Photo Shoot

For Senior Walkout, Julia did a great job preparing a chalkboard for Savannah to hold for pictures and for her friends' pics.  However, it rained, and the chalkboard smeared.  I decided at that time to return to school with a cap and gown clad Savannah for pictures, specifically with the chalkboard. Savannah did not want a formal portrait made on graduation night, and frankly, the company that does all the school pictures has messed up my last two orders with them.  They are impossible to reach, and while they fixed the first order, they never even responded to my request to fix the second one. Honestly, I found the senior pictures for the yearbook to be mediocre, so I was not anxious to send any more funds their way.  It was not the best time of day for photos.   The sun was high overhead creating harsh lighting, but we ended up with some great images.  I am only sharing two because I still have editing to do on the others, but I am pleased with the results.

the final goodbye

Savannah actually wanted a photo of herself looking back at the school. We tried a variety of poses on the lawn and from various angles before finally deciding on this one.  I love it. She loves that you can see her reflection in the window.  I am having such fun with the new camera.

For the record: I sat by the pool, not once, but twice on Memorial Day weekend.  I read lots of Love Does by Bob Goff.  If you get the chance, it is quite the adventure story.

Graduation

And this happened...

It was a nice ceremony aside from the fact that you cannot stop people in the audience from hooting and hollering even in a church sanctuary.  I find it to be tacky and disrespectful to the class and certainly to the person whose name follows such debacle. 

so many friends

Following the distribution of diplomas, the school honors the families who have lost a parent and then sends the graduating class out to offer their moms roses.

first kindergarten friend

family from out of town

WooHoo!!

We ended the night with a dinner out, and then Savannah joined her friends at K's house.  While she was there, her parked car was hit.  We still have not had any contact from the person who hit her car, and I don't think she realizes that the car is not drivable.  I fear it may be totaled, and that is a big deal.  Savannah has saved money like crazy, originally saving for a car, but when she realized she could not get anything decent with the money she saved, it worked out that she took the car Zach bought a couple of years ago.  Zach took Andy's car which he had already claimed anyway because he could not drive his own car - a clutch.  Andy bought a more suitable vehicle for his needs at work, and Savannah continued to save -planning to use the money to make up the difference in housing money for school next year since she did not get the 2nd scholarship for which we had high hopes. Her car has a very small blue book value, but it was incredibly valuable as a source of independence and a means to get to work and school for her. I am now sharing my car with her, and that will certainly make summer more challenging. It also makes her ability to work as much as she wants/needs more of a challenge.  Sometimes I look at Savannah and think she's got so much going for her, and she works very hard. She gets the breaks sometimes, but most of the time, she takes the hits.  Life's like that.  I am trying to trust that something really good for her will come of this.

This girl!!

Just days after her first birthday, Julia's orphanage director referred to her as an impressive girl.  Over the years we found her to be intelligent and both athletically and artistically gifted.  We celebrated her successes as they came.  However, I started growing concerned over the last few months that Julia was basing her identity in her talents.  This came after seeing a life or two fall apart for this very reason.  Today, we got a glimpse of the possibility that Julia's identity might be exactly where it needs to be when her teachers awarded her the David Award.  This award goes to one male and one female student in sixth or seventh grade who exhibits a desire to please God in everything he/she does.

She also received the Principal's Award for all A's.

These are good things, Julia, but they are not you.  Your identity is in Christ.

Baccalaureate

Two of Savannah's good friends played the prelude.

Friends

Zach's former football coach was the speaker.  He told the kids to stick with the huddle as long as God is the quarterback and reminded them that you have to break the huddle to act on the plan.

I am just beginning to wrap my brain around the fact that 13 years of schooling is over, just like that.

Oh, The Places They'll Go!

I have a friend who insists that couples should elope.  She thinks money spent on a wedding is wasted.  I get her point.  Life is expensive.  A couple starting out would probably be better off with a down payment on a home.  However, I disagree with her.  Funerals are expensive too, and families and friends should not gather only to mourn together.  Some occasions deserve celebration.

Working on a tight budget, we joined forces with another family this week to celebrate two graduates.  Both these girls have full tuition scholarships to the schools of their choice.  They have worked incredibly hard, so we sought and found an affordable venue.  We prepared all of the food, except the cake, ourselves, and we had a great time.  As graduation parties go, there were conflicts. We missed two parties that we would have liked to attend, and those families, whom we would have liked to have hosted, were unable to attend our party.  My dad had no idea that we were having a party as his invitation was delivered to his home while he was in the hospital, so he missed it.  

The down side is always that we cannot include everyone we want. I was grateful that a handful of teachers crashed the party - or maybe they were invited by E. Either way, we were happy to see them.

Regardless, we had a good turnout, wore ourselves out, and enjoyed a simple celebration.

What's a party without selfies?

Family travelled from afar.

A family friend and mentor to Savannah.

Granny created a very special, personalized gift.

A beauty and her proud dad.

The cutest thing! After everyone left and the parents were busy cleaning up, these two sat and had a read aloud with their guestbooks -"Oh, the Places They'll Go!"

Matching penguin necklaces - a gift from E to Savvy for her birthday.

Laughing because the reality that high school over has not hit them (Savannah's words).

I think someone got a better picture of these two, but I still love this one.

The last two weeks have been a marathon.  I am so tired that calling in sick tomorrow has been on my radar.  Savannah has baccalaureate on Thursday, and graduation on Friday.  I cannot miss work either of those days, so I am hoping I have the stamina to get through the week.