Graduate

After 5 years and a LOT of stress for her (and me!), our middle child Jessica graduated from college!  For all those moms and dads out there that haven't experienced this yet, I cannot begin to express the feeling you feel when you watch your child graduate from a university.  The phrase "life flashed before me" is appropriate here.  While she was proceeding into the Convocation Center with all the other graduates, I thought of the time when she was 18 months old and we were at a swimming pool and she was asking for her pacifier.  She called her pacifier "happy".  (We called it her "paci" but she couldn't say that, so it was "happy".)  She was in her bathing suit and had her tiny arms outstretched with her palms facing upwards as if saying "Where did it go?"   How quickly life changes. 

I smiled at her in her cap and gown while she was flashing me the "I love you" sign in sign language, something we've always done since my kids went off to school.  

Her college is number one in producing the most teacher graduates for the State of Georgia and has the best Nursing program in the state.  It's a great school even if it doesn't have a football program!  She had a tough degree (International Affairs) that required her to write many research papers.  My girl ended her college career with all As and Bs and I couldn't be more proud of her.  Congratulations Jessica!  We love you.