Graduation for Firstborn, Part 1

Last summer, it was hard for me to imagine, as we boarded that plane, that Firstborn's graduation year  2017 had come. When they are born and you think about what year they will graduate, it seems so far away! But I did buy a few things before coming back to Turkey. I bought a Christmas ornament for her with her graduation date. I bought a few signs and banners (so they would be in English!). We already had her party, but I saved this fun door hanger for the actual day. She woke up, and I couldn't seem to get her moving downstairs. I finally said, "Come see the boiled eggs I made!" ha. She knew something was up.

Here she is just before we left for her graduation.

It's funny, isn't it, that you imagine how it will be, but it's not what you imagine? And what you never imagined becomes the most special part. I envisioned a long time for a family picture after she got her gown on (before the mascara would run). That didn't happen. She was whisked away to get her gown on, while I put the finishing touches on her senior display table. Sweet little Sweet Cheeks went from table to table giving each the small gift CC and I always purchase for the seniors. Big Ben wondered when the food would be served and he could take his tie off. Twinkle and Middler laughed with friends. And I wondered where my baby was. I came down the stairs looking for the videographer who I had contracted for all the seniors for that night. And there she was. Right at the bottom of the stairs, looking up into the skylight above. Looking bright. Looking beautiful. Looking accomplished. Looking tall. Looking mature. And she smiled such a smile at me. I imagined a family photo shoot. But what I got was this picture which I will never forget.