My baby is graduating high school

[Sue Baker]

It seems like yesterday a client told me I looked like a big blueberry in my blue maternity dress at a hearing. Or that I packed my little ice pack and pump to pump at lunch. Or the happy little people jumping on me and hugging me at the door when I arrived home. Or the stressful mornings when I had crying babies to drop off at daycare (ripped my heart out daily; dad always got pickup, the happy time). Working on a rush, the baby gate across my office door with babies yearning to get at mommy, who was working on a transcript. Lying in bed with them, reading books out loud every night, favorites over and over. Diapers, lots of them. Eight years straight. I used cloth in the day, so washing diapers every other day. Lots of trips to the zoo. In fact, this past Mother's Day, out trip to the zoo with now teenagers for our annual picture by the pond, which started with one little blond boy, fourteen months old, and most recently featured two young men, 6'2" and 6'0, and a 5'6" tall young lady. (Who all hate each other right now, by the way). The past four years have been a total blur, and he is the first to get ready to fly away from the nest, but the milestones for the others will come faster and faster, I am sure. Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt are coming for the ceremony and we are going to really enjoy the moment. In fact, we are already enjoying it, because as you know, anticipation is sometimes more fun than the actual event itself. My very first, life-changing baby is 18 and graduating high school.

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

Sue,

You have a terrific family and are a marvelous writer! I really enjoyed that!! Lots of good luck, good karma, and good health to your whole clan!

I use that expression all the time but in the opposite vein: anticipation is worse than the actual event (like a colonoscopy, for example!!). You are very wise to realize that anticipation also can be more fun than the actual event (so true!) and thus enjoy the anticipation time and at the same time anticipate that the actual event might be a bit of a let-down and not be bummed out by it because you planned for that beforehand. So smart. I will remember that.

Lots of good luck to your handsome son!!!

Marge

[Sue Baker]

Oh, thank you for your kind words, Marge. Blessings and good luck to you and your gang, also.

[jayne]

You are sending the first out of your nest with this graduation; I am sending the last one out of my nest with this up-coming high school graduation. It is definely a time for tears and laughter and all those memories will come flying back as you watch him walk across the stage. I have been lucky though, all five of my daughters made it through high school without me becoming a grandmother. Thank you God for that!
I am positive you will enjoy and remember this up-coming graduation with pride for both youself and your son, you both have made it through 18 years of joy and sorrows, and hopefully, your both still talking to each other. My hat is off to you.

[Sue Baker]

Yes, we are talking now, but it's been a rough three years with that, at least. Congratulations to you on your hard work paying off so nicely. Thank you, Jayne.

[jayne]

It is hard work, but now I am challenged by the thoughts of the empty house. When I left my ex, I brought two teenage out of the five, two others were in college and the oldest one was and still is living in a stable; but now I am going to be alone for the first time in more years than I want to remember. The worst part it starts the day after graduation when she returns to spend the summer with her father. The one good thing is I have two and half weeks of pure fun to look ahead to beginning the last week of June.

[Sue Baker]

I fantasize about selling my house (I'm in a tear-down build big ones area, so really, I mean, walk out the door with maybe my clothes and paperwork and throw in a match), going downtown and renting a loft or something, close to the action, museums and music. Joining the Houston Co-Op and maybe some old hippie groups and having a blast. But I can't even imagine having a quiet house, it will probably bore me to tears in three days. Good luck on your new adventure, Jayne.