<p>Oh, and here I thought that was a blue north’ner blowing through! LOL</p>
<p>for chocoholic, latetoschool, and alumother and anyone else who would like the slow-mo blow by blow, here goes!!</p>
<p>I am still a bit giddy at the moment (wonder if the two glasses of champagne has anything to do with that??? <em>lol</em>), so please excuse any rambling and/or typos. Also, feel free to skip over the long, boring parts!</p>
<p>This morning my son had to go to school a bit early because he had an “audition” for the graduation speech. I had taken special care to wash several of his Duke shirts so that he would have something to wear for good luck. When I offered him one, he refused, saying that he was SO sure that he would get rejected that he didn’t feel like wearing one today.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, my 11-year-old son, Max, was getting ready for school too. My oldest son hates it when his little brother tries to wear his clothes (and I can’t blame him much…my middle son is VERY hard on clothing–he is from the “sleeve-as-napkin” school!), but surprisingly, my oldest son let his little brother wear one of his Duke t-shirts–a sort Duke changing of the guard, I guess. </p>
<p>After school, my son came home and was calmly sitting and doing his calculus homework. We talked for awhile about the graduation speech audition, carefully avoiding the subject of the Duke decision. About an hour before the stated time (6:00 p.m. our time), things started to buzz around here. My oldest daughter’s boyfriend had come over after track practice, and there was the usual assortment of friends and neighbors in and out shooting hoops with Max. Max was keeping a watch on the clock, sort of a tortured countdown 'til <strong>the moment</strong>. Hed go in and out of the house, announcing to all who would listen that it was almost time to check for the decision.</p>
<p>Now, I dont know how many of you read the dream denied thread in which I explained that for some time now (several years), our basketball post has been painted Duke blue with the words Duke # 1 painted in a glossy white. Well, about 15 minutes before the decision time, I saw my oldest son go outside with two cans of spray paint. I followed him out and asked him what he was doing. He told me that he was painting over the Duke # 1. I asked him to wait for about 15 more minutes, but my son can be very headstrong, and he felt he had a job to do. I just felt that if this symbolic gesture would make the rejection any easier to handle, then so be it. So, about 15 minutes before decision time, our basketball pole became mostly orange a Miami color!</p>
<p>By this time, Max was doing a countdown that would put the NYE Times Square countdown to shame! I was sitting at the computer, checking every few minutes to see if the link to the decision letter had been activated. At about two minutes after six, I found that it had. </p>
<p>Despite all the mental and emotional preparation, my heart leapt into my throat. With as much calmness as I could muster, I casually called my oldest son into the room. I was trying so hard not to alert the others so that we wouldnt have about a bajillion people hovering as we got the news. But Max was onto us, and so was my youngest daughter. My oldest daughter and her boyfriend were already in the room, so we had quite a crowd. My husband was in the next room, too afraid to enter for fear of seeing the disappointment in his oldest sons eyes .</p>
<p>At that point, I stopped and asked my son if he preferred that I ask everyone to leave the room. I was surprised at his answer he said no, that he wanted it to be a moment no different than any other loud, crazy, wild, noisy moment in our house. He said that the decision would only bring a confirmation of what he already knew in his heart and that he was totally prepared.</p>
<p>I was sitting in front of the computer he was right by my side. I gently pushed the mouse over to him. He gave me one quick glance and then placed his hand over the mouse. He clicked on the link. Not knowing whether or not that click would take us to THE page, we stared nervously at the screen. A page came up that asked if the person gaining access to the site was the applicant, and it had a button marked continue. We looked at each other once again, and he clicked the continue button. We waited .but nothing. He clicked it again .this time, the page looked like it was trying to load, but what with the traffic on the site at that moment, it took FOREVER!</p>
<p>And then .it appeared.</p>
