End of School Year Madness

I can feel the summer breeze, walks by the water, blue skies, and the laize-faire summer way of life coming my way. The end of the school year is almost here - only 2 ½ more weeks! I am seeing that, all around me, it is not just this school year that is ending - every activity that I ever signed my kid up for has a final, a celebration, a graduation, a performance, or an evaluation.

Plans need to be made, outfits have to be organized, the camera needs a tune up, and all the doting that I have flows freely. Unless the unthinkable happens, grrr:

The ballet recital is the same day as the dance recital.

The breakfast birthday party for my child conflicts with the math entrance exam for my other.

The softball season could turn into All-Stars.

The 5^th grade pool party is in the middle of the preschool graduation.

“How will I handle this?” But there’s more...

The camera crisis heats up as the parent organizing the end-of-the-year slide show says that many of the pictures that I uploaded for my child are blurry. Something needs to be done fast!

Track season races to the end but clings on as districts approaches.

It continues: four wonderful birthday parties to attend, a t-ball celebration, a bunny-hutch warming, and the throwing a wedding shower the day after school is out planning is underway.

The car breaks a tire joint (or something like that) and while getting fixed the axle brakes.

I completely fall off the workout bandwagon!

Year-end parent-teacher meetings and teacher placement requests are due to prepare for the coming year.

The volunteer request comes out for the classroom event. I notice the email; enough said.

Oh dear, Father’s day is approaching.

On another note, childcare must be found: It is hard to sit through a two-hour end of the year school music concert when you are 5.

The music teacher wants a re-commitment for fall including our desired lesson times. Okay, this is a big deal - what is the fall schedule, anyway?

Dentist: why six months ago did I schedule four dentist appointments at this time? Note-to-self: next year, schedule differently.

And all of this is done in the midst of my “normal” life and “normal” work and “normal” responsibilities. Every parent does it. Yet, through it all, it seems that all of the doting in the world wins the day.

I realize that, when the rubber meets the road, I love this life, even this season of life – the end of school year. Okay, maybe I am starting to sound wacko.

I take all this in with some sort of unrestricted jubilation as I see the milestones waltz by before me. I see the joy on little faces. I see my everyday life that I live the rest of the year - the hum-drum and seemingly rhythmic parts - turn into a celebration as things come together. I get a new camera. The car gets back on four wheels. We decide not to pursue all-stars. Childcare comes through, I hope.

The ballet and dance recital conflicts are resolved through friends with a video camera, although disappointment lingers on that one. Sometimes I just need to “let it go,” like Elsa. Sometimes, “almost-perfect” is just right. With thanksgiving all of the doting, remembering, and celebrating brings me closer, and transitions me, to a new way of life and a new chapter.

Summer break beckons!

She calls out – “I am coming soon. Meet me at the beach!” I hear her ahead of me. In the midst of the flurry she promises blue skies, even as ending the school year keeps me hopping, for now.