If I've learned one thing over the last 18 1/2 years it's that my son doesn't seem to want to participate in big events that occur on the 22nd.
When I was pregnant with J, his due date was on Thanksgiving 2001. November 22. That day came and went, and the next and the next.... I was finally induced and he was born six days late. That was the start of him marching to the beat of his own drum.
Today, May 22, 2020... the day that J's senior class at Wylie High School was supposed to graduate.
I thought we'd be listening to him playing in the jazz band one last time, then watch him walk across the stage to receive his diploma.
I thought wrong. Even though yesterday was the last day of school, making him officially a high school graduate, we will not see him in his cap and gown to receive his diploma until June 19. He'll be walking across the 50 yard line of the football field under the Friday Night Lights, not across the stage inside the coliseum.
Maybe the universe had it all planned out when J was created. He is the most laid back, easygoing, go-with-the-flow guy I've ever met. If anyone can breeze through major changes to major life events, obviously it's him.
My little baby boy went from that first picture to the second in a blink of an eye. Sure, those years were filled with homework and video games, toddler tantrums and band concerts, football games and train trips. He has been to Disney World (twice), New York almost every year of his life, Las Vegas (twice), Arizona and Washington DC. He got his drivers license on his sixteenth birthday and I promise you he is the safest teenaged boy driver - hands down. He competed in UIL Ready Writing (first place), received academic excellence and lettered in academics and band. He advanced to state in Robotics. He participated in marching band, honor band, jazz band and steel band. He made all region band and advanced to state twice in solo & ensemble. He is graduating in the top third of his class with a 93.5% GPA, which is amazing considering the boy hardly ever opened a book to study. If I wasn't his mom I'd probably be embarrassed by all of my bragging.
Best of all, though, is that he is an all around good guy. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He makes countless trips to Pure Water to get his mom's favorite tea. He checks with me before leaving work to see if I need anything from the grocery store. He's polite and funny and a little sarcastic and a lot quirky. He's kind and sensitive and addicted to Amazon and Ebay like his mama. I could not be more proud of the young man my baby boy has grown up to be.
J - your future is bright. Always be you and people will love you for it. Happy end of school (but not quite graduation... ha ha)
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