Joan on the Road...of Life

One more graduate! We have seven grandchildren who graduate from high school, one right after the other! Mary is #4. We are so proud of this wonderful young woman who is a valedictorian, madrigal singer and flag girl among other things!

Since "it never rains in Southern California" the graduations are outside with the occasional beach ball batted around the crowd. In an untraditional fashion all the 530+ students marched in and surrounded the field while being called up to walk onstage and get their diplomas at the beginning of the ceremony.

Families competed in cheering, screaming and blowing airhorns to celebrate their child's achievement. I don't think that happens in a more conservative, indoor environment. Balloon and flower bouquets awaited the graduates who were covered with streamers, shot from guns at the end of the ceremony.

All over the country this month millions of families participate in this graduation tradition. The kids are so excited and anxious to move on. I doubt they really understand the great change this one evening brings to their lives. No more required schooling. So much freedom ...so much responsibility.

I overheard another granddaughter who is coming home from college for the summer. She's talking to her Mom about "house rules." They're negotiating about what time she needs to be home at night. She says, "You mean you expect me to be in by a certain time after I've had all this freedom for a year?" "Yep" says her Mom. "You live in my house, you live by my rules." Hmmmmm....where have I heard that before? Seems to me my Mom said the same thing to me :).

Through it all baby Evan was a trooper, enjoying "pass the baby", but about 8:30 he crashed on Mom's shoulder....sound asleep even with cheering, clapping and horns beeping!

Mary's Dad, Jim, hosted a pre and post party with an eclectic mix of food to satisfy all tastes...sushi, pizza and roast chicken. We ended with a totally delicious "Mary's choice" cake....sort of like a tutti frutti. Yum!

A good time was had by all and she's off to college in the fall. Three more high school graduations and then, somewhere along the way, we start college!

PS to the above: This is the 4th graduate! So far we have Naomi (mother of baby Evan), Jim, Hilly and Mary...3 left...Bryan, Ryan and Zack. I stand corrected! :)