...but the years are short.

*sigh* A milestone has come and gone in our lives.  My oldest, Will, has graduated from high school!

First there was the Baccalaureate ceremony on May 13th.  It was wonderful!  Will gave the welcome...

Will

Megan and Will at the reception

Will, Matt V. and Brett

Brett, Will, Matt V. & Mia

Will and Erica S.

Will and Sam

My parents and sister arrived on Wednesday to attend the graduation ceremony on Thursday and prepare for the big party on Friday night!
Graduation Day!

Will singing their class song, "Lean on Me"

Hey look!  It's Will and Megan!

My sweet boys...

Apparently REALLY sweet!

 It was a real LOVE IN let me tell ya.  My boy was gettin' the lovin' from every girl he passed!  Tee Hee!
 Had to drag him away from the ladies to get the family pics!

Cheese!  So happy:)  Wow. When did my baby become a man?  I guess we were busy with the business of raising, feeding, burping, educating and loving and then all of a sudden the cap and gown showed up.  Isn't this the goal? Yes. I guess it is alot like child birth. You are never really ready when the hard contractions start, but you can't stop it. *sigh* *sigh*
So on to the party the next evening.  I was expecting about 70 people.  I told Will to make sure he invited his friends whose families didn't get an invitation in the mail.  Well, he put it on Facebook..Need I say more? Yes...because he didn't tell me he did.  We ran out of little rolls for the ham and by the end of the night the mega pack of cups I bought at Sam's Club were GONE!  Geez, I bet there were 125 people here.  It was GREAT!  

 We had the West Shore Jr. Sr. High Jazz Band play too!

Then they switched it up and added other members!

 

We had lights in the palm trees and tables all along the backyard

There was a Candy Bar inside....

The ladies kept cool in the pool

Hey....is that my youngest with those older women?!

It was so much fun!  What a blessing to have family and friends to help us celebrate such a milestone!
The days are long, but the years are short. *sigh* If we are lucky, this is true. If this is the plan God has for us, I will take it.  I feel lucky.  I feel blessed.  I feel happy.  I feel that transition coming...This is livin' isn't it? Yep.

The days are long but ...

You know, yesterday my friend Dani took this photo.  I mean yesterday if the days were actually 13 years long.  I am not ready for his graduation.  Then again I wasn't ready for his birth either and THAT came 5 weeks ahead of schedule.  It's not that I am not a planner.  It's not that I don't want him to grow up.  It's just...hmm.
We had visited his chosen college's campus 2 weekends ago.  We saw the dorm rooms (resorts, I tell you) and the Engineering buildings, the student union.  As he and I were walking back to the car, he said, "Mom, are you going to be alright?" Well, yea until he asked THAT!! *sniff* "Of course, I'll be alright," I said bravely--you know in that mom way.  "Dad and I are sooo proud of you!  This is such an exciting time in your life, but you have to realize that it is the first BIG transition for our family.  We are all going to have to adjust.  So if there are *sniffs* and *watery eyes*, it is just the transition happening and we are just trying to adjust as fast as we can."  I say too much.  "OK"  he says with a half smile.  My little boy.  My angel.  My adult man. Ok.  This makes my throat tight.  That transition is bearing down, isn't it?