This June I got to enjoy Graduation with my last child, my girl. Graduation plans for my daughter did not begin one or two months before grad. It began in September of the year that they are graduating. You know those timelines that they have in magazines for your wedding? Grad should have one too. In September you need to book your hair appointment for the day of grad and for a hair trial. If you don't know what a hair trial is it is basically a practice round to be sure your hair looks exactly the way you want it to look for grad day. So, you need to book a hair trial and a make up trial to be sure you look perfect for THE DAY. You will spend weeks checking out pinterest for hair up dos, smoky eyes and the perfect gown.
In December when the rest of you were Christmas shopping and wrapping gifts we were out looking for THE dress. Three moms and three teenage girls with a itinerary planned and high hopes we headed out. You soon realize that what you thought was a reasonable sum of money to spend on a dress is going to have your daughter wearing a bedazzled sackcloth. You rearrange your budget in your mind, contemplate eating bread and water for a few months and continue on. Sadly, the perfect dress was not found that day but Christmas shopping was done and we drove home listening to the Duck Dynasty Gang singing Christmas Carols.
We did find THE DRESS a week or two later. Daddy and the two moms came this time and the purse strings were stretched a little further. From the dressing room there emerged this beautiful 17 year old girl in a jewelled, hot pink dress and we all knew this was the one for her. A little side...when did this happen? She went in the dressing room to try on her bathing suit for summer camp, her first bra, a dress for her first dance and out she emerges in a grad dress. Tears are shed and wiped away... we don't have time to cry, what is next on the list.
Grad is all about the Grad and when it is a girl, oh it s so about the Grad. How can we make it even more special? We volunteer. We go to meetings, make plans and set up committees to decorate, prepare food and plan events.
I won't bore you with the months from January til June. I will let you experience it on your own. Skip ahead to the week of Grad or even better the day of the event that you have been planning for since September. The Grad gets up early to get her hair done. Oh no, she forgot her pin for her hair and Mom has no car. Mom hops on her bike and pedals quickly, her chain falls off, she gets grease all over her hands but the hair pin is still clean. She runs into the salon in a sweaty tank top, jean shorts and wet hair and hands over the pin. Thanks Mom! Back she goes home to prepare a lunch for the fam and prepare herself. My plan was to be spending the last months working out and getting into some skinny girl dress and look half my age and everyone at the Grad would be like is this your oldest. No, this is my baby. Oh honey, you look so good. You must have had her when you were 12. That dream vanished and I emerged in a lovely blue dress with some spanx and trying to adapt the attitude... What the heck, this is me :)
The family all gathered together for pictures and it was special. Grads are milling about with families and other grads and everyone is posing for pictures. Oldest brother is following the princess around and snapping pictures on command. It was a special moment! Can't cry because I can't remember if my mascara is waterproof. The day flies by with the ceremony, dinner and the party. That was my girl! The one in the beautiful hot pink dress with the flashy, flowery shoes. That was my girl! The one who walked across the stage and accepted her diploma. That was my girl! Dancing on the dance floor until 3:00 am. And that was her mom standing on the sidelines smiling and remembering the last 18 years and thanking God that He gave me such a beautiful, kind, enthusiastic, caring girl.
We did it Moms! We raised those girls without too much incident. Celebrate your contribution to getting them up on that stage and watching them walk across to accept their diploma.
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