I studied hard, got good grades, attended sporting events and school dances, and had a lot of laughs. But high school was also the time in my life when I discovered true disappointment and heartbreak. During those four years I invested time and energy in people who did nothing but let me down. High school was the time when I discovered the difference between acquaintances and friends...and realized how hurtful acquaintances can be when given the chance.
Man, I didn't mean for this post to be such a downer.
The other day, Meggie's friend Becca asked me how I would react if she called me "Meggie, Sr." because we are so alike. While I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or complimented by that fact (Meggie was being particularly goofy at the time), I had to agree with her. My firstborn and I are like two peas in a pod.
Meggie has not particularly enjoyed high school. She has studied hard, gotten good grades, attended sporting events and (very few) school dances, and had a lot of laughs. She has a handful of really good friends, has been dating a great guy for six months, and got accepted into the College of her choice. But she has also experienced the exact disappointments and heartbreaks that I did in high school. If you asked Meggie if she enjoyed high school, she would most assuredly tell you that she did not.
And while a lot of people will find that a shame, I am not so sure they are correct. Because the reality is that high school taught Meggie a lot of painful lessons. Necessary lessons, to be sure, but painful nonetheless. And those lessons have prepared her for what life will send her way as she enters adulthood. Those lessons will help her make good decisions when I'm not standing by her side giving her (unsolicited and often unwanted) advice. I'm actually glad she endured those painful lessons while I was there, physically by her side, to guide her through it.
Lots of people asked me if I would cry at Meggie's graduation. I knew that I would not. Why would I cry? Graduation, to me (and, I'm guessing, to Meggie) isn't an emotional, tear-jerking moment of goodbye. Graduation, to me, is the one event standing between the tortures of high school and the promise of a fresh start in College. So crying at my daughter's graduation was never an option.
* * * * * * * * * *
The day started early...out the door by 8AM. When we arrived at the University where the graduation was being held (the high school just couldn't hold the 600+ students and their families), we very quickly handled the traditional photo-with-the-graduate before Meggie ran to line up...
...and it was a good thing we did, because it truly was our only chance to get a picture with her at the event! We headed to find seats (with an hour to kill since the graduates had to get there so early) and I took a few pictures...
...of the signage over the stage...
...of as many of the empty seats as I could fit in one frame (that was a LOT of chairs!)...
...and of the exact seat where our graduate would be sitting in less than an hour. Thankfully, Meggie got an end-of-row seat assignment and we were able to position ourselves very near her spot! With still 30 minutes to go...
...I was beginning to worry about Carson and Molly's ability to endure the rest of the wait and the two-hour ceremony. They not only looked bored and tired in those pictures, but Carson looked like he wanted to kill me!Finally, the moment we were waiting for arrived. Pomp and Circumstance was playing and everyone stood...and then we realized the Littles were too short to see anything! So Carson headed down the row to Grandpa B while Daddy scooped Molly up in his arms...
...so they could see their big sister...
...take part in the procession...
...and take her spot in that large crowd. Even with the poor picture quality of my pathetic little camera, you can still see her beautiful smile in that shot!Meggie's boyfriend, Evan, had to miss graduation. The varsity baseball team (Evan is a pitcher) made it all the way to the State Finals game, which just happened to be scheduled for the exact time as graduation in a city two hours away! Meggie and the other members of the Girlfriends Club begged to attend the game and support the guys, but the parents all stood firm and the girls came to graduation. That decision was particularly rough in our house...Evan was selected to pitch in the State Finals game.
Our compromise was that I would keep her updated during the ceremony. So Evan's dad was sending me texts every inning or so (thanks so much, Jeff!) and I would relay the info to Meggie whenever I could catch her eye. My husband was particularly amused that his non-sports-loving wife was at the edge of her seat throughout the graduation, awaiting the scores of a baseball game.
Reading the names of 600+ students takes a while...
...and while Carson was making the best of it and enjoying the Pez candies I brought along in my purse...
...Molly never pretended to be enjoying herself. Finally, all the names were called and the last graduate received a diploma cover...
...which meant it was time...
...for the changing of the tassels. Meggie told me the graduates were allowed to throw their caps in the air (they didn't let US do that at graduation!) and wanted me to catch it on film. At the last second, Carson suggested I make a video of it. So I flipped the camera to video mode and did my best to catch it......but since it wasn't as coordinated an effort as I was expecting, I'm not sure she'll be pleased with the coverage I provided. After the ceremony we headed outside for pictures...
...with both sets of proud grandparents...
...and with best friends. Since I knew my video of the cap tossing was less than adequate, we recreated the event...
...and were quite pleased with the results! After a few more pictures...
...without those dreaded caps, we convinced the Littles to stop playing in the pine cones...
...and decided it was time to go get some lunch. So, my firstborn is now a high school graduate...and I truly thank God for keeping her safe through what were probably the toughest four years of her life. I'm so proud of her and so excited to see how God uses her talents to make this world a better place for the people in her circle of influence.
As the graduation ceremony ended, Molly turned to me and asked, "Is Meggie going to College now? I miss her!" I laughed and reassured my baby girl that she still has all summer to hang out with her big sister before College starts...and even then, Meggie will only be a phone call (or Skype) away.
As we were getting into the car to leave the University campus, we got the news that Evan pitched the East varsity baseball team to a 6-2 victory...bringing home a State title! (Guess that was worth missing his graduation, huh?) And I think he may have even turned this non-sports-loving woman into a true baseball fan in the process.
And, in case you were wondering, I did not cry a single tear at graduation. I think I'll save my tears for the day Meggie moves into the University dorms...
Yay for Meggie!! And yay for Mommy! I remember Katie's graduation day. I didn't cry either although I thought I might. She talked during the entire ceremony which made me giggle. I was too busy watching her to be sad. But I will tell you, I could not take her to college when she left. Daddy had to do it. And she was only going 40 minutes away. I went to work like usual but cried all morning.
ReplyDeleteGreat job to Evan and his team! I also turned into a baseball mom when Katie's boyfriend was pitching for the state win. Katie even painted my van! We lead very similar lives.....=)
I didn't like high school either. Didn'd shed a tear.
ReplyDeleteI brought my iPod and cell phone (contraband) with me to kill time. I made sure my headphones were black and I fed the wiring through my gown and tied my ipod around my neck. It was the best decision I ever made. And the cell phone was helpful cause my mom text me to spit out my gum before I walked up to receive my diploma. I must have been chewing like a horse.
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