- "May is the month of expectation, the month of wishes, the month of hope." -- Emily Bronte
April is so so busy - which is physically exhausting. May is also busy, but also so full of transition and change - which is emotionally exhausting! Of course, there are always the end of school rituals - final concerts, state testing, finals, yearbook distributions, and goodbyes for the summer. But as a parent, those transitions of moving form one grade to the next, from one station is life to the next, always come in May. And on the heels of (or right in the middle of) Mother's Day weekend. Add to that, the Twister's
birthday, and May leaves me reflecting on all the things. As I knew last month, Jake is truly a senior now. And Finn a 7th grader. This year was faster than last, and I feel like the end of next school year will zoom upon on very quickly. But until then, I will continue to enjoy the ride - and write about it when I remember to!
The first weekend of May was pretty chill. But we knew that wasn't a sign of things to come Jake drove to Arkansas by himself for AAO flight practice - not as traumatic for mom as the first time. Book club was cancelled, and I chopped off all my hair. Oh - and Jake left his car out oversight, in the rain with the windows down, and the key just laying on the hood (the owner's manual, too!)
May was a very stormy month in central Oklahoma! Cue all the weatherman memes and joke about Carrie Underwood's "Not Enough Rain in Oklahoma..." We had a fun "storm watch" night at our house where Lara and Evie came t see us and we had games!
The next week and into the weekend, Finn got the coveted School Pick UP for mouth appointments, Jake travelled to Memphis with AAO flight to play in a well-hyped tournament, and Lara went to Manhattan Kansas to see her bestie graduate from College. One of their games was broadcast on Peacock TV! He was barely done in Memphis and the media was already talking up the next weekend in Wichita for the first LIVE period of the season. AND, my 22nd Mother's Day!
 |
| So thankful for my crew! |
On May 14 - EMMA AND LARA TURNED 22! - They both spent the week moving into new spaces, working their day jobs (And their night jobs in Emma's case). I got to stop in and see Lara's new digs on night that week, and Lara took in a Zach Bryan concert. This was supposed to be Jake's Christmas present, but basketball in Wichita prevailed (and this was very advantageous for him - more on that later...) And for the first time since they played in OKC, we got to go watch! Finn spent a very fun weekend with Aunt Paula and Uncle Brad in Stillwater. Jasper and Opal spent the weekend with Lara and Evie. On the way back from Wichita to Edmond, we also stopped at Emma's new place to see how she and Austin were settling in. And then a swing through Stillwater to see Grandma Mary, and go out to Lara's to [ick up the doggos. I SAW ALL 4 OF MY KIDS IN ONE DAY! Bliss!
 |
| From TWO to TWENTY TWO! |
 |
| WICHITA HOOPS! |
 |
| Watching the Thunder in the NBA playoffs from a fun local bar and grill |
 |
| Final morning - I was so tired |
 |
| Ark City, KS |
Stillwater, OK
 |
CLICK HERE to see Jake's Wichita Highlight film
 |
| Guthrie, OK: At least the drive to work Monday morning gave good vibes! |
After the Wichita weekend, we FINALLY got the last four days of the school year in! Including a choir concert for Finn. Followed by another chill weekend for Memorial Day - we barely left the house! We were all catching up from the 2 weeks previous!
 |
| After Concert Dinner at Finn's Favorite: Chick-fil-A! |
 |
| Memorial Day weekend = lots of board games! |
The last week of the month - our first week of Summer - was slow, but not without surprises and then the weekend found us all busy again! Lara and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame hosted their biggest event of every year - Honors Weekend. Lara needed interns, and she recruited Jake!
 |
| VERY Special invitation for Jake after his performance in Wichita... |
 |
| Mom brought the hard workers Sonic drinks as they prepared for Honors Weekend |
Finn brought me emotional support Legos as I struggled through a WFH Friday, and we ended up back in Stillwater AGAIN because Jake forgot his dress clothes for his weekend job... We needed Joe's to cope!
June is looking to be a fun one as well. No AAU games or travel, but we do have summer Husky basketball things on the calendar! Exciting times!
I think I read this month to keep the anxiety at bay! I seemed to commute more this month as well, so the Audible listens piled up. Didn't make it to any book clubs, but I read the books!
May Reads:
"Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life" by Lara Casey (Hidden Oaks Book Club Choice - June)
"While Idaho Slept: The Hunt for Answers in the Murders of Four College Students" by J. Rueben Appelman
"If You Would Have Told Me" by John Stamos
"The Fury" by Alex Michaelides (Hidden Oaks Book Club Choice - July)
"Things We Hide from the Light by Lucy Score
"Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Kruegger
The Women of Guthrie Book Club book was "The Lost Bookshop" by Evie Woods - which I read in December and LOVED!
Both of these meetings were on a basketball travel weekend, so I missed them... *sigh*
I am at 67% for my GoodReads 2024 Reading challenge goals! I am truly further ahead than I anticipated. But i have read a lot of different things with varying focus and purpose, and I am always learning something new. July should be a good month for books!