The next morning Graduation Day arrived with the final day of high school, so the girls were off early for their last exams, but by noon, teenagers were filling the house before heading off to bask by the pool in the sunshine and kick off summer vacation. (Though all those California girls in bikinis stressed my sister-in-law as her son followed them out the door!)
Later the aroma of grilling tri-tip filled the air as Daddy careful tended the grill, and the succulent meat disappeared quickly as guests lined up and filled their plates.
Then we were all scrambling to get ready and out the door for graduation. We scored a parking spot~nothing short of miraculous, and then we washed through the doors with the sea of parents. We escaped to the balcony where we discovered front row seats awaited!
In the predictable lull of ceremonies, I sat there quietly as my mind slowly started to absorb the reality that my daughter was graduating from high school. The same little girl that introduced to parenthood and patiently endured our learning curve. That little girl who I held so proudly in my arms after a short, intense delivery. That little third-grade girl who so bravely went off to camp up the Boulder in Big Timber, Montana. I blinked and there she was...in her graduation cap and gown standing tall and beautiful in the back row. Then I felt my heart tighten and tears well up...and I breathed just as deeply as I did during delivery.
She is so excited to embrace life, and I am so proud of her, but it is hard on a mama's heart to let her spread her wings and fly, as she will always be my little girl.
Congratulations, Nikela!
