<p>Well, it’s over and the emotions I felt were a little different than I anticipated. I was expecting a little weepy nostalgia, but the kids (oops, can’t call them that anymore) were SO excited and happy that the ceremony seemed more like a huge celebration. It was smiles instead of tears; fun instead of sadness; anticipation of what’s ahead instead of looking back on memories.</p>
<p>Now, someone tell me why these guys suddenly look so much more mature than they did just a few hours ago…</p>
<p>That sounds wonderful! I hope DD’s graduation is like that next year. I’ll bet you all had a wonderful evening. Congratulations!</p>
<p>We had an almost identical experience at my S’s graduation last Sat.: celebration and anticipation, and not (just) memories. Did everyone notice that it’s called “commencement” not “conclusion”, indicating a beginning and not an ending? I’m sure that’s the reason we’re seeing them growing up before our eyes.</p>
<p>Congrats, dig and S, and everyone else for whom this commencement occurs soon!</p>
<p>When I graduated eons ago, my graduation was the first time I put two and two together and caught the significance of “commencement.” I gulped.</p>
<p>wow we don’t have graduation till june 20th- seniors are NOT pleased
THe last regular day of school for all students is the 21st</p>
<p>If you think they look mature now, just wait till next year when more of the boys put on some weight- girls look the same- but the boys really change.</p>
<p>Digmedia, congratulations on a job well done! My daughter plays at our HS graduation this evening. I can’t believe it’s been a year since her older brother graduated and he’s got a year of college under his belt.</p>
<p>DD’s graduation is this afternoon! Her older bro, a college freshman just flew in last night. And her younger brother will be up on stage doing something during the ceremonies. It will give him a look at what is expected of him next year (he’s a rising senior). I am the only one who is sad, they are all thrilled to be done and moving on. And yes, they do look much older after being gone for a year. He isn’t staying long, he has to go back soon for football practice.</p>
<p>But DD is excited and is really looking forward to college.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>congratulations Dig! Last year my older s’s graduation was the same. It seemed like the school worked hard to keep the ceremony festive and upbeat. It’s better that way IMO. Graduation should be a celebration of young lives and accomplishments and of looking ahead to great things to come. Good luck to your s next year!<br>
andi</p>
<p>Congrats to all who have loved ones graduating over the next few days/weeks.</p>
<p>Kat,</p>
<p>I hear you. Talk about hormones and emotions going into overdrive, high school graduation will do it. For me all I can say it was another one of those occasions where my heart was so full I could barely contain my self. </p>
<p>You look at your child and their friends, and you remember kindergarte; questions about why does the moon follow you home and watching them loose their front teeth the night before school prictures. </p>
<p>You know that it was not easy task surviving the middle school and the days where your child acted like they didn’t know you. You see them growing up through high school, the moments where they will hold your hand or lead their head on your shoulder, just because. You are so touched by the gessture you do everything you chew the inside of your cheek to keep from becoming an emotional mess. You look at them, see how much they have blossomed and still wonder when did all of this happen. </p>
<p>It seems like yesterday you just brought them home from the hospital in the back of your mind you are scared to death. Today you are coming to grips that you will be sending them off into the world to chart their own paths and once again you are scared to death. </p>
<p>There’s a part of you that knows that you must let go as your child is passing from childhood into adulthood. You reflect on those moments where you know it will never be like this again but at the same time you are so exicted for what the future is bringing to them. Every sacrifice that you made, every late night you stayed up because they wanted to bounce a paper off of you has brought you to this point. You have always loved them but they have grown into people that if they weren’t your children you would still like them. Because you have them such great roots, you have confidence in that the wings they are sprouting will take them great places. And yes it’s true that as one door closes, another one opens.</p>
<p>You have an Ah, ha moment when you finally understand what Dr. Suess meant when he said Oh, the Places, You’ll Go and the lines become so clear…</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!</p>
<p>You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.</p>
<p>You’ll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.</p>
<p>You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.</p>
<p>And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
***</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That is crazy! Did your high school like start in early November or something?</p>
<p>Oh boy! Congratulations to all of the graduates and their CC parents! So, it has begun? Dig and mootmom, glad you made it through with smiles and feelings of elation! Kat and Along, best wishes for today’s events!!! Please give us the full report when you can. </p>
<p>Ours is still 2 weeks away. But, there are events lined up for almost every day/evening from now until then. Parents have to learn the words to “Sunrise, Sunset” - from Fiddler on the Roof - so we can sing to them at one of the pre-grad events. I downloaded the song and lyrics…and cried as I rehearsed alone, in front of my PC. I can’t imagine how any of us will get through that sad, sad song. There are slideshows and videos being made by the school, so we have to dig though old video tapes and baby photos…more tears! Gheez…I need to find a waterproof mascara or decide to skip makeup. </p>
<p>Son and I just returned from opening his “college account” at the bank and establishing his credit line. There are very attractive account options for college students. The bank manager, who worked with us, is an African American Wharton Grad…so it was cool for him and son to connect to discuss finances, life at Penn, etc. He offered son his personal contact info and to help if he needs anything at school. I looked at the bank manager, 1 yr out of Wharton, cufflinks, snazzy suit, detailed oriented, focused…and I look at my son, wiping crust from his eyes (as I had to wake him up to get him to go to the bank), hair a mess (son has those big, loose curls that straighten at the ends when he sleeps - funny!), oversized sweats, slouched in his chair, not understanding terms like overdraft protection, credit limit, minimum balance…and I wondered if he would transform into the guy behind the desk after grad school…so hard to imagine! </p>
<p>Sybbie - thanks for the Dr. Seuss excerpt. VERY, VERY appropriate for these times. </p>
<p>Here are the words to Sunrise, Sunset. This song is playing over and over in my mind. You have to listen to the music to really get the “weight” of the song. If any parent of a grad can sing this song, with the music, without tearing up, I want to hear about it. We may need you to come lead our group next week!</p>
<p>(Tevye)
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?</p>
<p>(Golde)
I don’t remember growing older
When did they?</p>
<p>(Tevye)
When did she get to be a beauty?
