Sweet Shoppe Designs – The Sweetest Digital Scrapbooking Site on the Web

Hi there Sweet Shoppers it Mary here as I was getting ready to do my blog post. I thought about what I would say and how because their are so many mamas elated over their child graduating from Pre-k, Kindergarten, 8th grade or 12th grade. It’s truly an honor to know that all the hard work that was put in over the year/years has paid off.

I for one have not been so elated, I really didn’t want to see anything graduation related it just hurt so much to see the balloons, congrats cards, sentiments, to hear about the parties and all the specials on the photo prints ughhh I really felt beaten. What can I tell you my dd Charlie was suppose to walk down those stairs with her head held high, smiling from ear to ear wearing her gold cap & gown. I’ve imagined her this way especially this past week and I’ve played it all in my head over and over once I got the invitation one week before. I thought how will I be able to sit and watch all of these kids walk towards their new future knowing my dd’s future is gone. I will tell you it wasn’t easy I stressed, debated many times should I go should I not go. My kids would be upset with me if I didn’t. I knew this to be true because they had told me mom they are going to honor all of her hard work and let Charlie graduate with her class by giving us her diploma and if you don’t go you will regret it. sighhhh I gave in and decided ok I’ll go.

Once we got their it was so packed with families and friends of the graduates. Many of Charlies teachers saw me and said nothing, I think they felt akward which was ok in my book no words are better than meaningless one’s. We were handed the Schedule of Events and while walking to find our seats I was stopped by many of Charlie’s friends mom’s telling me how glad they were to see me and how happy they were that I made it and I should be proud as they are even though she is not here physically she was spiritually. I was trying so hard to hold it together I said Thanks and kept it moving, I was emotionally a wreck and this wasn’t helping me.

A little later the procession of graduates started they were all walking down the stairs, OMG I wanted to run out but my dh took my hand and squeezed I teared up so many times because I knew that I would never see Charlie walking down the steps sighhhh. I heard many great speeches and then my dd’s moment came where they had a moment of silence and I just couldn’t hold it anymore I was softly sobbing and it was so quite and all you could hear was me. I felt some parents rubbing my back and patting my shoulders but I was numb. After the moment of silence 2 of my dd’s friends spoke about her and I didn’t hear much of it because I was fighting back my tears and trying to keep it together. Then the time came where they called us up to receive Charlie’s diploma. I almost couldn’t stand, the applause was loud and my husband took my arm and pushed me up I cannot tell you that I walked tall and proud because my eyes were red filled with tears and my nose was running. Cute I know, I know. My mom and my other 2 dd’s walked up with me it felt like I was floating & once up top I was handed her memorial for the Class of 2011 wrapped in ribbon with her tassel on top.

I decided to make a page to help tell my story and while it was very hard to attend the ceremony, I’m taking comfort in knowing that no I wasn’t happy about attending at first but the presence of love, joy and happiness filled me with the same by the time I left.

Credit: Whimsicality by Jenn Barrette & SCRAP YOUR HEART 3-Piece 5 (edited) by Janet Phillips
Thanks for reading my day of bliss and if you have a graduate in your home be PROUD!!!!