My Midlife Maymester

It’s June 10th, and I just now feel like I have recovered from May, and my Midlife Maymester. For those of you not familiar with the term Maymester, it’s used when a college student takes a semester long class in a single month, typically May, hence the term “Maymester”. Basically, a whole semester crammed into a single month. Yikes!

And, my May 2019 was a lot like that, except it wasn’t filled with studying. Here’s a little high level glimpse into my May activities:

• Zoe – Graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree – 3 day celebration out of town and Hutton Graduated with his MD at the same school.
• Zane – Graduated from high school – party at the house and graduation ceremony
• Zoe – (same one as above) – Got married to her best friend

So…when I put this down on paper, it’s three items. It doesn’t seem like much. What’s the big deal? You did three things in May…why all the hoopla? On paper, it seems pretty simple, but after just recuperating from May, doing one of those things in a “semester” would be enough. But doing all three in one month is like a Maymester…cramming a whole semester into a single month.

See below for my Maymester Syllabus:
May 1st- 7th – Relax! First week is always easy. (In my own head – “you’ve got plenty of time to get everything done that needs to be done this month. Relax. It’s all good.”)

May 8th – You leave tomorrow for Augusta for Zoe’s 3 day graduation celebration. Why haven’t you done anything yet? Do all the things by tomorrow:
• Who’s watching the dogs? Why do I always forget about this?
• Clean the house (because I hate to come home to a messy house).
• Laundry (always laundry before I leave town).
• Pack – always last minute.
• Find appropriate graduation gifts for adults who are also getting married in two weeks and moving across the country and are now professionals, no longer students after 20 something years.
• Did my husband pack the right things? Did my son pack the right things? I need to let that go…they are grown-ups. They won’t be naked. Who cares if it matches?
• Write down everything for husband because he decides last minute to drive separately because of work and coaching commitments. This is a whole other level of required communication, don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m saying.

May 9th – May 10th – Hooding ceremony for Zoe and Hutton, DPT brunch
• Figure out where the event is taking place. What will you wear? Who will save your seat?
• Take the pictures.
• Don’t let the phone die. Don’t miss her name being called on your video.
• Leave it to the professional next time, your 18 year old son.
• Be so proud. But whatever you do, don’t cry. Why do you even try, your eyes have a mind of their own.
• Tour campus, because your 18 year old son will be attending same school in the fall.
• Nap.
• Don’t forget to take gifts and wine to graduation party.

May 11th – Head home. Relax – it’s still 13 days until son’s graduation party at the house and 15 days until the wedding. Plenty of time.

May 12th – Panic and brain dump EVERY.SINGLE.THING that needs to be done for the wedding and graduation party.
• Be thankful your daughter is super chill AND a super planner and created a day by day schedule of tasks to be completed. Thank God again.

May 13th – May 19th – Work your full time job during day, complete wedding tasks by night. You don’t need sleep. It’s an overrated commodity.

May 15th – Realize your deck is a hot mess and needs all of the floor boards replaced before graduation party, because you love your family and friends and would hate to see them fall through to the patio below. Delegate finding contractor available THIS WEEK to your husband. He knows people.

May 19th – Housekeeping service coming tomorrow for deep clean. Clean your house for the cleaners.

May 20th – 24th – Week of the wedding:
• Maids come –stay out of their way.
• Carpet cleaners come – stay out of their way.
• Make three trips to airport for early helpers and Zia, home for summer. More hands. Also, be happy to see them, but put them to work immediately.
• Don’t stress because all of the flowers come Thursday for the wedding and you think you are a florist. Re-watch all the youtube videos on how to prep wedding flowers for the millionth time.
• Make all the bouquets, bouts, corsages, flower arrangements. Thank Flower Moxie for beautiful flowers and easy to do arrangements and saving you thousands of dollars.
• Do ALL THE THINGS for graduation party tonight. Too many to list. Do you best. Estimate 50 people attending. Make sure son feels loved and valued and important in the midst of wedding festivities.

May 25th – Final little touches. Wedding is tomorrow, it’s going to be great. Relax and have one of those 1,000 craft beers you bought for the wedding. You deserve it. Enjoy amazing rehearsal dinner with friends and family.

May 26th – Wedding at The Wheeler House in Ball Ground, GA. The most beautiful weekend. Don’t cry. Ok. Go ahead and cry. You deserve a good proud cry.

May 27th – Congratulations, you completed your Maymester! Don’t forget to register for the following life moments: Zoe and Hutton moving to cross country to Utah; Zane orientation and college move-in; Zia headed back to California for her junior year; your house being quiet, but MUCH cleaner. Go buy a case of Kleenex and stock in Delta airlines.