Mother May I?

May.

For a three letter word, M-A-Y carries a lot of power .

Do you remember being told that you may go to the party, after eagerly asking if you “can” do something and then being questioned back with, “I don’t know, can you?”

Or…

Ever play the game “Mother May I?”

It was a favorite one of mine when we were young and our cousins would arrive for a family gathering.  I had a lot of cousins and some of them didn’t live very close, so it was always fun getting together. We’d all line up on the lawn of my grandparent’s house, which was right next door to my house, and play that game, “No Bears Are Out Tonight”, and “Kick the Can”.  It was a magical time!

Which has nothing to do with the month of May. For the month with the fewest letters in it, it seems to be one of the busiest, most demanding times of the year!

May is always hectic for anyone with school age children, and for teachers it is often the closest time we get to “throwing in the towel”.  (Just finished teaching idioms to my class!)

With the school year winding down, that means important testing sessions, projects due, banquets, concerts, graduations, report cards, packing up classrooms, and on and on and on, all while trying to keep restless, tired students focused and somewhat on task.

This year was an especially busy one for me.

In the words of my daughter Liz,

“After spending 19 years in the third grade, (and 1 year in second grade) my Mom finally graduated today. Happy retirement to you dear Mommy, Happy retirement to you!!!

On the last day of school my family anticipated a bitter-sweet day for me, and arrived at school shortly after the children left to help me with the final bit of packing up and cleaning out.  They arrived with treats, cold drinks, and willing hands. 

I was much too tired exhausted to feel emotional about leaving.

But…

We will see how I feel come August.

I May or May not have some mixed emotions.

JoAnn

P.S.  I do hope to have more energy for this badly neglected blog!

P.P.S.  Don’t tell my husband that I know this cake was the better bargain than having a retirement cake special ordered. 

I still love it!