My youngest homeschooled child gets her college degree

Tomorrow I pack a bag and drive a couple of hours to my daughter's college.  I realize that is a short drive for an overnight stay but an intimate college has intimate ceremonies and that includes an event Friday night, and graduation Saturday morning... hence, hotel and overnight bag.

I dropped my daughter off at her college less than 4 years ago, my only daughter. It didn't take long for her to find me some more daughters for me to love. Not all survived the journey at this college, but tomorrow, I will be cheering for at least 4 graduates, not one. I love them all like they are my own... as a matter of fact, I spoke to one of them on the phone for over an hour today.  Two of the girls in particular, her besties, couldn't be more like her if I raised them myself. They are literally her left and right hands.  I pray that they stick together through all the good and bad that this world has to offer.  While my daughter is always my daughter first this trio she has created has me excited for what is to come next.

But back to my daughter.  This homeschooled kid (center), who the preschool teacher said could not learn to count, who the Kindergarten teacher said was too fidgety and that she would make a good athlete, who the first grade teacher insisted needed ritalin, who I decided to homeschool for her sanity, this kid, is finishing college before her 21st birthday.  This means she started college right after her 17th (summer birthday) and she will turn 21 while she is away at her internship this summer. She may not be Einstein, but she is graduating with a 3.67 GPA and in record time, as her last semester was merely a formality and at her pleasure. She had met the requirements for graduation in 7 semesters.

That is all.  My heart is full.

Another milestone passed- Graduation party

Yesterday was the graduation party.  Daughter and good friend had a joint party at our house.  I love having parties at our house because I can get people (kids and hubby) to help me clean in the week preceding the party.  I even got son to do a little painting! After post-party straightening, the house is usually pristine for a week or two.  That means I can spend some time decluttering bedrooms as main parts of house look great.

The party was fun, but I am glad it is over.  We all passed out afterwards, and are pretty sick from hot dogs and s'mores.  (The other family supplied fancy hors devours and cake).  We provided a fire-pit and the aforementioned junk foods.

On the down side... a very nice football and video game controller are missing.  Both belonged to party guests.  I am hoping these turn up soon and that the football is not down by the creek.  Lord-have-mercy... there are snakes down there.

(cute picture from her Sr. photos taken by her friend, a budding photographer)


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Be on time people!

Spelman parents are upset that the college closed the doors 30 minutes prior to graduation start time.  They missed their child's graduation.  They blame distance- living as far away as California or Canada (from Georgia).  They blame the fact that President Obama's motorcade slowed things down as he was speaking next door at Morehouse.  They are fighting mad that they were late, and not allowed in.

But here's the thing.

They knew all year when graduation was.
They knew all year that the college closed the doors 30 minutes before commencement started.
They knew, at least for a couple of weeks that President Obama was in town.

They should have planned ahead.

Maybe I am a bit unfeeling, but my daughter also graduated this weekend from her high school homeschool program.  It was a really big deal as she was starting off the festivities with a 20 minute show she designed herself.  I said repeatedly "be on time, she starts at 1pm sharp".  I went as far as to provide breakfast foods at my house so people could come over together-on time... and guess what.  I have enough breakfast foods left at my house to last 2 weeks, and people showed up late and were upset that they missed her perform.  They wanted to know what I was going to do about it as if I could turn back time, or make the school have her perform it again.  They wanted to know where the recording of the performance was.  MAN.  That kind of steams me up.  Only 2 people/families deserve a recording because they didn't have all the information.  The rest will get a little something put on a disc if I get the chance.

But I digress.

If I were a Spelman parent, I certainly would not have flown in the morning of my daughter's graduation.  Haven't these people ever heard of plane delays?  They are to be expected.  This is Atlanta people... we have one of the busiest airports in the nation!

So, fly in a day or two early, and pay for a hotel... don't be cheap and lazy.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the school does not owe it to you to break the rules and accommodate for your lack of planning.

Personally, I would have rather arrived at the butt-crack of dawn and spent the morning sitting around on my behind waiting than to miss my kid walk the college graduation line.

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The Diva has graduated!

Here is a photo from her Sr project/ performance and entire graduation class.

Let's hope I make it to graduation day!

I'm on the verge of pulling out my hair!  This is no ordinary graduation!

Homeschool graduations are an interesting thing with no two being the same.

