wednesday night church activities wrapping up, summer plans being made, end of year programs, Mother's Day activities, and more! This year we also worked hard to make sure that Grayson finished homeschooling Kindergarten at the same time he finished his pre-K morning program. I wanted the end of the year to be the END for him. I don't know why that was so important, but it was. To top it all off there is the odd couple of weeks at the end of May when all regular day time programs for the boys have ceased, but the school where I work is not out yet. It is insane and I don't do well with that.

Let me tell you mamas, by May I basically stink at everything. For the final two (if I am being honest 4 or 6) weeks of school Grayson had no backpack. His ripped. It was not worth it to me to sew it back together for only a few weeks. There was no time for that. Rowan and Baylor went to their morning program most days without their bags. I had them by the door, or in the car, or on the floor but COULD NOT remember to take them in with the boys. I try to make sure I am that mom that makes life as easy on those serving my children as possible. I try to keep all important dates on my calendar, I try to always pack and take the things they are supposed to have, I pay attention to classroom needs and requests so that we can do our part. I participate, usually. By May, I stink!!! I am just done! Then the "Done" version of me tries to do end of year teacher gifts, parties, programs, and everything else. It isn't pretty. This year I made a decision early in May that I would not get frustrated with it all and I would take the chaos one day at a time even if it wasn't pretty. I promised myself I would go with the flow and take one day at a time.

There were several times over the last few weeks that I started to get discouraged. There were moments when I forgot the promise I made to myself and I just wanted to go to bed and wake up on June 1st. It seemed like every time the calendar would start to get the best of me I would find myself rushing half-crazed into seated at one of these programs watching one of my little guys show their stuff and it would make all the rush as chaos of this time of year a little less major. Those moments are so precious. Sure it has been busy, we are in the final week and I can finally start to feel the ease of summer creeping in. I look back and May has been FULL of some amazing moments. I am glad that I didn't let the calendar or my dislike of chaos take those moments from me. So mamas with a crazy May, hold tight. The end is in sight. We are almost there. Remember these programs and events are so special. Take a minute to forget all the chaos and enjoy them. Maybe if we can do that we won't have to spend half of June recovering.