Ahhh…springtime in Charlotte. There is no other time of the year that I love more. The sun is shining, the skies are blue and everything is in bloom (ahchoo!). The kids are in love with the backyard again. This means the television is getting a much-deserved vacation and I have a fighting chance to keep the house in relative order. Even the old dog seems to have a spring in her step. I want to soak up as much of it as possible because I’ve lived here long enough to know in a matter of a few weeks, we’ll be cranking up the AC and declaring it too hot for human life (or is that just me?)

But if you have kids you understand that May is no time to rest. Spring is the home stretch for the school year. I’ve learned that means there will be no less than two school programs, at least one picnic per child, a spring festival, a Mother’s Day brunch, a couple of fieldtrips, a field day, an end of school celebration and a teacher appreciation event. (I’m going to Black Swan Farm twice in one week for heaven’s sake). Every last one of these is “the single most important event” in my young daughters’ lives. Trust me, they’ve told me as much as I tuck them into bed. Not only do the NEED me to be there for the event. They happily and freely volunteer me to chaperone, bring baked goods, work the snow cone machine, sell tickets and coordinate gifts. (I’m fairly certain they haven’t noticed that I have a day job). I, of course, lovingly accept each handmade invitation and well-intentioned volunteer hat that comes home. I’m not big on the “no” word when it comes to volunteerism. I’m working on that.  I’m also buying more alcohol this time of the year. Coincidence?

Recently I was reviewing my dayplanner and wiping the sweat from my brow while waiting for my husband to meet me for lunch. I looked up with bleary eyes only to see a group of teenage girls being dropped off my a mother in the parking lot. As the girls chatted and strutted their way to the door without so much as a wave to their taxi driver mom, I was reminded that although chaotic, these days are precious and fleeting. My presence is still coveted and prized. That won’t always be the case.

Now I’m going to get back to baking those cookies and sorting those foam stickers.

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