My timing on this post gets a ginormous FAIL. I know I have been promising to sit down and do this for weeks and weeks now.. you just wouldn't understand how taxing it is on me to never get two days off in a row anymore. There's never enough time to get anything done!
Anyway...
Back to the day in question... My babies were graduating from High School. I'm not even kidding! How did these little ones grow up in the blink of an eye? It seems like one minute Madi was gibbering "tappy tappy tappy" all day long and Carley was asking me to braid her long, curly locks. Sigh... If only I could go back and play with those dear little ones again. It would be magical, to be sure!
On June 2nd, 2011, Carley did not ask me to braid her hair.. and although I'm sure there was gibbering of some sort in our house that day, it wasn't Madi's childhood trademark, "tappy, tappy, tappy." Instead, I think I did most of the gibbering, and by the way things were not getting done, I think it's safe to say that I was gibbering to myself. ;) I was almost ready to leave when I took one look at the girls' graduation gowns and knew there was no way I was letting them walk in those wrinkled messes! So I whipped out the iron as quick as you please, and declared war on those wrinkles! Have you ever stopped to consider how slippery those gowns are? Keeping the gowns on the ironing board was a lot like wrestling a bathtub full of eels. Good thing Madi was there to lend a hand!
Ironed gowns in hand, the two graduates headed off for the college campus while I urged the others to hurry. I was somewhat amazed that they weren't ready yet since they had all been told what time we needed to leave. I desperately tried to keep my stress under control so that the day could be appreciated and enjoyed properly. We were a little later getting out the door than I had planned, but it would have been so much worse if Hubby hadn't stepped in to be helpful by taking Linz to get the stockings she needed. (I'm grateful for Hubby's errand running skills!)
As we drove to the event center for the graduation, I finally had time to think about what it was we were doing. I suddenly felt as if I had swallowed a basketball. My throat tightened up and I found it difficult to breathe. It wasn't long before the stinging in my eyes signaled the onset of the official graduation sob-session. (even now I feel the threat of tears in my eyes just writing this!) My little girls have grown up. How long before they don't need me at all?
When I graduated, I hit the road running. To be fair, I was an extremely rebellious teen. A lost, confused and very angsty teen. I was glad to be rid of high school, and I vowed to never look back. I still haven't been to even one reunion.. just in case you were wondering. See, in terms of my teenage years, my buddy Stephen King said it best: "If you liked being a teenager, there's something really wrong with you." I totally agree! totally!
(How about you stay on topic and get back to the story, Nicole?)
It's entirely possible that the reason I worry about my little chickies flying the coop too soon is because that is what I did. I don't want them rushing head first into adulthood before they have the skills and armor they need to be successful. I winged it.. and I did a not-so-great job of it for many years. I want more for my girls.. doesn't every parent?
So there we were, stuck in a graduation ceremony traffic jam, and I was bawling. Not sentimental quiet tears either. Oh no! I was rocking the big, ugly, sob cry that never looks good on anyone. My heart, the heart of a mother who aches to keep her little ones little, was breaking even though it was a wonderful, happy occasion. So as I sniffled and sobbed, Hubby and my other girls were laughing at me as we all hoped I could get it together before we took our seats.
After wandering around the event center, trying to find the perfect seats, we finally connected with my mom and dad... and we just happened to have the perfect seats to be as close as we could get to Carley and Madi. I'd like to be able to tell you the waterworks had stopped by then, but as we took our seats, the piano theme song to "Man From Snowy River" started playing and I lost it all over again. You see, that beautiful piano music always makes me think of my Sweet Grandma... and I know that She knows it. Call me silly, but I believe that was her way of letting me know she was there to share the girls' special day.
I held my Hubby's hand throughout the ceremony, and we ate licorice that my mom brought (she always has goodies with her!) and we snapped what pictures we could to remember the occasion. Once again, Carley and Madi were first. Our first girls have graduated with honors and I am mighty proud. Next year it is Emily's turn, and the year after that it will be Ashley.. then we take a year off before Abby and Linzie graduate. Wow.. I feel like my life is on fast forward!
Congratulations, my sweet girlies! You did it!
No comments:
Post a Comment