Well, the day has come and gone. What a sweet, precious time with my 2008 graduate. The morning started pretty early. Graduation was at 9:30 and so we all left the house by 8:00. I wanted to be sure and get good seats.
Kristyn, being the senior class president, was the first person to speak. Before I tell you about the actual event, let me share the event leading up to the moment. I had the previledge of being the one that she practiced her speach on, well, me and Little Jon our dashound. He is 13 and getting a little blind and a little deaf. Kristyn put her high heels on that she would wear during graduation (to get used to them so she wouldn't fall off of them!) and she walked in front of me and LJ practicing. Little Jon would hear those heels clicking on the floor and he would bark while Kristyn spoke. It was so funny watching the two of them. We timed the speach and it was one minute twenty five seconds long. I would watch her practice and laugh and the next moment I would feel sobs coming up inside of me...tears welling up and I would just turn my head. I would try to speak and the word would just not come because of the emotions. I just watched thinking to myself, we are making a memory right at this moment, enjoy this beth enjoy this.
Ok, back to the actual event. The graduates walked in and the girl in front of Kristyn is what we call a CBI student. She has special needs. It was so sweet to watch Kristyn take care of this girl. Ok, so the speach. She walked up to the podium with such confidence and when she began to speak, it was loud and clear. She said good things in a small amount of time. She seemed to be a professional at speaking. I was elated!
During graduation Kristyn had to continually take care of her little friend. She told me later that the girl kept telling Kristyn that her hat was falling and needed Kristyn to fix it. There is also a boy that is in a wheelchair, after receiving his diploma and coming off stage, he wheeled by Kristyn and stopped for her to hug him. She said that everytime he sees her in school he wants a hug. Now, honestly there aren't many class presidents that would give others the time of day like she does.
She is the girl that I would look at when I was in school and want to be like. The one that I thought had tons of friends and everyone wanted to be her best friend. I've heard said many times over the years that the girls who were the most popular and achieved a lot were also very lonely. Now, I have raised the girl that has done so much, been so much and been so lonely.
Kristyn has...
- been on homecoming court her 10th, 11th and 12th grade years.
- won Homecoming Princess her senior year
- played volleyball since 8th grade
- played softball since 9th grade
- been a cheerleader since 8th grade
- Co-Captain of cheerleading her senior year
- Senior Class President
- been talked about badly by the people that were supposed to be her friends
- kept her morals throughout her high school years
- when everyone gets together and goes out (usually to party) never calls Kristyn
- was accused of terristoric threat by a teacher in her 10th grade year and had to go to juvenille court,(the teacher was crazy and obviously hated kristyn and was jealous of her)
- has had three speeding tickets since getting her license (this one causes me so much worry) and the words every time she leaves, "Kristyn don't speed". The last time I told her she couldn't go to UofA if she got another one...she has slowed down or at least hasn't got caught again
She has accomplished much and has been blaimed for much. I now understand the price you must pay to be in the top of the class. She has done it with style.
After graduation we had a luncheon at our house for her graduation. There were 43 people here to celebrate her. After everyone ate lunch we gathered in the living room for her to open her gifts. I had asked a couple of people to say something about Kristyn. I wanted her to be encouraged and uplifted and loved during her special day. People said the sweetest things to her and about her and the thread was weaved of her special talents and abilities as people spoke. It was so evident that God has His hand on this child and definately has a plan for her future, plans to prosper her and not to harm, plans to give her a hope and a future.
Then, she began to open her gifts...she just took her time opening each one, never getting in a hurry. finally, someone said, Kristyn you are so slow at opening gifts. Her comment..."I want to enjoy the moment and each gift." Now, me I would have been so worried about keeping everyone and worried about what they were thinking of me. But not Kristyn, she took this time that was meant for her and simply enjoyed!
I beamed for the priviledge of being her Mom. I feel so fortunate to get to know the Kristyn that is at home...the one that walks in her high heels practicing a speach...the one that left her high heels sitting on an end table when she left...the one that pretended she was in a pageant and walked back and forth waving to Little Jon while she was practicing. The one that got to hear the speach so many times, that I knew it by heart. The one that she calls after every thing she does every day. The one she calls "Beth" with such a little attitude but Moma when its serious or she really needs me. The one that leaves her chewed gum laying everywhere for me to pick up later.
I look forward to the days of becoming her friend and not having to parent as much. I look forward to being her confidant, the once she confides everything too.
I dread the day I take her to school and leave her there, knowing things will never be the same. But, I'm so excited for what the future holds for her...excited for fun times she will experience that I never had the opportunity too.
This summer...well she works parttime at Island Tan. Thursday morning after her senior breakfast, we met for lunch at Chili's in Jacksonville. By the time I left she had applied for a job of hostess and was interviewing. There were 6 other people that applied during this time. Kristyn got the job. She will be the hostess and then work To Go also. She starts at Pulaski Tech tomorrow (Monday) morning taking College Algebra so she doesn't have to take it in Fayetteville. She went in this morning for 2 hours of training...he had her stay for an entire shift. She worked from 8-3. So, there won't be any laying around being a bum for her...she is going strong.
Thank you for allowing me to share about this sweet child of mine. She is truly a blessing from God and I am humbled and thankful to be her earthly Moma Beth.
Thank you Kristyn for allowing me the joy of being your mom! You are the best, I could not ever ever have asked for a better daughter than you!
1 comment:
Awww...that's so sweet Beth. The two CBI students are Jamie and Darren, both who were on my bus!! I heard her speech was amazing! As you can see I, too, decided to start a blog. Why not!
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