March 10.... what in the world ... that's how long its been since I blogged last. I literally gasped when I saw the date. I thought it MAY BE possibly 2 or 3 weeks. If you dont think time doesn't go by in a blink... think again.
But I'll say it again - I really want to get back in the swing of things. This blog o' mine has so many memories - going back so many years. I cant give up on it - I need to do better at keeping it updated.
What really made me remember that was when my twin nieces graduated high school last week. A few of my fantastic blog family reached out & commented & messaged me & was talking about how they couldnt believe they were grown up enough to graduate. Why? Because you that have been around for so long, have watched them grow yourself. The twins have "Blog Aunties" - what I refer to you as. I know I've been a Blog Auntie to some of your children as well!!!!
These comments were my nudge nudge to remind me - BLOG! Get those memories down! Memories are precious & I want to look back on my blog when I'm old & my memory is fading (next month?) & see all the pics & thoughts of events in my life....
So here I am... again...
& I'll start with the graduations last week.
Just like their lives, its always been double the fun, double the adventure, (double the trouble? - NAH) .... & of course, their graduations had to be the same way. Double the crazy!
They ended up going to different high schools starting their Junior year - & honestly, I think it was just the best thing for them. Twin life, I'm sure, can be hard when you're always compared to your sister/brother/twin... that they could have more of their own identities - I think it was a wonderful change for them.
Wonderful wasn't the word though when we saw their graduations were just a few hours apart of one another. One started at 1:00pm - the other at 3:30pm. That's 2nd one, its very limited seating! Families got like 4 tickets a piece. You could get one or two more for certain circumstances - but you needed to be in the gym by 2:30pm to get a seat... & when the first graduation doesnt get out till nearly 3 - there's a problem.
Needless to say - it was a rush of a day!
Madi's graduation was up first. She had 7 tickets available so Ricky & I were able to make this one. We had to park nearly a mile away though... & by the time we got in there at 12:30 - it was already packed - but my brother & SIL saved us a seat.... at the VERY TOP of the bleachers.
You know me.... MISS QUEEN OF VERTIGO! ...by the time I got to the top ... I honestly has to stop a second & wait for the world to stop spinning thus I drop down a few hundred steps. Good times. But then, here they came - what we saw as little kiddos playing dress up in a cap & gown.
I'm such a sucker for big milestone events & I was trying to hold back some tears... especially because I didnt want to get dehydrated & get even more dizzy & take a stumble.
Of course, the girls last names start with a W so its the end of the line ... & when we were watching the clock for the next graduation, it felt like it was taking FOREVER!!!!....
But then, our girl made her way across the stage!!!
& look at those shoes!!!! Madi just has the coolest style!!!!
Before we knew it, she turned her tassle & she was officially OUTTA THERE!!!!
As soon as it was over, we gathered our stuff & tried to run down from the top of the world as fast as we could... only to get half way & the gym was like a stand still.
I wish they would have let the kids out first so the parents didnt find their child in the middle of the gym & want to take pictures right there. It was so claustrophobic! I told my SIL that we should have made a sign to hold up that said, WE NEED TO GET TO FLOYDS GRADUATION ASAP!!!! so hopefully people would have compassion & let us through.
Great ideas always come after the fact.
SIDE NOTE... this is just too cool!
So if you remember anything about my dad, you know the number 444 is associated with him. Always has been. & dad put in a letter we found after he died that every time we see 444, we know he's near. .... On the drive to Madi's graduation, the car in front of us, the license plate was - you guessed it - 444.... I had a chuckle & said to Ricky, "Looks like dad is going to Madi's graduation"......
Tell me how funny it was when we get to the car & head up to Sophia's graduation & the car in front of us - not the same one mind you from previously .....
yep... another 444 license plate!
Ricky was like... mkay - that's just weird now.
Dad wasn't about to miss his girls graduations!.... but isnt that just the most awesome thing?
Sophia's turn.
This was even more nuts than Madi's... there were about 200 more students in this graduation so again, tickets limited on who could get in to watch. Ricky & I went to the overflow section to watch the graduation on their live stream... but I took the opportunity to watch them walk through the halls
... was able to give a high five & give some love & watch her go through the doors to her big day....
We headed into the auditorium & watched the live feed - which was interesting... but glad to see it this way better than nothing...
... except when she got her diploma, again, there were only like 5 people after her - we got up to beat the crowd leaving the auditorium & only then did I see, there was a clear shot from the back of the gym that I could have stood at & took pictures through!!!! Especially because Sophia was in the back row! Geez! ... kicking myself.
At least I was able to snag these two pics at the end.
It was a mad house after wards & I never did find the girls or my brother & SIL... I went ahead & hiked the mile back to my car when my brother text me where we were going to eat at.... AHHH - reinforcements. A dinner of celebration... & finally, a little bit to get off our feet & just relax ...together!
They did it.... Into the big world - with lots of opportunities ahead - roads they dont even know they're going to go down. Adventures all waiting for them to tackle. & I'll be their proud aunt cheering them on every step of the way!
Its bittersweet to me too because this is like the last graduation I think I'll see for awhile....but then I just remembered - our oldest grandson graduates in 4 years.... Now THAT? CAN YOU BELIEVE???
Love you girls... Know you're going to do great & amazing things!!!!
