May---the month of more

May is usually a busy month filled with lots of activities of all shapes and sizes.  The momentum picks up after a slow, long Winter and a rainy, dull start to Spring.  I like to call it the month of "more".  

For example, more

Graduations----middle, high school, college, and graduate degrees

Weddings

First Holy Communions and Confirmations

Picnics

Proms

Memorial Day picnics and parades

Family and school reunions of all kinds

These celebrations really spice things up a bit and give us a fresh new outlook after the Winter blahs.  The days are longer and brighter which gives us more time to enjoy the beautiful nature which is coming into bloom.  More colors, more blossoms, and more allergies.  Oh well.  

As for me, my more consists of more days up and off the couch with a bit more energy and stamina and less debilitating migraine cycles of horrendous sickness.  I am starting to feel like I can participate more in my own life.  I am loving this to no end.  I feel more encouraged these past few months than I have felt in six years.  More botox, more nerve blocks, more needles, more doctor appointments, more meds, more strict management, more self-awareness, and more moving my body = a more fulfilling life as I navigate my new normal.  

Now as for more celebrations, I am all in!!  Bring them on!  

Just recently, we celebrated our son's college graduation.  It was a wonderful weekend full of festivities, and I was able to participate in the events even with adaptations and limitations.  I went into the weekend with MORE confidence and less anxiety.   

At the special Mass and fancy dinner banquet the night before graduation, I went prepared.  I try and cover all possible scenerios in my mind so as to have a good plan in place which can be exhausting in and of itself. The church Mass was in a gymnasium instead of the chapel due to the size of the crowd.  Well, that went beautifully, and I did not have to don my ear plugs or sunglasses.  I sat near the door so as to have an easy exit which turned out to be the best place for pictures!  Yay!   I was still feeling decent enough to stay a bit for the dinner.   My evenings are never long or else I dearly pay the consequences.  The dinner was a fancy one under a huge tent with a lovely ice sculpture and a huge buffet complete with blue lights and  A LOT of noise and loud music.  Uh oh.... Not so good.  I felt trouble brewing immediately.

After being seated at the large round table, number 94, I tried to calm myself and be fully present in the moment.  I was engaging in conversation (which consisted of yelling) to the other guests across the table.  We were going to be served our dinner late due to the number 94.  Great.   I started drinking ginger-ale and munching on bread.  Then, all of a sudden, the strobe lights got turned on and the DJ got louder and so did the music.  AGHHHH!!!  What the ??   So, there ended the fun for me---or so I thought.   I had to leave the tent with all of its no-no's for me and walk around outside and come up with another plan.  My family kept checking on me and bringing me snacks and drink.  My heart sank.  I felt like this was going to turn into one big mess.    

Talking about grace upon grace, God took perfect care of me like He always does.  AMEN.  My family talked with the manager of the event and asked if anything could be done regarding the strobe lights.  He was very kind and gracious enough to have them turned off at least during dinner so that I could sit and eat with everyone and not have to leave.  What a relief!!  We all enjoyed our dinner hour and then left before the dancing and the strobe lights began again.   My son stayed and had fun with his friends, and we got home in time for a good night's rest.  Life was good.  

The next big day was the graduation ceremony in a large sports arena.  Gulp.  Up early and on the road early with all of my goodies for the long day.  First mess up came when I wasn't allowed to bring my own food and drink into the arena.  I argued with the security guard but lost quickly, so my dear hubby spent about $40 just in water and soft pretzels for everyone.  Lol.  And per usual, the ladies room was full of air freshener but I held my breath well.  That trigger always "stinks"!

The crowd was awful and noisy and smelly.  But we were a happy bunch!  I found a good seat near an exit and put on my sunglasses and ear plugs and got out my tissues and absolutely enjoyed every single minute of the ceremony.  I was thrilled to be there and was confident that I was going to continue to manage whatever came my way that day.  And I did. 

We walked around campus for pictures, shopped at the bookstore, talked and laughed and met many people and then went to an early dinner.  Boy was I exhausted, but I made it back home in one piece.  It was a whirlwind weekend with more celebrating than I had experienced in quite a long time.

Now I am trying to recover from all the fun and MORE!  

This graduation weekend was another blessing in my year of YES! 

I will pray that you, my friends, will enjoy some of what this month of May might offer.  I hope it will provide good opportunities for JOY and MORE!