<p>Me too! Prom this weekend and a recital. Couple days till graduation. No party…going to see Les miserables on Broadway…can’t wait!</p>
<p>We are three weeks from graduation, but Son '14 has only has eight days of school left. He won’t have to take senior exams, he thinks, so his break starts two days earlier. This Friday, he said he will come to see for a special project, then he plans to leave mid-morning because there is a senior picnic scheduled, and he does not want to attend. Besides. it costs a few bucks, and he really does not want to put out the money. I offered to pay, but he has no interest in attending. Today, we have a Top 10 reception for the graduates-to-be – we do not have a valedictorian. We are looking forward to attending that program. Not only do we see who the top 10 percent is in the graduating class, but one of our former, retired assistant principals will attend, and Son '14 is quite fond of her. He always says she makes great BBQ! </p>
<p>Daughter just got back from Disneyland/California Adventure for their Grad Nite. Yup , they spent a night at the 2 theme parks.</p>
<p>Prom was last night here too. School continues until June 16, even for seniors, but D is done with exams and probably mentally done with school altogether. </p>
<p>No awards night for us. The ‘off’ mood some of your teens are experiencing now affected D a good part of the school year, and her grades show it. Moody, lazy, not engaging with the family - it was getting a bit worrisome. But then, she made her college decision, and like a light switch my happy girl was back. Despite my slight disappointment about her not being included in one honors night, the big picture is she’s happy, she’ll be entering a great program at a good school and things are happening as they were meant to happen. </p>
<p>HS senior year was a long time ago for me (class of 77), but even so I remember how much I just wanted OUT of that small school and cliquey friends group. I probably had some grade bumps too, in fact I remember a favorite math teacher asking me what was wrong after a particularly bad performance on a test. My D, on the other hand, seems to still be with her nice group of friends, but there was a bad breakup with a guy just as school started, then all the college application stress. It probably was a rough patch for her. But, she’s ok now and most likely all your grumpy moody teens will be too, they just have to get over these bumps in the road to adulthood.</p>
<p>She doesn’t graduate until June 26 and we are still trying to figure out where to go for a nice family dinner the night before. No party planned, our only local family member is my mother in the dementia unit. D will be quite happy to just attend her friends’ parties. </p>
<p>Prom last night here too. Thespian awards banquet tomorrow, Baccalaureate Mass on Wednesday, graduation a week from Thursday. Things have been a little rocky due to a senior prank gone bad. A number of seniors were not allowed to go to prom and will not be walking at the graduation. It has brought about a stressful couple of weeks for all since all seniors were affected in some way (the whole class was denied a couple of events because of the incident). I’m hoping that everyone can put it behind us and look forward to the next two weeks even though it will be a little sad for the kids not having all of their friends there.</p>
<p>The kids are out of school now that AP exams are done so we are just in a waiting pattern for now. After graduation, S will start his summer job. He will be a counselor at a Performing Arts Summer camp. Looking forward to him making a little money to offset his personal expenses during the summer and the following year.</p>
<p>D went to prom with a friend of hers at her school she attended k - 9. It was a traumatic change when we made her switch and I was a little nervous about how it went. She got home about an hour ago and seemed to have had fun and been okay. It was probably good closure. This afternoon is baccalaureate - I’m sure she’ll be dead on her feet for this 2 hour church service. She has finals this week then she’s done. In the meantime my mom has moved in here for awhile as we figure out some longer term plans. My basement is being finished, landscapers are putting in a big retaining wall. So it feels a bit chaotic around here.</p>
<p>We will get to the end of all this and I really can’t complain too much.
BUT it is nice to vent now and then.
