Chelcie's Graduation!

She did it! Miss Chelcie Brooke Crawford has officially graduated from Bearden High School with the Class of 2008!

My morning got off to a great start. As has become my custom on Friday mornings, I met my WVMS friends as Panera for a cinnamon crunch bagel and unsweetened tea. I was actually the first one there, that in itself is an accomplishment for me as I tend to be a day late and a dollar short these days.

The school day was ummmm, interesting...as apparently a rumor has been circulating about a planned food fight for the history books. As a result, Ms. Finley came to each class and issued a stern warning that anyone involved in such an event would have criminal charges filed against him and would be suspended from high school for the first week! I gave a valiant effort to convince the kids that any such "prank" would most certainly NOT be worth the 15 minutes of fame he/she would earn from peers. The 8th grade teams were not permitted to eat together in the cafeteria and the boys were separated from the girls. They were made to walk in a single file line without talking. Hopefully, they will heed the warnings and finish the year well.

Another school-day highlight was the Yearbook Signing that was held from 1:30-3:30 in the 8th grade hallway. We have so many amazing students that I feel certain that I'll have the autograph of someone sure to be famous in the future!

Since today was our last FCF (Free Choice Friday), I spent my time at my desk pouring my heart out in a graduation letter to Chelcie. The letter will be posted here next week so that it will be recorded in a place where I won't lose it!

When I finally arrived home, I changed proverbial hats and kicked into "mom-mode." Addie and Sam both had soccer games at 5:00, so I prepared their change-of-clothes bags because they planned to meet me, Drew, Chelcie, and Ricky at Aubrey's at 6:30 and they wouldn't have time to return home to change. Chelcie and I had a few moments together as I ironed her graduation gown. She's ready...I'm not...

Ricky arrived and Drew, Chelcie and I were on our way to Aubrey's. Fortunately, I had remembered to call ahead for seating, but apparently, I didn't call ahead enough. Mom, Dad and Natalie arrived, Katie and Lauren also, then finally Tom arrived with Addie and Sam. Unfortunately, the wait time was underestimated and we had to make alternate plans. In the process of leaving Aubrey's, Katie and Lauren decided to head home, so we lost two of our entourage. In the interest of time, we opted for McCallister's on the strip and we salvaged our dinner plans.

The graduation ceremony was pleasant. I enjoyed seeing students I had in third grade at Lotts and eighth grade at West Valley emerge as leaders and role models in their senior class. Of the four senior speakers, I had the good fortune of having taught three of them-two of them I had twice! Ben Shires, senior class president, and Sarah Jordan Stout, were two-time survivors, and Brandee Kent is a former eighth grade student. All three did a fantastic job! Of course, the spotlight shone most brightly on my own graduating senior, Chelcie Brooke Crawford! She was radiant and confident! I had to battle the parent paparazzi to get recognizable photographs of her amidst the sea of burgundy, but I managed to snap a few shots for the memory book. Chelcie had a special yellow cord indicating her membership in National Honor Society and the program designated her GPA of a 3.5 or better! Tom and I were both proud of her.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, I was on picture duty for about an hour, then we headed home for a quick change for Tom and Chelcie for Project Graduation, bedtime for Addie and Sam, 11:30 isn't too late, is it? Drew headed to Andrew Soreano's for the night, Ricky was bound for the Jameson Inn, and I slipped into my pajama pants in the hopes of getting a jump start on the documentation of the festivities before my memory lapsed.

One down, three to go!