May Madness

College basketball may have its March Madness, but for me, May has always been the month of insanity, due to numerous family birthdays, Mother’s Day, and most of all, the end of the school year. Well this year, May is turbo-charged since our house is for sell and we are moving at the end of the month. Yesterday I was writing a check at Wal-Mart to pay for some “open house” signs and was shocked when the cashier informed me it was May 1st. “Just hold on!” I thought to myself.

Just thinking about all the upcoming work, changes, and things that have to be done have led to many sleepless nights. One night last week, I got up at 1:00 AM and filled out the calendar for May. I’ve felt better ever since. If I didn’t write it all down, I would go crazy. I’ve given two prayer requests to all my friends – that I can sleep at night and that our house will sell. The first prayer has been answered; I’ve had several nights of good rest this past week.

It began last night with Cindy’s spring musical, which went very well as usual. I am so proud of her and the work she does on those shows. Tonight we are invited to have supper with friends. Tomorrow night we have a wedding we must attend (one of Doug’s supervisors at work). Sunday we are having an Open House which we must get ready for today and tomorrow. Sunday evening we will meet for the last time with our small group at Rafferty’s. Monday evening Sean and Misty will come for supper. I’ll teach my last two classes ever this coming Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday I am getting together with my sisters to eat out and shop to celebrate my and Mary Jane’s birthdays which are on Wednesday. I hope to celebrate with Charlise on Wednesday. Doug will take me out for supper Wednesday evening, and I hope Sean will join us since it is his birthday as well. Misty will be out of town on work-related stuff.

Thursday morning I’ll go up to our mountain home to meet the carpet cleaner. I’ll probably stay until Saturday so I can do some more painting and get the kitchen ready to move into. This will be my last chance to get up there before we move.

Saturday evening we’ll be at Mary Jane’s to celebrate all the birthdays and Mother’s Day. Then Sunday, which is Mother’s Day, I’m hoping Sean will go to church with me, and then we’ll see Doug’s mom.

The week after that I plan to wrap up all my school work and responsibilities. I’ll grade their last test, enter all the grades in the computer, organize all my teaching materials, and pack everything up to hand off to Nathan, a former student who will be my replacement. I also have to finish writing the curriculum map for economics. That Thursday I have to attend Honor’s Night and on Friday we’ll have the annual school barbecue and senior roast.

Saturday morning we’ll do our last Angel Food distribution. The next day Doug and I leave for three days on Hilton Head Island, since Doug has to attend a conference there. I am looking forward to lying around on the beach just resting up for the big event – our move. On the 20th, Misty will have surgery on her knee. That’s the day we get back from Hilton Head. The 23rd is graduation. One more time to put on the gown and walk down the aisle. Frankly, I am quite happy to end my teaching career.

On the 24th, we will have game night and celebrate my and Linda’s birthdays with our friends.

The following week I’ll be packing up everything, as we will get a Penske truck on that Friday and load up. The family will be helping. We will probably drive on up to the mountain house, get a good nights sleep (ha-ha), and unload the next day. Sunday is Mama and Daddy’s anniversary. The Dish Network guys are scheduled to come on Monday, June 2nd to hook up the TV’s, and Doug will go to work in Hiawassee for the first time that day. He’ll continue his job through November, working out of an office at the GA Mountain fairgrounds. I think he is happy about that, but I am not as much, mainly because he has to drive back over the mountains to Athens once a week. Also, it will fall on me to unpack and organize the house.

June should not be as bad as May, however. We do have Father’s Day, Mama’s birthday, and Doug’s daddy’s birthdays to celebrate. If possible, I hope we can go to KY the last of June to visit David and Janice. My hope is that by July, we’ll be settled into a normal life in our new home. Then we look forward to friends and family coming to visit. (Hear that, everyone?)

Like I said, I’ve just got to hang on for the ride.