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Day 160/365: Graduation Day Smiles

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Congratulations to all the graduating seniors at Elmwood-Murdock High School. My favorite graduation photo is still my son’s smile that radiated to his eyes. Can you find him in the photo? He’s the one with the big smile on his face. He spent the previous years of his childhood avoiding my camera, but here it’s almost like his eyes and smile is talking to me from across the gymnasium.

Even years later I look at this photo and get misty eyed remembering the day.

Graduation Smiles
I love the smiles on graduation day

It was a long and stressful day, but so worth it and a day this Mom will never forget. His graduation party was the week before and instead of him taking off after graduation to hang with friends he wanted to go with me to the parties. So to nine parties we went, eating cake, pulled pork, ice cream, and more food than I want to think about. It was a long day full of smiles and memories.

As a Mother of a graduating senior it’s hard to smile during the day and easy to cry. The day isn’t about what you’re losing it’s about what is in the future and the road ahead. Where is my son now? He is a United States Marine and looks quite a bit different.

A guaranteed way to bring smiles to the students and parents is to surprise them with small gifts and graduation tokens. Imagine the students going outside to their cars with smiley graduation smiley faces. Now that is a video I want to take. We only have an average of 32 kids in the graduation class so it would be an affordable gesture.

6 Smile Face Graduation Antenna ToppersGraduation Candy Lollipops 12ct.

One tradition we have at Elmwood-Murdock is the senior reception line, very similar to a wedding when friends and family shake the hands of the new graduates and tell them congratulations. I will often give them their cards in line in case I can’t get to their party. Graduation Lollipops would be a fun and cute remembrance of the day to tie with ribbons and a memorable quote to hand out in line.

 

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Veterans Day 2010

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As a new Mother of a Marine, my thoughts take a different turn on Veterans Day.  I think it’s because it’s now close to home and I find myself worrying in advance of what lies ahead. The potential of the biggest sacrifice that can be made for our country is now personal. It’s my sons. Yes, plural. My youngest son, still in high school decided that the United States Marine Corps is his calling.

Memories of my Father are particularly strong now. He was a veteran of World War II and the Korea Conflict. He never spoke of  war, not that I can remember, and his service papers were lost when we arrived home on New Years at Times Square.  So, I have sent to the National Personnel Records Center for his service records to share with his grandchildren. 

I’m also thankful for living in small town community with Midwestern traditions. Unlike other parts of the country, our schools take time to honor our veterans by inviting them to the school and honoring them with celebrations. I attended two such programs today, one at the high school and the other at the elementary.

Lieutenant Colonel Rick Gray was the speaker from the Nebraska National Guard. The choir and band sang and played in honor of those who bravely served in the armed forces past and present. It was very moving to listen to over 125 elementary children sing “Bless Our Troops”.  It’s something I won’t forget anytime soon.

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