Graduation Receptions

Cash and I were a couple of troopers last night as we tried to make it to 8 different parties, but only hit five.  After the graduation ceremony, which ended around 8:30 or so, Cash was pretty tired.

Luckily, our first stop was downstairs at the Ralph, so we popped in there.  The food there was a hit with Cash.  As I sat down to visit with the graduate's father, I had a plate of excellent roast beef and cheesy potatoes.  I didn't realize how much Cash liked the potatoes until a lady across the table said, "He must be hungry!  Look at him eat those potatoes."

I took a break from raving about the man's excellent job raising his daughter and looked at cash.  He was double fisting the potatoes into his mouth!

Then I spotted a former student of mine, whom I hadn't seen in six years or so and we talked for awhile.  But then it was time to hit the next graduation.

On the way out of town, Cash fell asleep.  I half-entertaine the idea of just leaving him in his car seat since he was so comfortable, but I quickly changed my mind and lugged him over to the next party.

I am really close to this graduate's parents - having had all of their kids in my College Comp classes - and they gave me a wonderful gift when their youngest just graduated - so we spent some time visiting.  Then I ran in to some more past graduates, again some of whom I haven't seen in a few years, so I spent more time talking.  This is all great, but when you have 8 parties to hit, time is of the essence.

My third stop was north of town.  Again, I ran in to more parents and past students that I wished I could have visited longer with, but we had to go back in to town to stop at our fourth party.

By the time we arrived, poor Cash was snoring.  So I lugged him in to the party.  Luckily, several of students were there and quickly nabbed Cash from me.  He went from Lindsey to Maura to Craig and finally to Kelly (who really didn't want to give him up at all) and he never woke up.  I would have snapped pictures had I brought my phone in!

By the time we left that party it was past 11.  As I set Cash in the pick up, he woke up and was cranky. I turned us around and was about to head home when I got a text from our fifth stop.  She said, "My uncle is waiting for you."

Now how could I turn that down?

When we finally found the right house and pulled up, they were waiting for us.  So I'm glad we stopped.  I had a great visit with the family and wrote on the graduates board wishing her well in the nursing program at Concordia.

When Cash and I got up to leave, her mother thanked me (I always tell the parents this: There is no need to thank me.  I am the one who is thankful.  It's easy to teach excellent kids.) and said it meant a lot to her daughter that I came to her party.

And I am sure glad we made the trip, though Cash was exhausted.  But it made me feel bad for the other three parties I wouldn't be able to make (two were out of town and another was not far away but it would have been abuse had I kept Cash out any longer).

Since I began teaching more seniors, I am always faced with this dilemma: I get about 30 invites and just can't possibly make it to them all.  Our principal appears to make it to all the ones he is invited to, but I don't know how he does it.  I hate to spend five minutes at each one just so I can say that I've made it to them all.

This is one reason I write my seniors their letters.  But still, I wish there was some way to get together with them to show my appreciation for them.

That's when my wife struck upon a great idea.  Now that we are in TRF, why not have a bbq and yard games one night and invite all the seniors from my College Comp II classes.

Well, that was the plan for this year and then life happened and things got busy and my wife thought it would be best if we did it on a weekend and I thought maybe a Wednesday night . . . but next year will have to have the first thank you party at our house for my seniors.

Luckily, today we have 10 to make.  But we have all day to do it.  The first one is our next door neighbor and they are having a brunch beginning at 10.  The last party on our list ends at 9.  That's one jam packed day.  But at least we have all day to do it and not just 3 hours.