If you could paint the month of May, it would look like this.

All 3 girls awoke by 7:45, and started the day by screaming through a game of Connect 4, while attempting to sneak soda for breakfast. Yesterday started with their attempts at making waffles along with a cat throwing up all over the living room.

Summer has made its official entrance.

I thought, “Another day…no wisdom to share”. The past month has been so full to overflowing, I haven’t found a second for reflection. Every day, I open up the to-do list, and desperately look for time to feed people.

Auntie Amanda is officially, “Mrs. Auntie Amanda”!

It was a great month, but in a rock-concert-that-wouldn’t-end kind of way. A new friend at Bible Study remarked, “May is the new December”. Oh, how I identified with those words: After collecting the research books for the final projects, and then returning the books, I only found more books hidden under beds to return…which was fine because I had to make 2 different trips to the shoe store to undo the snafu with the flower girl shoes, and that was on the way to the library and the dress-makers, where 1 of 3 dresses was ready to go. Find an ATM, because they only take cash! You passed a grocery store! STOP! Find DINNER! Do lunges into the check out line, hoping to fit into the dress for the wedding…

I darkened my skin, but whitened my teeth. I grew out my hair, but waxed any hair not on my head. If it stood still, it was probably painted. Between the 3 women in this picture, we used over 70 bobby pins. And yes, I’m sucking it in…BIG TIME.

Did I remember to donate to the end of year teacher gifts? Did I remember to pay for Sara’s Girl Scout Dude Ranch Trip? Did I get the camping supply list from Greg so I can spend Sara’s entire college fund at Costco? Did I use my Kohl’s cash to get a dress for the rehearsal dinner? Run Sara her Ukelele, as it was my fault she forgot it (no moving an ADHD’s stuff after she carefully lines it up the night before). Run Kelly back a bag to school she asked me to grab on the way out the door, and I forgot. I remembered the frame for Sara’s teacher’s gift! And then I broke it. On the way to deliver it.

Goomommy is designing my flowers for all of my future weddings. I’m married to her son, so is that a conflict of interest…???

Mother-Daughter Tea at the world’s most quaint barn. Mother’s Day Spa Trip with my girlfriends. Organize the going away Champagne Toast for a friend I will miss dearly. Host a prospective parents coffee at school. Help with the Retirement Reception. Volunteer at the Pancake Breakfast at church. Collect art from the school hallways so I can make greeting cards for Grandparent’s Day in the Fall. While I’m there, help take down the art for the entire school. All good and wonderful things…an amazing and blessed life…one I’ve carefully designed and chosen.

This barn was as Pin-interesting on the inside as the outside. I want a party barn. Strike that. I want a party barn if it comes with cleaning gnomes. This one was so spotless, I’m sure magical elves were involved.

Even in my contentment, there are seasons that simply become a runaway train. I was sure if I could find 5 minutes alone, I would find the words. I would find the wisdom to tell you it’s OK to fall into madness and wash away in the tides of May. Of course, if I could find 5 minutes, I should probably take a shower. Speaking of soap, when DID I last wash my hair…?

Always do Retirement Receptions 2 days AFTER Mother’s Day. It stretches a PTA Budgets to new and exciting places.

Maybe I could tell you there is value in staying focused in the moment. I’ve had very little time to worry about any single thing. Girls don’t want to wear hosiery with their dresses? WHATEVER! No hose! Cheese plate I ordered for an event is half the size I planned? Give me more bread! I can feed 15 with this tiny plate of cheese! Jesus did it , ERGO, stretching out a cheese plate is BIBLICAL.

After hosting a party at Cake Bake Shop, I have only one thought: when I can throw another party at Cake Bake Shop?

It felt good to stretch my skills (literally?) and contribute to the world around me. It felt good to collect so many gorgeous memories I could share with you. It felt good to welcome summer with open arms, even if those open arms looked more like flapping wings, dropping centerpieces, screaming, “WE HAVE TO STOP FOR COFFEE NOW!!!” I was full of love this month, but not always full of gracefulness. I kept a relative calm, even if Sara woke me up yesterday, looked at my face and remarked, “Is the skin below your eyes supposed to be black? You look kind of bad Mommy.”

It didn’t clean itself, but I recruited a couple of adorable gnomes to help me. We survived it…barely.

“Honey, I didn’t get back from the hospital until midnight. Papa Bump had another heart attack. He’s doing really well, and he’s pink and chatting away, but I think it’s time we come to terms with what little time we have.”

So while May played out exactly as I planned, and while I had planned for June to be spent lounging in the shade by the pool, telling you all nutty seasons come to an end, it seems God may have other plans.

Hopefully, there will be more late night bedside chats with my Grandfather, who promises “no more fried fish”, as this would be his SECOND heart attack brought on by his fish recipe. Then again, if I make it to 89 after having countless heart attacks and bypasses, God knows I’m eating all the fried food I want.

That’s it. That’s what I want to tell you: when life hands you rose champagne with a hibiscus flower floating in it (who invents this stuff?!)…drink it up. Savor it with friends and family. Say yes to the good stuff: to the trips, the memory-making with girlfriends, the over-the-top-ed-ness a wedding brings. Say yes to the open houses, the teas, the school carnivals, and the gals who would love a friend to break bread with them and lend an ear. I’m only going around once, so I don’t want to miss the outdoor movies, the birthday parties, and the chance to tell a retiring teacher she changed my story. Unfolded laundry can wait. A friend who needs a ride to a doctor’s appointment cannot, because that’s the good stuff too. I’m not skipping the fried fish. Apparently I have the DNA to survive it. In fact, in my family, heart attacks only make us stronger (he hasn’t looked this good in years!)

And, if on your journey, life hands you a champagne flute with a monogrammed light up ice cube…drink 2 of them, because you’re unlikely to get that chance again.

Godspeed, my friends. I pray overwhelming goodness is meeting you on your summer journey as well.