It has been hard to watch all the prom photos go by – S opted out totally. Also, we didn’t get key permission slips in on time for senior picnic or senior night. I didn’t check the packet and S didn’t call my attention to them. Will try to see if they’ll accept those late. He doesn’t seem to care. Does he have any friends left anyway? He has one more week of school, and only one more piece of important work to do: the English final. One more seemingly impossible piece of writing that will make us all miserable. </p>
<p>I still haven’t managed to get all the announcements out because I lost a page of the photos I was using. The senior photos were so terrible we didn’t order them, so I had only the minimal package from the usual sitting. I decided to print some up from the last remaining 2x3 and broke our printer so now nobody can use it for anything. </p>
<p>On the other hand, we have our health and our home, and in general we are enjoying time with our kids, who are growing up to be thoughtful and engaged young men. So, I really am grateful even when the little frustrations get me down.</p>
<p>We just keep putting one foot in front of the other. DS14 is done with school but the teacher I vented about in another post is still trying to make his life miserable. There is/was a class project in that class that DS did a majority of the work for but the teacher may still be demanding he come back to school even though seniors are finished. Apparently the rest of the class can’t figure this out without him (doubtful). Graduation this coming Sunday and it won’t get here fast enough. We have to watch our step because DS17 has this same class, same teacher.</p>
<p>DS’14 is writing his last English paper - due Tuesday. Graduation is Saturday - got some family flying in. Where did the time go?</p>
<p>The party’s over! And my feet are killing me. All went pretty smoothly. Very little food left over. And someone brought d, as a gift, a pair of birds? What are you thinking?! We have a cat who would haut love to snack on them, I’m sure. And then there’s the whole probably can’t have birds in the dorm room thing . . .</p>
<p>@ordinarylives glad the party went well! But, really, BIRDS?!? Why?! I can’t even imagine what would prompt someone to think birds, or any living creature, was an appropriate graduation gift! Are you going to keep them? Does your daughter like them?</p>
<p>@ordinarylives - Please tell me you’re joking! Who on earth would give someone birds as a graduation gift??? </p>
<p>@ordinarylives - That’s crazy! Just crazy! Real live birds? What the heck??? </p>
<p>@ordinarylives - Birds??? You have got to be kidding. Who would do this? 
</p>
<p>@crowlady, I know what you mean. DS has zero interest in prom, grad night, or any social event like that. Doesn’t see the point. And doesn’t really have any close friends. So I’m always a little wistful when I hear discussion of all these social activities. And like your son, he’s still got a big workload left. But I think it’s the right attitude to count blessings. I’m trying to make more of a habit of this.</p>
<p>Graduation was today after a week of special events including the awards ceremony where our kiddo was honored for several top awards. Hard to believe its all over. I teared up during the Val speech, but was able to mostly keep emotions in check. Gorgeous day for the outdoor photo shoot. Good luck to all on the remaining days/weeks and for some- month.</p>
<p>The top 10 percent ceremony was very nice at Son '14’s school. One of his former math teachers introduced him, citing many of his athletic accomplishments as well as his academics ones. She also presented him with a lovely card and gift, which is a tradition. He wanted to thank her again, but he’ll have to do it in school as she had to leave early. Then, after dinner, he worked on a government term paper that’s due this week. He also has an AP stats project due this week. He has conference track championships Thursday, and somehow, he also needs to make it to the senior scholarship night. Lots of juggling, but the end is near. There is already a smile appearing on his face.</p>
<p>Birds? Really? </p>
<p>@ordinarylives – OK, that takes the prize for the most whackadoodle graduation gift! I can’t stop giggling.</p>
<p>So much fun to read about all the graduations and parties,etc. for everyone. I am glad you are surviving all the hectic activities and I will think back to these posts in a month when it is my turn to go through it!</p>
<p>Conference playoffs start tonight and from this point on it is win or go home,so this could very well be DS’s last high school sporting event. I am wistful at the thought that I won’t be watching his athletic endeavors on a regular basis from now on. He just found out that he received all-conference honors for his spring sport also. </p>
<p>I know athletes get a lot of flack but he works very hard at his sports, managed to get decent grades and test scores, etc. etc. Plus I truly am fond of his high school coaches, both of whom impart lessons that extend beyond the athletic field. One coach takes all seniors out to dinner after senior night, and also gives each one a hand-written letter. It took DS several days to finally read his because he knew it would make him sad to think that his time with this coach was coming to a close.</p>
<p>Tomorrow is senior skip day. Next week he presents his year-long senior research project at a school symposium. That event is another that will bring his HS experience full circle, as only freshmen and seniors present. I still remember going to his freshman presentation and looking through the program at the senior research projects in awe (not even pretending to understand what any of the titles meant) and now here we are.</p>
<p>Oh, and today is the first day of housing choice for freshmen at Case Western. He and his future roommate have coordinated (I think) with others in the incoming freshman class for his sport and they are all going to request the same dorm. Let’s see how that works out.</p>
<p>I’m trying to find a home for the birdies. I think they’re canaries. One of the high schools has an aviary, where the little critters might end up. If not there, I will start calling nursing homes. If that’s a no go, I guess it’s the humane society. But yes, a pair of real, live birds. </p>
<p>Worst. Gift. Ever!</p>