Big M, Little m what begins with m?

The month May, Mother’s Day, and mammogram, m. . . M. . . m.  May is off and running.  It hardly seems possible that the first quarter of 2012 is behind us, but it is.  We find ourselves in throes of indecisive Spring weather.  Wet, windy, and cold one moment and sweltering the next.  May. . .a mere three weeks, stands between our family and the end of the school year.

I’m counting down the days with my children, carefully crossing them off of the calendar.  Hoping that ritualistically marking the passage of time, will make those day pass more quickly.  When the books close and the school bus pulls away for the final time this month, our bedrolls will be loaded and bags packed for the wide open spaces awaiting us at cow camp.

In the meantime, we mindfully slog through our duties.  School and chores crowded by baseball games, track meets, brandings, and proms.  The wind is not the blustering alone today, I’m overwhelmed by little responsibilities and have reacted by crawling into a shell of Internet procrastination. If you are excited by the arrival of an actual blog post today, thank my ever growing to-do list.

Fortunately, this busy-ness is punctuated by a day designed to celebrate moms.   A day meant to honor those of us, swimming in the minutiae of family life.  Those of us struggling to build confident, kind people, while tying shoes, fixing lunches, and riding in the passenger seat.   Mother’s Day.

Yesterday, in a moment to myself, I reflected upon my mother and her many gifts to me.  So, I picked up the telephone and scheduled my first mammogram.  My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 at age of 45.  Frighteningly young for breast cancer.  I am proactive, when it comes to health.  The old saw, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is perpetually in the back of my mind.  Perhaps, this procedure will help me avoid the hardships my mom endured.  I do not know.  This I know for sure, these busy days are a gift, granted with my mother’s love and I shall cherish them.