Graduation Time

Laconia High School ~ Class of 2012

My younger son, Casey, graduated from high school yesterday.  It's been a weird experience for this sentimental ol' mom.  When Ty graduated three years ago it was an emotional roller coaster for me.  I was thrilled that he was graduating since I never had, hubby never had, and four of my five siblings never had.  I was sad that he was old enough to be graduating, that his childhood days were over.  And I was extremely sentimentally sensitive about ALL of it because he was graduating from the same school I had gone to.

With Casey it was quite different.  The 'Wow, I'm old, we're all old' feelings have been minimal.  There has been more relief this time, relief that it's all over, relief that he made it.  Casey struggled more in school than Ty ever had, and they'd even thought way back in first/second grade that he might have had a learning disability.  But he made it.  And along with the relief, there is more excitement this time around.  With Ty I went from weepy about graduation to worry about what kind of job he'd ever find.  With Casey I'm much more relaxed because I've learned that kids will surprise you where you might not give them enough credit, and that things will work out.  And then there are the trivial things like how much money we'll be saving now from not having to pay class fees, books fees, lunch fees, etc.  And how I can sleep in now on my days off if I want to because I don't have worry about him being up in time for the bus.  (Again, between Casey and Ty, Casey would be the one to oversleep.)  And I don't have to nag him about homework and worry about grades anymore!

So while there is still some sadness that my baby has grown up and I'm now done with all those school related things, I've found that I'm much happier and more mellow about it all this time around.  Even during the ceremony, the only times I really cried were during the music as the class marched in, and again with the music as they marched back out.  A lot of it was the music itself.  I'm a sucker for tradition, and that music is traditional . . . and then to be watching my own child among those kids . . . *sniffle*

A blurry picture because I had a video camera in one hand while trying to work my digital camera in the other, but this is the traditional 'silly string' celebration after the principal has presented the newly graduated class.  It's always funny to watch, and to have the band blasting out the school song makes it so cool.

It was a very small graduating class this year.  Of the 54 seniors in this class, 51 actually participated in the graduation ceremony.  In the year I would have graduated there were 85 kids (I think) and in Ty's class three years ago there was something like 92.  There were quadruplets in this Class of 2012 though, and it's funny because their parents were both in MY class.

Ty, hubby, and I were at the school for the ceremony, of course.  Our 'adopted third son' Matt also attended, which I thought was rather sweet.  My mom was there.  My sister and her husband joined us, and then one my brothers and his wife surprised us by showing up at the school too.  And it's a darn good thing they did because it meant there was an extra camera taking pictures of Casey during this important occasion.  I had been videotaping but had an unfortunate mishap with unknowingly bumping the record button 'off' and totally missed Casey actually getting his diploma.  DOH!!!!!

Oh, and it was so cool too when, during the senior video presentation when they flashed a baby pic and then the senior pic of each person, I was so relieved to hear an awesome amount of cheers for Casey's.  I always feel so bad for the kids who have almost silence when their pic is up.  :(

After the ceremony, hubby, Ty, and Matt raced back home to get the food started on the grill and get some last minute decorations put up since it had been windy all day and we didn't want everything blown away by the time people started arriving.  My mom and I found Casey outside the school after the ceremony, in the massive crowd of kids and parents and relatives.  We hung around for a bit and talked to friends we saw, then headed back home for the party.

It was a breezy but beautiful day.  As afternoon eased into evening there was a threat of rain and we felt sprinkles a few times but it was much later, and many people had left, before the one brief shower sent everyone running for temporary shelter.  There was a decent turnout, 44 people, and it was so cool to see how many of Casey's classmates stopped by the party . . . he is NOT a social kid.  There were still some instances of amazingly rude party etiquette but I'll guess you'll always have that.  The last of Casey's friends left after 9pm, and then we (Casey, Ty, hubby and I) sat around relaxing for a bit before everyone headed off to bed, happy overall but glad it was over.

And just like after Ty's graduation, I had to dig out the picture from Casey's first day of school and do a comparison.  And that's where I got weepy and started get all sentimental about everything.  Yep, the dork in me is still there.

Congratulations, Casey!  You did it!!

(A ton more pics can be seen in THIS photo album on my Facebook page.)