The Daughter Graduates

Yesterday dawned summer-cool but with the promise of another day of summer-heat later on. After two solid days of cooking big dinners for the whole group and another busy day before that, I was ready for a quieter day and was rewarded for the most part, since the commencement ceremony would not be until 8 pm. I worked in the garden a bit before the full brutality of the rising temperature and humidity really set in, then slowly chipped away at the laundry and kitchen catch-up that are inevitably necessary when one has company. I even got a nap. My sister and her family came up from Tennessee and my parents and nephew came from Arizona to fill the house. The little children have turned the family room into legoland and I consider it theirs and largely beyond reclamation until after they leave, but I will not complain because once again hearing the sound of small boys plotting their fantastic voyages and marvelous adventures among the cushions of my couches is a precious thing.

Eric and I are camped in what we lovingly call the dungeon, which is our partially finished basement outfitted as a sort of dorm/bachelor pad/pretend guest room. It's a cool, dark, quiet space with plenty of room, and it is interesting to look at what we have stored down here. I'm very motivated, after looking at all these boxes up close for a week, to purge like the wind in the coming weeks. My folks have our room and Josh is installed comfortably in Evan's top bunk.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, all this happy chaos is centered around Sara's graduation from high school, and friends, last night was the night! What a night. The theme really was happy chaos as we faced a fairly powerful thunderstorm during and after the ceremony. In the end, the cool breezes of a storm were highly preferable to 2 hours in the everloving heat and humidity, so it really wasn't that bad. My sister's wheelchair dictated that we sit at the back, just barely under the pavilion at Merriweather, and it was necessary to set up our umbrellas as the rain blew in. The temperature dropped so nicely that my sis got cold and the knitting I brought became an emergency blanket. Yep, that kinda night.

Our traditional photo-op on the hill by the trees and the Running Man sculpture was obliterated by the effort to just get everyone to the car without getting soaked because it was POURING afterward. We decided to convene at Wendy's for Frostys and photos only to find it closed. So Plan C became a whirlwind trip to Weis for many, many ice cream treats, then back home for the final celebration. As Monday was a grand dinner with Sara's favorite desserts and all of that, this lesser celebration worked out just great and a fun time was had by all, not that the selection of ice cream wonders that we brought home could really be called lesser, for heaven's sakes!

Sara was resplendent in her gown with hair that is currently so long as to require adjectives such as luxuriant, amazing, striking and glorious. She looked happy and excited as she walked past the gauntlet of principals and local dignitaries. The symbolism of the moment was real and the ceremony mattered once again. She's on her way to making a life for herself that will be unique, exciting and completely self-wrought. She has always needed me only for the barest of scaffolding around her giant personality and independent spirit. Now her eyes have opened a bit and she is considering going away to school, which of course brings extremely mixed feelings, better for another post sometime.

Now is the time to just celebrate, to just look at the smiles and look forward to the future. Here's to Sara!