Monday, May 1, 2006

What Is It About May?

Maybe May is Mary's month because mothers need a little help with sanity.

Our kids are past the age where they both have a play, musical program, awards ceremony and sports playoff in which to participate ... however ... just when I thought it was safe to not cringe when turning my calendar to May ...

First, May is our family festival month. Kicked off with Tom's birthday on April 30, we have also Rose's birthday, our wedding anniversary, and my birthday. See why I don't care about Mother's Day? I've had enough celebrating this month ...

Second, this year Hannah is graduating from high school. A joyous occasion to be sure and we are so proud of how well she has done with handling pressure and bringing home fantastic grades ... not to mention snagging a spot at A&M when it is apparently impossible (we didn't have any idea until hearing wave after wave of parents be incredulous that Hannah wasn't in the top 10% of her grade, didn't have an impressive resume of time-filling extra activities, etc.). So that means a senior class dinner, mother-daughter senior tea, graduation practice, Baccalaureate Mass, oh ... and the graduation itself. Probably with relatives in town, depending on various schedules. So there is that.

Then, we must not forget other obligations.

Such as Rose's Julius Caesar video project for English. Which requires five people spending the night for at least one weekend (probably two) for practice, on-location filming (at our office, which will involve Tom as camera man) and post-video production. Luckily Rose is a genius video editor but there is always something that seems to go wrong with transfers or some such thing, so that is where Tom steps in.

And, lest we forget, it has been quite some time since Hannah has had a shindig with her friends here ... and we hear through the grapevine that this is a popular location ... "so relaxed." That is the value of preparing mounds and mounds of food to have available at all times and then getting out of the way. Except for discreet supervision, of course, which hardly is needed with these kids. They are all good 'uns. Hannah and Rose have been negotiating times and dates to avoid Mother's Day. Hardly a problem around here (where I scorn it), but it does put a cramp in all the other kids' schedules for overnights. So far, I think we have it down to one weekend with overlapping gangs spending the night.

Good thing that we like having all these kids around! And I enjoy feeding them. It takes very little effort and they are always gratifyingly ravenous ... and appreciative.

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