Graduations, Celebrations and Fun.... OH MY!

It has been a whirl wind couple of weeks.

Baby girl graduated from high school.

My whole family was there and it was an amazing time. The last time all my siblings from my mom and dad WITH my mom and dad were together was 11 years ago at my younger brother's wedding. My parents divorced about 25 years ago. It was almost spooky and sort of cool to all be in the same house doing the day to day routine and having the day to day conversations. It was like a warp in time of how things might possibly have been had my parents stayed together. There was no sadness in thinking that, it was actually sort of comical. I enjoyed the time together and the family dynamic as is.

The Graduation was AWESOME! I screamed for Alieshia, her friends and all the kids in my Sunday school class. So much so that I lost my voice for a week! It was worth it. The class officers did an great job with their remarks and as they called each students name to recieve their diploma, they flashed the graduates senior picture and next to it a baby picture of them

My thoughts couldn't help but go back to her first days of preschool and all the day inbetween of laughter, heartache, peer pressure, studying, writing papers and so on. There were days when she couldn't get enough of school and days when she was soo ready to be done.
I can remember telling her how horrible I was in math and how if she needed help on it, she'd have to seek out the tutors at school. Her senior year, one of her interships was a math tutor and she earned a scholarship from it.

A couple of nights before graduation was the senior awards night. There's where all the honor students and their parents are invited to an assembly and the students are recognized for their Academic Achievments. They announce all scholarships that have been offered for each student, as well as honorable societies and awards. She rec'd a 4 year tuition scholarship at one of the State Universities, and 2 intern scholarships, one with employment full or part time, which ever they choose.

When she hit Jr High I required her to play an instrument, sport and pick a language that I asked her to maintain through high school. I wanted her social interactions to be just as important and well rounded as her academic interactions. As a result she's learned team work and leadership, international communication and the joy of fine arts through music and theatre. Although she has near perfect pitch and sings alto AND suprano, she chose to play the violin. Her language is spanish... I guess she writes and reads it better than she speaks it, and her sports were basketball in Jr high and she threw the Discuss on the track team in high school.

I think she's ready for the world. She's been several places and seen several things. I put opportunties befor her that would challenge her fears and strengthen her independance and I am quite confident that she's ready.
She'll only be 2 hours away. It's time. I'm excited to see what she can add to this world. My success as a parent has much to do with how well she functions on her own. Im anxious to see her "do her thang" out there.

She has beat all the "single parent household stereotypes"

all with dealing with one hella crazy family ESPECIALLY her mama ;)

(Mom, Graduate, Uncle)

The day after graduation was the graduation party. I think we had just over 100 people at the house rotating in and out for the night. It was awesome. She chose a "fiesta" theme so we had latin music and colorful lanterns handing outside lighting up the back yard from the night sky. We made "mocktails" ( smoothies) and hand them in colored martini glasses. I believe it was 11 pm before they even started busting up the pinata. The celebration lasted until after midnight and it was a fabulous time.

Each guest recieved a bottle of "vintage Designer Labeled water" with my graduates photo on it.

Congratulations Ali-doodle-bug-boppy-pocahonri-lieshi-ancumr!

Let's do it again in about 4 more years :)