Last Friday night I watched my second oldest daughter walk the stage to graduate from high school. I just new I would cry, but I didn't. I was happy with our seats. We were sitting near the families of several of Rhiannon's friends. Everyone around us was dressed up, happy, and energetic.
We hooted and hollered for all the kids we knew, as their names were called. Some of them we've known since 3rd grade or so. So hard to believe they're going off to college or the military or whatever.
After graduation was over, the usual chaos ensued outside. Finding your own family members in the crowded little courtyard area is as much a tradition as the processional itself. Faelyn was with me, as we'd sort of gotten split up from the others, and we ran into Ducky.
He's a good friend of both my girls, and Christopher and I both care a lot about this kid. Of course he's no kid now, but he will always sort of be like our adopted son. We both got big hugs, but he seemed kind of down. We heard later on that he's having problems at home, and is actually staying with friends instead of his mom and brother. So, if it's your thing, I'd personally appreciate it if you'd say a little prayer for Ducky and his family to be able to mend the issues and work things out. We sent word to Ducky later on that we would love for him to come stay with us as long as he needed to. Hopefully he'll take us up on it, if he needs it.
Then we finally found Rhiannon and the rest of the family outside, and got some pictures. Her boyfriend Joe had his extended family in town, so we got to meet them, and then we found out they were all going to the same restaurant that we were for the after-graduation dinner. So, that was a nice surprise. He's heading off to basic training for the Army soon and she's got at least 4 years of college ahead of her, but I do hope they stick it out. He's a great guy.
Then she wanted pics with us and her friends..
I don't have a pic of her getting her diploma or even just by herself
yet. The local paper was taking those at the end of the stage, so I'll
grab one of those when they're available.
So, after pics, we headed to the Cancun restaurant here in town. We had to put 3 long tables together to seat everyone. It was great. Christopher and I ordered 2 orders of the family fajitas special which was more than enough for our two tables. We had all 5 of us there, plus Corina and Tyler and my mother in law. Unfortunately, none of the extended family was able to make it to graduation. We actually didn't hear anything at all from Christopher's dad and half sisters other than a FB message to ask when it was. I had FB messaged them to get their current addresses to make sure they got the invitations. The girls all said they couldn't believe she was old enough, and his dad asked when it was. That's all we've heard from any of them. I'm not terribly surprised though. There's not been a lot of contact between his dad's new family and ours through the years. We had hoped that Christopher's sister and her husband would be able to make it, but they both had commitments at work they couldn't get out of.
I wish I had pics from Cancun. I know some were taken, but not with my phone. Someone somewhere has them haha. The staff came out with noise makers and HUGE sombreros and put them on Joe and Rhiannon and started singing, and gave them big ice cream sundaes. It was awesome. We didn't expect that at all. We went to Cancun for Corina's graduation too. it's such good food and great atmosphere and I knew it wouldn't be packed like Applebees and Fatz. Those places can't compare to good Mexican food!
After dinner, Rhiannon headed off with Joe and his family. They were going to head off to the Carolina coast bright and early the next morning. She'd be there with them for almost 2 weeks. So, we got hugs and said our goodbyes, and the rest of us headed back home. We had ice cream and watched an episode of Buffy, then we all headed to Corina and Tyler's place out in the boonies far away from the lights of town, so we could watch the meteor shower. We live in town, so we can barely see only the brightest stars. We took blankets and lawn chairs and had a great time, laughing and talking and watching the sky. We stayed til nearly 2am, and I saw at least 5, and two of them were long slow ones that went across the sky. That was pretty cool. Once in a lifetime kind of thing. I wish Rhiannon had been able to join us, but I know she really wanted to go on this trip. I could never prevent her from making such amazing memories as 2 weeks on the Carolina shore right after graduation... I mean they ought to write a song about that...
I hope she treasures every. single. moment.
 | |
| Me and Christopher |
We hooted and hollered for all the kids we knew, as their names were called. Some of them we've known since 3rd grade or so. So hard to believe they're going off to college or the military or whatever.
After graduation was over, the usual chaos ensued outside. Finding your own family members in the crowded little courtyard area is as much a tradition as the processional itself. Faelyn was with me, as we'd sort of gotten split up from the others, and we ran into Ducky.
He's a good friend of both my girls, and Christopher and I both care a lot about this kid. Of course he's no kid now, but he will always sort of be like our adopted son. We both got big hugs, but he seemed kind of down. We heard later on that he's having problems at home, and is actually staying with friends instead of his mom and brother. So, if it's your thing, I'd personally appreciate it if you'd say a little prayer for Ducky and his family to be able to mend the issues and work things out. We sent word to Ducky later on that we would love for him to come stay with us as long as he needed to. Hopefully he'll take us up on it, if he needs it.
Then we finally found Rhiannon and the rest of the family outside, and got some pictures. Her boyfriend Joe had his extended family in town, so we got to meet them, and then we found out they were all going to the same restaurant that we were for the after-graduation dinner. So, that was a nice surprise. He's heading off to basic training for the Army soon and she's got at least 4 years of college ahead of her, but I do hope they stick it out. He's a great guy.
Then she wanted pics with us and her friends..
 | ||
| Corina, Rhiannon, Zoe |
So, after pics, we headed to the Cancun restaurant here in town. We had to put 3 long tables together to seat everyone. It was great. Christopher and I ordered 2 orders of the family fajitas special which was more than enough for our two tables. We had all 5 of us there, plus Corina and Tyler and my mother in law. Unfortunately, none of the extended family was able to make it to graduation. We actually didn't hear anything at all from Christopher's dad and half sisters other than a FB message to ask when it was. I had FB messaged them to get their current addresses to make sure they got the invitations. The girls all said they couldn't believe she was old enough, and his dad asked when it was. That's all we've heard from any of them. I'm not terribly surprised though. There's not been a lot of contact between his dad's new family and ours through the years. We had hoped that Christopher's sister and her husband would be able to make it, but they both had commitments at work they couldn't get out of.
I wish I had pics from Cancun. I know some were taken, but not with my phone. Someone somewhere has them haha. The staff came out with noise makers and HUGE sombreros and put them on Joe and Rhiannon and started singing, and gave them big ice cream sundaes. It was awesome. We didn't expect that at all. We went to Cancun for Corina's graduation too. it's such good food and great atmosphere and I knew it wouldn't be packed like Applebees and Fatz. Those places can't compare to good Mexican food!
After dinner, Rhiannon headed off with Joe and his family. They were going to head off to the Carolina coast bright and early the next morning. She'd be there with them for almost 2 weeks. So, we got hugs and said our goodbyes, and the rest of us headed back home. We had ice cream and watched an episode of Buffy, then we all headed to Corina and Tyler's place out in the boonies far away from the lights of town, so we could watch the meteor shower. We live in town, so we can barely see only the brightest stars. We took blankets and lawn chairs and had a great time, laughing and talking and watching the sky. We stayed til nearly 2am, and I saw at least 5, and two of them were long slow ones that went across the sky. That was pretty cool. Once in a lifetime kind of thing. I wish Rhiannon had been able to join us, but I know she really wanted to go on this trip. I could never prevent her from making such amazing memories as 2 weeks on the Carolina shore right after graduation... I mean they ought to write a song about that...
I hope she treasures every. single. moment.