Monday, May 9, 2016

Not Just Another May

Would some please explain to me where the last four years...I mean 4,600+ days...have gone? How is it possible that the sweet, skinny, yet tall, little boy that took a header into the window at Wilson on his bike, and that quiet, yet sarcastic, little boy who took a baseball to the face and survived, are both graduating within the next 33 days?

Yes, more school is in the future for both boys, but wow those years flew by fast. I've realized as I've gotten older that days turn into weeks, weeks into months and months into years much faster than when we were jockeying from the little league diamonds to Greenfield Park, or packing the boys five deep in the back of the pickup truck after an especially wet football practice. I remember grand slams and hitting the grid iron playing both sides of the ball. I remember posing for pictures for dances, and skipping dances too. I remember getting the float ready for homecoming, and picking up loads of chairs and tables for fundraisers. I remember going on field trips and watching the boys faces light up when they were holding baby chickens. I remember an entire staff of coaches turning around and looking for us in the stands from the football field, after our oldest took an especially hard hit...and I remember my husband jumping over a fence to get to him. I remember our youngest taking a cleat to the face, a half inch below his eye. I remember staying up after a late Thursday night game while watching one do homework for the next day. I remember all the friends they made....and the ones I've made too.

We were informed by the Regional Director of Admission at Ripon that our oldest will be presenting our youngest with his scholarship awards at the academic awards night next week. Doug and I are so very proud of both of our boys, their accomplishments, and the men they have become.

The last month has been a whirlwind of getting ready for the final days of college, attending the senior gallery opening, watching our youngest at track and wondering if he actually studied for his AP Chem exam, and planning when we can go pick up all of our oldest's stuff.

Mothers Day weekend was spent getting a lot of work done, just like every other weekend, spending time with both our moms, going to a movie and having one last Sunday dinner before we have a college graduate.

There are days I wish we could turn back the clock and spend a little more time going through the younger years. So many days were spent at practice or games, where they learned how to be a team player, when to speak up and when to stick up for the little guy. Then there were the days that ended up in punches and swearing after an especially heated battle. I love when I check out Facebook and all those memories pop up, the good...and the bad. Perhaps I'm a little too dependent on what happened five years ago, but even more memories come flooding back when you see them.

I wish our dads were here to see the boys graduate. I know, in my heart, they are toasting them, and cursing they couldn't be here.

I am thankful that Doug and I, now 46 and 45, are on the cusp of this chapter of our lives coming to a close. I am more thankful the next chapter is just the first of many, many more. I am simply in awe of everything that has been accomplished these last 22+ years. So many milestones. Bad memories that fade with time, good memories that make us smile.

This is our 17th year of school. The last full month where we have a child in high school. There will be no more track meets. There will be no more dances. No more AP exams. No more handing over $5 for lunch. No more planning football fundraisers or taking 1,000 pictures on a Friday night. No videos of coaches singing in their office. There will be no more high school memories until our kids have kids of their own.


Being a parent is the hardest job on this planet. You have 18 years (ok maybe 22 years) to get it right, and hope to God that your kids are ready for the world. I'm actually more afraid the world might not be ready for them
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