Graduation Day

Once upon a time, a Friday started like this...

Why yes I have clinical after a night
of more hours doing care plans
than sleeping. 

And ended like this...

Why yes my baby girl is graduating.

Amazing Grace, all graduated. 

Amazing Grace, all happy.

All my girls & me.
Ginger Girl, Amazing Grace,
Little Blondie, Me, Blondie

Amazing Grace & Mama.

Leading up to her graduation, I was so overwhelmed with all of these emotions that I couldn't name, that I would break down in tears every time I thought about it. I thought for sure I would not be able to get through the ceremony without all the Kleenex in Wisconsin.

I cried a few tears when my girl sang with her choir. It was the very last time she would sing as a high schooler & the song was a wee bit emotional of course. I made it the rest of the time without crying.

Not my mother. Through the amazing world of technology, we were able to have my parents and brother, all the way from Florida, watch almost the entire ceremony. We didn't have the best connection so we lost them for a few seconds here & there, but easily reconnected & overall they didn't miss much. They didn't miss her walking in & they didn't miss her walking across the stage, the 2 most important parts. I got a picture with my phone, of my Mom on the other phone, crying as my daughter walked into the gym. I love that picture of my Mom wiping her tears. It's priceless to me because that's exactly the way she looked the first time she met Amazing Grace.

I made it through the pictures afterward without crying. I made it all the way home, the entire 3 blocks, without crying. "Look at me, dear. I didn't cry as much as we thought I would." Hubby, without looking at me, said, "It's coming,"

He was right. Dang it, he was right.

As I was standing next to my bed, looking back through the many, many pictures & videos I took of the ceremony & afterward...I cried. And cried. She grew up too fast & before I was ready to let go. Little stinker. I couldn't stop time & I didn't believe anyone that she would be grown before I knew it. She really didn't stay a colicky baby forever & she did outgrow those toddler temper fits where I feared the neighbors would think I was beating her. She didn't get her 5 year old wish to stay little forever & I mistakenly blinked and caused time to lapse.

All I can hope now is that I taught her everything she needed to know & that I did everything she needed me to do, because it's Amazing Grace's turn to show the world what she's made of. I hope the world is ready.

And on that note...

1 down, 5 to go.