What a day! My son graduated from High School. I took a few pictures...
Forgot to turn off the flash in the sun and they got a little overexposed. The ones with just Isabelle are the only ones I forgot to re-take when we moved. A little cuter in black and white?
Being the first, and for 4 years only, grandchild, my mom and I spent many years fighting over the best way to raise him. But together I think we did a pretty good job.
This is the moment where they are saying to themselves, "I can't believe we are about to do this."
And then they did it.
Graduation was at the Target Center in Minneapolis where the Timberwolves play. Consessions were open. We got Isabelle cotton candy while we waited for it to start. Because her sugar buzz was fading.
Here he comes marching in! Pomp and Circumstance.
Where's waldo?
The big moment!
The moment after the big moment caught on film for us to buy later.
Hurray! They are graduates!
Who is that scrooge still wearing his cap?
Oh that is my scrooge.
(OK I have been informed that he did toss his cap and another fell right at his feet so he picked it up and put it on.)
There they go, graduates, leaving the arena. Decided to take off the cap.
Note all the gold cords, 50% of his class of 632 students, had a gold cord which means a 3.5 grade point average or higher. This is why the school doesn't give out class ranks. A kid like Jake with a 3.3 is in the bottom half of his class! So proud to be part of such a great community and education system.
They literally dropped off the gowns and got on buses straight out of the ceremony and over to the high school for the big all night party. No pictures from the party. John and I went home for a 2 hour nap before stumbling over at midnight for our 12-5 shift. It was fun to wander the party and see the kids having fun and then chat with other parents as we took down the party while the kids were in the auditorium watching a show. I actually was feeling pretty good until my body realized I was very close to going home and getting in bed and started preparing for the event. Waiting for Jake to get his stuff so we could leave was the hardest part of the night!
So here I am on the first day of the rest of Jake's life! I remember so clearly the night I graduated from high school. I remember that feeling elation and wonder. After spending every year of my life in a routine of school and summer breaks driving toward this goal, it was over. No more high school. No more of the same students year after year. I was finally free to move on with the rest of my life. It felt surreal.
Although, I wasn't totally sure what the rest of my life would be at that time. I thought it was college out in Virginia, and that is where I started, but instead John proposed a couple months after we graduated and I accepted and being in Virginia didn't seem quite right. 23 years after I wore the cap and gown and walked across that stage my life is nothing like I thought it would be on that day but, I have loved the adventure and the path God put me on. I can't wait to watch my son navigate through the rest of his life and see where God leads him.
Congratulations Jake!
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