<p>The first thing I did was to look at the name sure enough, it said the name of my son. Then, the first word caught my eye. It said, Congratulations. The word may as well have been written in Swahili. I couldnt process it. I sat and stared at it. I listened for a reaction from my son, but nothing. I looked at the word again, trying to read it as if for the first time ever. I could not read it, could not speak it. For what seemed like minutes, though it was only about 4 seconds, there was nothing but silence in this room full of people. Like a bolt of lightning, the word finally penetrated my consciousness, and I screamed …I mean <em>REALLY</em> screamed. I turned to my son and shouted, OMG, you DID it!!! You DID it!!! Crying, I turned to look at him, and there were tears in his eyes. He hugged me, kept hugging me over and over. And he kept repeating one thing over and over and over .it was Thank you Mom, Thank you Mom, Thank you Mom. In the midst of his victorious moment, all he could think of to do was to thank me for all that I had done to help him with the college application process.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, at the sound of my scream, all you-know-what had broken loose in the house. All of the kids started yelling and screaming and laughing and crying. Maxs friends came and peeked in the room, quite bemused by the whole scene. My husband came in, speechless, but smiling broadly. My youngest daughter, who could wake the dead with her shrill voice, let out a set of screams that obviously was heard by twinmom! <em>lol</em></p>
<p>For awhile, neither my son nor I could move we just sat there, stunned and shaking. We are still in shock. We pulled up the letter a few times just to make sure it still said the same thing .</p>
<p>Later, I took my son to do some errands. He just wanted the opportunity to ride and talk. And he said something very poignant. He said that for the first time ever, he completely understood the totally random nature of this process, and he spoke of another boy whose parent I met on this site—a boy who, despite his absolute brilliance and immense talent, is still waiting for good news. He said that it could have just as easily been himself that was still waiting .</p>
<p>To all of you who wouldnt let us write off this dream so easily THANK YOU!</p>
<p>The money is still obviously going to be an issue, but if he can do this, we can accomplish more miracles!</p>
<p>With much gratitude, fondness, and love for you all, ~berurah</p>
<p>Berurah: What a lovely, lovely post. (You are indeed a talented writer, as someone else posted.) Print that post out, and tuck it away in your jewelry box with your special treasures. You’ve captured a moment to remember the rest of your life.</p>
<p>Congratulations!!! Tears are streaming down my face, what a story!!! THE BEST! AWESOME! Congrats to you and your son!!!</p>
<p>Excellent…congratulations to your son, and to you as well!!! :)</p>
<p>Berurah, I love your blow by blow description of THE MOMENT— words can’t express how thrilled I am for you and your S. Mazel tov!</p>
<p>I too appreciate the details - I could see it all in my head. Enjoy that champagne!</p>
<p>Congratulations berurah! </p>
<p>Now you know the jaw-dropped, lack-of-words-to-properly-express-how-I-feel, situation I was in when I first opened my letter from Georgetown.</p>
<p>I am sure your son will thrive at Duke – and as far as the money goes, I’m positive there will be a way – somewhere. :D…</p>
<p>A heartfelt congratulations from me and my family! You’ve supported so many of the applicants (including myself) here on CC – now it’s your turn to go out and celebrate! 
:D…</p>
<p>Congratulations! Appreciate your detailed report. Best wishes.</p>
<p>Oh, berurah, you’ve made my day! Just adding my very best wishes and warmest congrats to you and your son. And please find somewhere to publish post #62 - it’s so beautifully written, and non-CC folks would also love reading it. </p>
<p>So wonderful when good things happen to good people!</p>
<p>Berurah, congratulations.</p>
<p>Just want you to know that when I got to the part about your son’s turning to you with tears in his eyes, I had them in mine as well!</p>
<p>I’m so happy for you! (“We” just got accepted to UNC-CH–fun for us, too, even though he’s going to Tulane.)</p>
<p>Great story, Berurah.
So when will you be holding the ceremony to return the basketball pole to its rightful color?</p>
<p>Berurah:
Best. News. Ever.</p>
<p>I’m so happy for you and your family. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Berurah, thanks so much for posting that - it was as if I could watch it happen and so I am sitting in front of my computer clapping and laughing and cheering lol - many, many congrats to you and your son.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about the money - it WILL come from somewhere.</p>
<p>Beurah,</p>
<p>You post #62 is a beautiful story, just as beautifully told. I too had tears in my eyes – when I read how your son’s first words were, “Thank you, Mom.” What a great kid and great mom and wonderful family!</p>
<p>You are blessed and deserve to be.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for sharing your story with the forum.</p>
<p>JEM</p>
<p>Berurah:</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son. What a wonderful choice for a Dream school!</p>
<p>(Of course this is a completely unbiased opinion. 
)</p>
<p>I JUST FOUND OUT!!! Crying tears of joy for your’s son acceptance to Duke. This is so great. Some dreams do come true! I’m praying for the finances and I"ll toast his acceptance tonight. This is sooooooooooo great!!!</p>
<p>Berurah,
Thank you so much for taking time off from the champagne toasts to share your heartwarming story with us. I read every word, visualizing each facial expression, and hearing every scream of joy.
Happy Days Are Here Again</p>
<p>Wow, Berurah, we should archive your post as one of the “jems” of CC. Lovely story…brought tears to my eyes (and that’s hard to do…I am a skeptical person).</p>
<p>I’ll bet he’s wearing a Duke shirt today!!! Congratulations!</p>