One Chapter Closes

 He did it!  Matthew graduated!  These 13 years felt long but as I sat on the field watching as he crossed the stage for his diploma it felt as if it all went by in a blink.  He didn't like school and he and I questioned if public school was the right choice but I did see how God's provision carried him through.  He had some struggles here and there but still graduated Cum Laude.  He said, "Imagine if I actually tried."  

The morning was warm but very windy.  Many were losing their caps. Since Rob is on the school board he was able to hand him the diploma.   At the end we were able to get a lot of pictures.  

He wanted to recreate the picture.  When Matthew was in kindergarten he brought home this tiny pine tree.  We planted it in the front yard and it's grown right along with him.  Actually, it's gotten a lot bigger and still growing.  

Even though he is now a young adult ready to set sail on a new chapter of life I will still remember that little 5 year old waiting outside for the school bus to take him for the first day of school.  Oh, I felt so much pain that day wondering if he was okay and anticipating the moment when he got home.  Now I feel a new level of pain as I prepare to send him two hours away to college.  He's a man now.  An official adult.  He made it through childhood and learned a lot along the way and now a new adventure begins.  He's ready for it - but as for me - I will always hold tight to the memory of this little boy.  

Memorial Day and Other May Moments

 Hello again ... it seems as if it's been awhile.  I've been keeping busy.  This morning I spent time outside pulling weeds and mowing grass.  It rained here for days and we are finally dry and sunny.  I thought it's time for a break to give an update.  

Yesterday was Memorial Day and my kids both participated in a Memorial Day 5k.  My son carried our flag to the finish line and got second place.  To our surprise my daughter earned a medal for her age group.  She was so excited to get her first medal ever.  

I've always been proud to be an American and have raised my children to believe the same.  I'm so thankful they still understand and believe the importance of knowing the privilege it is to be an American and how there were so many who risked and lost their lives for us to have such freedom.  

We stopped at a diner for breakfast and my parents came over for a barbecue.  When they left we ventured out to find a tennis court to play.  None of us are good at it but it's fun.  It's really difficult to find a court that's not being used for pickle ball.  What the heck is pickle ball?

May is a busy month and I'll start by saying on the 16th we celebrated my mother's 81st birthday.  Each year is a huge milestone.  It's a miracle, actually.  She proves over and over that she is tougher than the Alzheimer's.  

In this month we also celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary and my husband's 47th birthday.  I believe that celebration deserves a post of its own and I'll get to that soon.  We both had work on our anniversary and then we went to a steak house for dinner.  I'm so grateful to Rob and the life we created together.  I just have to be better at taking pictures of such occasions.  

And speaking of pictures, today was the senior walk.  The seniors, in their cap and gown, got to walk through all of the elementary schools and middle school.  I used to work in the cafeteria and loved watching the seniors go by but unfortunately I left the job and won't get that experience with my own children.  Luckily I still have a friend in the building who took this shot for me.  

This is it!  The last week of school.  Graduation is Saturday morning and I'm going to be a mess.  Getting a child through school is no easy task but we did it.  Still have three more years with the youngest but we are doing it.  

Tonight is his last jazz concert at school. He plays trumpet.  These are the moments I dreamed about but why did it have to happen so quickly?

More Lasts and A Nice Mothers Day Weekend

 The weekend started with a band concert on Friday night.  This is the last one both of my kids will perform in together and I watched with tears.  

All of the seniors were recognized and given a rose, which Matthew gave to me at the end of the concert.  He had the honor of being the band treasurer this year.  It went by fast.  

Mother's Day was special for me and it was a weekend event.  On Saturday I did a little housework but did a lot of relaxing too.  My husband made a very delicious meal with homemade pasta and chicken parmesan.  He worked so hard.  I appreciated it.  On Sunday we went to church and they had some backdrops in place for pictures.  They also gave all the ladies a bouquet of flowers.  

Motherhood is a gift and a blessing.  It can be frustrating, messy and exhausting but it can also be fun, delightful and full of proud moments.  I'm grateful for these two and especially to God for trusting me with them.  I know I mess it up a lot but it's good to see that despite that they are growing up to be good humans.  They also love the Lord and nothing is more important to me than that.  

My husband also made me this dessert, which was delicious.  I can't remember what it's called but it has crushed pecans and caramel.  I failed to take a picture of dinner.  

We had plans of going to my parents' house after church and my oldest sister and her husband were going to visit from Long Island but my dad cancelled.  My mom had a rough night and he knew she'd be a zombie all day.  So, we stayed at home.  As much as I would have loved to see my mother on Mother's Day the time at home was good too.  We went out to eat at a diner, my choice.  Then my daughter taught me how to play Dress to Impress on Roblox.  

These last two days my daughter has had state exams at school and had her first practice for the new marching band season last night.  I don't know why they start so early.  Because of the state exams, which is only for 9th and 10 grade, my son has been able to arrive at school later in the day.  I've been getting through housework and yardwork but that never ends.  There's always something to do.  

My son had his senior pictures done by a friend who had been a teammate and graduated last year.  He is going to school for photography and trying to grow a business so I thought he'd be the perfect one to do the pictures.  We got them yesterday.  I'll just share a few.  

13 more school days until graduation (counting today) 

For Mother's Day!

 

I wanted to take a moment to wish all of you wonderful ladies a Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you all feel loved on this special day.  I hope you are showered with love and goodness.  If you are someone who may not look forward to this day, because maybe you no longer have your mother or maybe you even lost a child, I do hope that you can somehow find some peace and comfort.  I will be taking a moment tomorrow to pray for those who will be spending the day grieving.  Please know that you are needed, loved, and very special.