Tears

"Left in Tears" by Donald W. Larson

Various spells of tears today, but CB agreed to go (spontaneously) to the new Indiana Jones movie. We went to a late matinee, and our tickets were only $4.50 each, because there's a Senior discount on Mondays. That was an insult, because you have to be five years older than we are and so we must look that old, but at least we got cheap tickets. After that, we ate dinner at the Thai Cottage and had a delicious dinner. LT and RT, the friends who sat with us at MJ's graduation, walked in after us, which was a nice surprise.

The movie was fun, though belief had to be suspended periodically. My friend NE in California told me that she thought it was a film for baby boomers. That is probably true, because MJ's boy friend CS told me he did not like the movie at all. I liked going to a movie with my husband, which we rarely do. With the senior rate on Mondays, we may continue to swallow our pride so as to take advantage of those cheap tickets.

I appreciate all the support I received in the post below about the Empty Nest. I am in a transitional period, having to let go of MJ, which is a natural process. I want her to go off and become the woman she is meant to be, just as I see her siblings growing into their adult selves. It's just hard to let go and face the emptiness that is yet to be filled. Someday I'll be as lighthearted as the figures in the quilt.

I also know that I need to stay in the present and be with the feelings that arise. I am newly aware of how my mother must have felt when her only child (me) got married at 21 and then left the west coast for the EAST coast at 22. My heart is being stretched.

Empty Nest!

I wish CB and I were feeling this way, with everyone, especially MJ gone. We are both feeling sad, but hope to become accustomed to the alone-togetherness of our lives soon.


(Quilt is called "Empty Nest" and was made by Jean McCaffrey.)

Cars and Planes!

My children are traveling by cars and planes to get home to see MJ graduate on Sunday. AE and KA flew from Seattle to Austin this evening and have safely arrived in (HOT) Texas. Big brother DC will drive them with his wife tomorrow to Corpus Christi. And coming from the northeast will be brother BJ driving from Houston. They will probably all arrive around noon-- or so I hope.

I am very excited and grateful that they'll be here tomorrow. It reminds me of Dust Bunny's post about her four children being home. Like her, I'll feel like "all my duckies are in a row." I will be one happy mom!

Graduation weekend coming up!

Today was MJ's last day of high school. She and I went out to lunch, which was very nice! Before that I went to the only supermarket in Corpus Christi, HEB, to shop for all the food festivities for this weekend. Somehow celebrations and food go together, so once everyone is gone I'll go on a healthier diet!

I make a wonderful carrot cake, which seems to be destined to be the dessert for MJ's graduation. She was shocked that her boy friend CS had never had carrot cake, and so I am baking one for his family's graduation party tomorrow night. Then daughter AE said her partner KA had never had my carrot cake so that's the dessert for our family dinner on Saturday night!

Here's a picture of the valedictorian (CS) and salutatorian (MJ):

Ray High School
Valedictorian		Salutatorian

Yay!

AE and KA are flying from Seattle to Austin tomorrow. They'll stay with DC and wife AA, who will then drive them to Corpus Christi on Saturday. BJ will get here from Houston, too! All our children will be home for about 36 hours! They're all leaving on Sunday afternoon after the graduation ceremony--even MJ who will go off to be a camp counselor then, too.

We're barbecuing on Saturday night, and also will be serving two vegetarian salads, followed by carrot cake! That'll be our one evening with every one home until Christmas. Then on Sunday we're having a brunch before MJ leaves for the graduation at noon.

Graduation is at 1 pm on Sunday, June 1st. We get to sit in the second row! (CS's family sits in the first row.)

And here's a picture to show you how much my kids have grown. AE always tried to get out of pictures being taken, so she's not in this one on BJ's 10th birthday. The crazy one is DC, who was 16, and MJ was 5.

This was 13 years ago.
Time flies!

Thursday in South Texas

It was 90 degrees F. today and is supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. This means our HOT weather is here until October or so.

I had posted a silly picture of a child pinned on a clothesline from an email someone sent me, but it only showed up for me on my blog, so I've deleted it. I don't know why it would appear for me and no one else, but my daughter pointed out to me that some photographs have security built into their codes. Oh, well.

Things are very busy with MJ graduating in ten days. Assemblies and parties galore. Tomorrow the school superintendent is treating the valedictorians and salutatorians from the five Corpus Christi high schools to lunch at a local restaurant. I think this is a lovely thing to do.

We learned today that husband CB's sister will not be coming to MJ's graduation. For the graduation ceremonies of her two brothers and sisters, her aunt, uncle, cousin AND grandparents all came. DC, AE, and BJ just walked across the stage along with hundreds of other. Now for their one grandchild (and niece) who will be one of the two speakers, these relatives will not travel here. With CB's dad's frail health and the price of airline tickets, they are not coming. Valid reasons, but a little disappointing.

HOWEVER, daughter AE and partner KA are coming all the way from Seattle to Austin, where they'll meet son DC and wife AA and drive to Corpus Christi for about a 36 hour visit next weekend. Son BJ will be coming from Houston. I am a happy mother to have all my children here to celebrate their sister's graduation from high school! (On June 1, 2008)

It's too bad that the heat will be so high next week, as it is now. And June 1 is the official beginning of Hurricane Season, as well as the day of MJ's graduation.

Top Ten Banquet and Senior Activities

Last Tuesday night was the Top Ten Banquet for this school district, which meant that the top ten juniors and top ten seniors from each of the five high schools came together to be honored, accompanied by their parents and favorite teacher. This picture shows daughter MJ (who is #2 in her class) with CB and me after the three-hour affair was over.

This week has many events to go to for MJ and sometimes for her parents:

• Monday: Presentation at School Board Meeting and then the Soccer Banquet for both boys and girls teams
  
• Wednesday: Seniors Honor Assembly and party that night
• Friday: Valedictorians and Salutatorians from the five high schools meet the Superintendent of schools for lunch

Also, the graduation speeches are due tomorrow, and neither of the speakers for Ray have finished the writing, which means that MJ and her boy friend are supposed to be writing right now!

Too much going on, just for seniors and their parents. And two weeks from today is the graduation, and all this will be over! Really over, because everyone will go home and MJ will go off to the summer camp where she is going to be a counselor.

I'm sure I'll fondly look back on this time as busy and happy.

Senior Sunday

Today was Senior Sunday at my former church, First United Methodist Church. There's a breakfast for the seniors and their families followed by the late church service where the seniors are recognized in their caps and gowns. There were mostly red gowns (for Ray HS, my daughter's school), but a few others were represented, too.

MJ grew up with these kids in this church since she was three years old, since we moved back to Corpus Christi from NJ. MJ is in the front row, fourth from the right.

My daughter and her prom date

Last week was the Senior Prom for MJ and her date CS. They have been in school together since they were four years old. In fact, my friend LT taught their four year old preschool class and their first grade class. She also saw MJ as a newborn even before the pediatrician! Anyway, here is a picture of MJ and CS when they were four years old: