In 1976 I graduated from the 8th grade at St. John the Evangelist School.  We wore long gowns and white sandals that we fondly called “Eunice shoes” for the character Carol Burnet played on her TV show. The nuns put together a slide show (yes literally a slide show) to the tune by Paul Anka, Times of Your Life. I still cry when I hear it and selected that song for my father/daughter dance on my wedding day.

My two children “moved up” today. One from elementary school and one from middle school.  I pretty much have been crying since 7:30 AM EST. I am in my kitchen now at 9:00pm surrounded by programs from the two ceremonies, cameras, certificates and assorted memorabilia from the day. (Izzy’s snoring soothes me)

I am happy and sad all at the same time. These feelings, coupled with menopausal symptoms make me more emotional than I was when I was pregnant with them.   I loved being pregnant.  These two children are the result of the work of a wonderful doctor in CT who was able to give me this day. (and I think of him and thank him daily). 

You hear the same things this time of year and as I walked away from the high school with some moms, we put aside the pain and suffering of daily life with a teenager to think fondly of earlier years when life was “simple”.  “how they have grown”, or “where did the time go?” Not sure if I would go back but it is nice to remember.

I am tearing up just writing this so I won’t ramble on but if anyone reads this who  has children a stage or two behind me…take your time and enjoy it. It really does go fast and you really will look back and wonder where it went. It isn’t gone, it is just waiting for you in another stage of life, perhaps as a grandparent.  Isn’t that why we allow our children to live anyway?  So you can say, “I hope you have one just like you!”.  I should be so lucky.