the pomp & the circumstance

My youngest sister graduated from high school last weekend. Aside from forgetting the real camera at home, I kept it together, for the most part. I remembered the tissues & the waterproof mascara, & beamed along with the rest of my family when she stepped on stage. But there was still that moment when my parents handed over her diploma & suddenly, time seemed to flash forward from toddler Lissy dancing around the family room to teenager Lissy wearing a graduation cap. I had completely accepted that she was a high school senior, but my mind is still melting a little when I try to accept that she'll be a college freshman in three short months. Baby sister! How! More importantly, when?!

As much as I still don't believe that this means I graduated from high school eight (EIGHT!) years ago, I can't help but make this about me imagine the screen going a little bit misty as I think about the last eight years. Jared & I had been dating for about two weeks when we graduated high school, & with our new relationship came a lot of life changes. Dramatic life changes - Great changes, weird changes, changes that I thought were great, only to realize years later were probably careless.

I guess it's just overwhelming to me, realizing the experiences that dwell between her 17 & my 25. It simultaneously makes me want to cry from exhaustion & dance up & down the street because LIFE! Life & all of its terrifying, gritty, painful, joyous, love-filled, raw glory. It's exhilarating, because you just do it. You do life every day, no matter what awful exam, or tough conversation or incredibly comfortable pillow is in front of you. You do every day by God's grace, the occasional call to your mama & the (eventual) glass of pinot grigio. You do, because you must. Go, do, be.

Speaking of accomplishments & mamas, we celebrated my mom at a small, surprise dessert party in my parents' backyard on Monday. