GRADUATION DAY!!!

WARNING: Proud Mother ranting follows.


Nicole,our second child, graduated Saturday night and it was so special! My parents came in Saturday morning and we all went up to the church for them to look at the graduate tables in quiet. Each of the graduates had a table in the reception hall, that they decorated as a reflection of what they love. Nicole had a large trifold with pictures of herself, family & friends from birth up to graduation. She also put her acceptance letter from ACU on there.The trifold was set to the back of the 6 foot table and it was surrounded by things she loves; tennis racket, favorite books(Lord of the Rings, Gone With the Wind, The Book of Virtues), candles, teapot & tea, movies(Ever After, Remember The Titans & Little Women), Zelda game, cards, 3 bright Gerber daises in little coke bottles, piano music & trophy, songs she has written, her guitar, artwork(she will major in art next year), scarfs that she knitted and the Bible opened to Psalm 23. She also had several decorated pages, that will fit in her scrapbook, for guest to sign with comments. It was so much fun looking at all the graduate tables. Later that afternoon, John's parents arrived at our house and then a little later my sister showed up. We all left for the church at 6:30. Mel, Angela & Yank were able to attend also! It was so wonderful having family there.

Back to the ceremony. At 6:45 a string quartet; 3 violins and a cello began playing beautiful classic tunes. These were all homeschoolers and good friends of the graduates. They are extremely talented and the music was lovely. At 7, the processional began. We had an excellent pianist that played as the four young ladies and one gentleman walked to the front of the church. They were all gorgeous but Nicole, our daughter, was super gorgeous. She wore a floor length white, with black polka dot dress. With her dark black hair she was stunning(and we got many compliments about how the dress fit her perfectly) and she was smiling and so grown up! *tears*

After the processional we sang the hymn "How Firm A Foundation". We have a friend who has been the speaker/moderator of our graduation for years. He is a pastor, singer, funny guy and does a great job.He introduced each of the graduates and shared about them in a way that gave an awesome glimpse into who they were. He started Nicole's intro by saying she was an adventurer and went on to bring me to tears. Nicole gracefully ascended to the podium and thanked everyone for coming. She was so at ease until she looked at John and I. She had just finished saying what a blessing it was to be homeschooled and how she wanted to homeschool her children. When she looked at us, she said "Mama and Daddy, I love you so very much. I thought and thought about the things I admire in you and I couldn't think of anything negative to say. You are just perfect parents for me." And then she started crying. She managed some funny comments but she went from there to share things she lovedabout her siblings and how she loved God. There was lots of sniffling. So many people came up to me afterward and said how touched they were by Nicole's speech as it really showed her heart and how close our family is. Then John and I went up and I said a few words and started crying. Nicole says "See where I get my crying from." John shared some thoughts about Nicole's strengths and we gave her the diploma.

Each student had a short speech and a couple of them played music or sang a song. Very entertaining. We had three graduates speak, then sang the praise song "All In All" and then had the final two graduates speak. Everything flowed so smoothly and the 1 hour, 10 minute service flew by. After the speeches, the parents & graduates stood at the front of the church and a blessing prayer was said. The four young ladies sang "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" to the congregation and then a trumpet rang forth, as the graduates left the church.

Afterward everyone met in the reception hall. We had round tables covered in white tablecloths. In the center was a mirrored tile, with 4 tiny candles on the corners, a glass vase with 12 gorgeous roses and rose petals scattered around. We had homemade food galore, homemade cake and cheesecakes and yummy punch. The reception started about 8;15 and everyone seemed to have a great time. People visited, ate, looked at the tables and ate some more.Most of the guests had left by about 10:30. I took my parents and the two younger children home, then went back to the church to help with clean up. The graduates and some friends went to Starbucks afterward and stayed till around 1:00. They had a fun time. The parents stayed at the church and cleaned up...we had fun too, though our feet were killing us! We closed up the church around ll:25 and went home to collapse on the couches and reflect on a precious evening!

The next day Nicole shared the rest of the speech...she could not continue without tears, so she cut the part she going to say about John and I short. Anyway, she said something about how John and I had grown as she had grown. That we were different parents now than we were five years ago. She admired the fact that we were willing to grow and adapt to the different stages of life. So sweet and generous....I'm glad she remembers it that way. :-)

I feel ready for the next step...Nicole going off to college in the Fall. John and I WILL grow and adapt to that too, one day at a time. One of the graduation gifts John's parents gave Nicole is the Dr. Seuss book, "Oh The Places You'll Go!" It is so appropo for graduates but equally so for each of us, at any age and any stage of life. If you haven't read this book, do so right away. I'll leave you with the last few lines:

"So...
be your nam Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

Onward!
Susan

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN!

There is so much happening this month. Ana came home from college...she ended her freshman year with a bang! WOW. Where did the time go?

Nicole graduates from high school in 7 days! In 3 months she will be going off to college. WOW. Where did the time go?

Nathan is taller than me, by several inches. We went shopping for graduation clothes the other day and he looks all grown up in them. WOW. Where did the time go?

Christy, my baby, turned 10 last month! WOW. Where did the time go?

My dashing husband and his devoted wife(that's me) are 48! WOW. Where did the time go?

"They" say time waits for no one and Time marches on. Are we at the mercy of time? I like to think that there is time enough for everything that truly needs doing. Maybe that's why I've always loved how the words in Ecclesiastes 3:1 seem to assure us that there is time enough.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Susan