When did he get to be so tall?</p>
<p>(Golde)
Wasn’t it yesterday
When they were small?</p>
<p>(Men)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze</p>
<p>(Women)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears</p>
<p>(Tevye)
What words of wisdom can I give them?
How can I help to ease their way?</p>
<p>(Tevye)
Now they must learn from one another
Day by day</p>
<p>(Perchik)
They look so natural together</p>
<p>(Hodel)
Just like two newlyweds should be</p>
<p>(Perchik & Hodel)
Is there a canopy in store for me?</p>
<p>(All)
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze</p>
<p>Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears</p>
<p>If you think June 20 is late, we can beat that! Last day of exams for underclassmen is June 22 and graduation is June 24! And we started school the Wednesday after Labor Day…I remember this time 2 years ago when going through it with S#1…almost everything brings back memories of the last 18 years. I found myself crying then at traffic lights, for no reason and it’s happening all over again. But it’s a wonderful time, full of memories and also full of dreams. The years have flown so quickly that I’m sure I will surely miss S#2 asking for , “Just one more minute, Mom”, as i wake him in the morning…but it’s time for the next stage.</p>
<p>S went to baccalaureate mass last night alone— his Jewish family passed on the tickets. We wouldn’t feel comfortable. He is at grad rehearsal right now. His sister the Evergreen student flies in from Seattle this afternoon, and at some point another kid needs to be met at the train station downtown-- he’s taking Amtrak from San Francisco. Mother-in-law arrived Wednesday and my parents yesterday. </p>
<p>The most fun part of the week was buying his graduation present, a digital camera. He is having a ball with it.</p>
<p>Graduation is tomorrow at 9:30. S needs to be there 8:30. I am dreading the drama of getting nine people into two cars and out of here in time. The school is about 25 minutes’ drive.</p>
<p>These posts are making me feel a little wi****l. While the rest of his class is graduating my S (and a friend) will be out of state at an academic tournament. Originally I thought I’d skip commencement, but now I realize how much I want to see all the other kids, some of whom I’ve known since preschool days, walk across that stage.</p>
<p>Sybbie, your post reminded me that Dr. Suess pretty much taught my son to read. I am off to Amazon to order that book. (And I’ll add “Letting Go” so I can qualify for the free shipping!)</p>
<p>The word is w-i-s-t-f-u-l. Not sure why it won’t print.</p>
<p>1moremom,</p>
<p>Oh my how many of us started out with Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, The Cat in the Hat (I even called my nephews Thing 1 and Thing 2) . When she got accepted to Dartmouth, I bought her a new copy of The Places You’ll Go first of all because I just loive the book and second i purchased it in the hope that a Dartmouth education will do as much for her as it did for Dr. Suess :)</p>
<p>Reading to my boys was one of the greatest pleasures of motherhood for me. And Dr. Suess was one of my favorites.</p>
<p>because contained within that innocent word is net slang for shut the ---- up.:(</p>
<p>I can’t believe it, I made it through d’s graduation and didn’t cry. I had anticipated big tears and came prepared with the tissues bulging out of my purse. Never used them. I guess I’m saving most of the tears for the “dropping off” day.</p>
<p>They even had a picture of her in the graduation announcement because of merit scholar(total surprise.) So she was in there with the Val/Sal pics and the other merit scholars. That sort of set a happy tone for the ceremony for me. They also made a big deal out of the top ten ranked students, not just the Val/Sal. So with all that happiness, how could I cry??</p>
<p>I wonder what I can use these extra seven copies of the graduation program for? :)</p>
<p>Islandmom, Padre? I’m an ex South Padre/ Pt. Isabel res. Now on another island 8,000 miles away.</p>
<p>Good for you. I won’t be able to do it I don’t think. As far as the programs, keep 'em. Put them in different places and they will appear at auspicious times.</p>
<p>S’s graduation is this coming Saturday.</p>