Moms and May: Taming the Craziness

As coach of my daughter’s Forensics team (the public speaking kind, not the CSI kind), I showed up for our final tournament of the year, rushing from one thing to the other, embarrassed and annoyed for running late. It was the Monday after my son’s First Communion and my daughter’s eighth grade graduation ceremony which fell on the same day. I had blindsided my mother, who had just hosted the graduation/communion party and a Mother’s Day gathering, with a babysitting request to accommodate the tournament, my endocrinologist appointment and a class my older daughter needed to get to in the morning. At this point, I was going day-by-day with no time left to plan for the week. We were surviving on left-overs and drive throughs. Every day it seemed the boys, who go to parochial school, needed a different special outfit or brownies or water bottles.

The school principal got on the loud speaker to announce the start of the event. After a quick welcome, she opened by letting us all know that it is May. We are all overwhelmed with special events, recitals, sports, championship contests, banquets, Communions, graduations, etc. We are all going to give ourselves a break and if it a takes a few more minutes to get organized today, that’s OK.

That changed my day, my week and the rest of my month. I needed someone to identify why I couldn’t keep up and to help me know that I am not alone. It made me realize that with so much going on, and five children and a business, someone was going to miss a dance class and someone else a lacrosse practice. It also made me realize that every month is not like this. I don’t need to totally rethink our life because we had a crazy month.

The month of May is often considered mom’s month, and now I know why. I think Mother’s Day may have been established out of fear that all the moms in the USA might simultaneously self-combust if they didn’t get a day off. My awesome family supplemented their traditional gifts with lots of time to sleep and a surprise house cleaning.

Now, I am taking a deep breath as the month draws to a close. I remember that all these special events are meant to be enjoyed and I let go of the stress so I can do just that. I remember that all the craziness is because we are celebrating accomplishments and milestones. And I celebrate. I praise God. I turn to our Mother Mary during her special month, and am so grateful for my vocation as a mother.