I feel like every single event needs its own T-shirt. Do you all know how many T-shirts we have in this house?
Courtesy of Sarah Shrader
It is so close I can almost feel it – the shackles of early bedtimes and even earlier morning alarms coming off, full evenings free from doing homework and nagging about homework and checking homework, sun-kissed skin and floating around in swimming pools, water balloon fights and bike riding until the sun goes down – summer. It is so close. All we have to do is make it through May.
Oh, May, the month where it feels like an entire year’s worth of school activities, tests, projects and field trips are shoved into 4 short weeks. As May starts, my calendar fills up with one event after another after another. It’s like seeing the finish line of summer up ahead, but the weight of keeping track of all the obstacles along the way makes it seem out of reach.
Still to come, is more state testing – set the alarm earlier – make sure there is “special” breakfast on the table – and that they get more sleep. Because every kid is so over school at this point that they cannot wait to go to bed a little earlier than normal. Ha.
The final project is coming up – the big one that is like half of their entire grade. They need props – and an outfit to present in – and to practice their speech. Don’t forget to get time off work for that. Oh, and time off for the field trip that you signed up for because you really do have to be there for that. Why are there so many field trips in May?
And these aren’t free field trips – they are the really fun ones. You know, the ones that each cost money to get into. Also, you need more money for T-shirts – all the T-shirts. I feel like every single event needs its own T-shirt. Do you all know how many T-shirts we have in this house? What is wrong with last year’s T-shirt? I think it was worn three times – do we really need a new design?
And we still have dance competitions and last track meets – add in the start of softball games and upcoming cheer clinics and try-outs and do not miss any of it! Heck, why not throw in some big changes at work just for kicks. This week alone, we also got to add in a tummy bug spreading through the house – because what May would be complete without some sort of sickness.
But I did get some extra cuddles in this week because of the sickness – even if they were sicky snuggles. And I absolutely love watching my babies compete in sports and doing the things they love – even if they means we run around like crazy from one event to another.
I could certainly do without all the T-shirts, but I am thankful we can afford to get one or two here and there. And those field trips at the end of the year are always the most fun for the kiddos. I would attend them all if I could, but even getting to just one and soaking up that time together is so good for my soul.
Seeing final projects get completed – the accomplishment and growth along the way – makes this Mama’s heart proud. And feeling the relief of my babies when state testing comes to an end, makes all of us breathe a little easier.
It’s a rush – the entire month of May. It’s hustle and bustle and leaving one place to get to the next and hopefully not forgetting anything in between. Because, that’s the thing, I don’t want to forget any parts of this life with these kids. It’s chaos and it’s crazy – especially at the end of the school year – but it’s also fun and full of memories being made.
In the grand scheme of their childhood, there are so very few Mays. And it seems like they just keep getting closer and closer together the older that they get. I can sit and look forward to summer all month long but I risk missing out on all of the moments that are happening right in front of me – even in this crazy season.
Summer is coming – it is right around the corner which just puts us closer to another school year which means a grade older and that much less of their childhood with me at home. While 18 years seems like a long time, the real irony is the challenge of finding time in those 18 years to really soak it in.
So summer, while you are right around the corner and we will fully embrace you when you get here, hold on for just a few. It’s May – and time to enjoy every single second of the crazy fun that the end of the school year has to offer.
Sarah (Pitson) Shrader was born and raised in Lima. She is a Lima Central Catholic and Tiffin University graduate. Sarah is a full-time working mama who enjoys writing about her somewhat crazy, always adventurous life as a mother. She lives in Bath Township with her daughters and writing inspirations, Maylie and Reagan.
