This is the third month I have taken a few minutes to reflect on the upcoming new month and all that it has in store. It has been so good for my soul to be able to look ahead to events and life happenings and know that we are slowly restoring some normalcy to our lives.

May is a bittersweet month for me. It is filled with beautiful days like Mother’s Day but also represents the end of my son’s high school journey. If you are a mama, you know that this is surreal. Whether you have already experienced it or your kids are young and it seems so far off, the feeling is the same. This is the day we have both dreaded and looked forward to for almost 18 years. But first, let’s start off at the beginning of the month.

Mother’s Day

I can’t help but reflect back on last Mother’s Day. It was one of the first times we saw our moms in person after a couple months and it was modified with no hugging. We had a driveway, socially distanced brunch but we were just so excited to be together again we didn’t care. It was one of the first reminders we had last year that we should never take any time together for granted at all.

This year, we don’t have any set plans for the day yet but will likely do a casual breakfast at least and then maybe our traditional hike depending on the weather. While restaurants are opening back up again, capacity and reservations are still pretty limited so we will keep it low key. I love that this day is just a beautiful reminder of how hard all of us moms work and what an incredible gift and blessing motherhood really is.

Second Vaccination

It sounds odd to give this a spot in my monthly overview of events but it truly is a momentous day. It means that by the end of the month, at least 3 of us are fully vaccinated and shouldn’t have to live our lives in fear. My daughter is the only one too young to get it but just knowing the rest of us are fully vaccinated makes me feel better that she is protected as well. It is special for multiple reasons, including the one above where we can gather and not fear any longer but also when I look back at where we were at this time last year, there was no end in sight with bad news coming at us left and right. It feels so good to be hopeful and optimistic about the future.

Last Milestones

By the end of this month, we will have experienced our son’s high school graduation, final high school baseball game and the end of a chapter in our lives. While our daughter has 3 more years, it seems strange to think that one of our kids will enter adulthood. Technically, he is young for his age so he won’t legally be an adult for several more months but figuratively speaking, finishing high school is definitely a rite of passage. While I know it will be emotional for me on so many levels, I plan to soak up each moment and hold it close to my heart. While this class hasn’t had much of a senior year to speak of, I am so incredibly grateful that they will have a graduation ceremony.

And while he is staying home and attending junior college to start, I know that we are officially entering the next phase of life with him. From what I hear, most parents say their relationships with their adult children only got better so I am really looking forward to that and seeing everything he will accomplish in life.

What events or milestones are you celebrating this May? Embrace every chance to enjoy life and be with family and friends again as it truly is a blessing.