In this case, we are working our way to a graduation that includes Arts presentations (my daughter's self designed show is timed at 20 minutes and includes costumes and songs... hard songs).  We have been to rehearsals twice this week already, and there could be one tomorrow, to make sure she feels secure.

Costumes need adjustments... partly my job.  And daughter is still trying to add things.  I am certainly drawing the line there.

In addition to the Arts presentations, there is a reception and award ceremony, then caps and gowns.  The affair will last pretty much from 1-6, meaning we will very likely be there from 12-6:30.  I'm going to need to rest up.

Friends are coming over tonight, and I hope they help me power through.

And then, I've got to do The Diva's hair.  (From now and henceforth, I think I'll call her The Diva.)  It is the focus of her show, and it fits her.  I wish I'd come up with it earlier!

Anyway.  Wish me luck and success, and peace.  I'm going to need it.

ps. click the photo tab above.  I just updated with the latest pictures.

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Last Week of Homeschooling!

In exactly 1 week, Jordan will be in the midst of graduation exercises along with 10 fellow homeschoolers in the same Arts Program as she.  Some also did the academic leg, but Jordan did most of her core courses independently.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone's senior presentations, as I am only privy to what my daughter is doing.  If the rest are giving presentations as ambitious as my kids, and I am sure they will, I will be so thrilled and happy!

Meanwhile, I spent the bulk of this morning calculating grades for the 2nd half of the year and reporting those grades to her homeschool Accreditation agency.  I already actually have her diploma on my desk, as it arrived a couple weeks ago.  Before I get up from this chair, I will also submit attendance for the year.  I am gathering that will take an hour.

Plus, I am scheduling her road test Monday morning.  She would have been driving sooner, but I refused to move forward if she refused to finish her work.  It came down to health vs. the drivers license.  No health.  No drivers license.  Needless to say, she finished her health curriculum.

This next week will include:

Agonizing over my son's application he has into the state college.
Sewing assistance on one final costume for Senior Project.
More rehearsals.
Crafting for things I want to put on her Sr. Table
Buying a dress for each of us and making sure the guys have on decent  outfits.

Oh-shoot!  I never ordered a yard sign.  I'll get that around the corner.

Ugh.  I'm sure I'm missing something else.

Wish us luck on getting through this week without killing each other.  ... So stressful.


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Homeschooling chores I will no longer have to do

I just got an email about paying for registration for next year's homeschool program.  I stared at it for a minute, wondering when I should pay and then realized.... I'm done with that.  No more homeschool classes.  Wow.

Other things that I won't be doing anymore... with my kids anyway:

• Late night curriculum preparations, so kid can start homeschooling at a decent time the next morning. 
• Driving an hour for a 1 hour class or rehearsal, then driving back home. 
• Hanging out in coffee shops to kill time while my kids are in classes.
• Deciding between a traditional science class, or letting the child explore science from cooking or nature.  

Maybe public school graduations are too big?

My son's graduating class, 9 kids total

image altered to protect the innocent

 A friend's graduation

over 850 students

Of course this is the difference between a local homeschool graduation, and a public school graduation.  My son's class got to be more playful, and even throw their hats in the air. Needless to say, there are lots of rules imposed on the larger crowd. 

Speaking of which, A South Carolina mom was actually arrested for cheering too loudly at her child's graduation.  When a graduation is so large that all the fun has to be sucked out of it to make it manageable, then it is time for smaller graduating classes.  Of course that would mean smaller schools wouldn't it?

That would be nice.


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I think I've processed my son's graduation

Already, it seems my relationship with my son has changed.  I am no longer his teacher, and I am no longer parent of a child (not that child anyway).  I am the parent of an adult male.  What a different animal that is.

He's a little more forceful and assertive with me (is this what my momma meant when she said we were smelling ourselves?).  I also am a little more assertive and forceful with him in some ways... in other ways, I am giving him more leeway.  Our relationship is evolving, and it is good.

The graduation speaker was a former graduate of the same homeschool program, and has also been a teacher there for the last 6 years.  His speech was very helpful to me, and probably to my son as well.

He charged the students to:
1. Find a church and go there
2. Read their bibles every day
3. Seek elders for advice and don't listen to peers because "they are as stupid as you are".

He also charged parents with not being so fast to step back and to be hands-off.  We are still parents and will always be.  He mentioned that to this day, married and all, he makes no major decision without calling his parents.... and his parents make no major decisions without calling their parents.  Elders are here for a reason.

And all the parents and grandparents in the room said AMEN! (in my head).



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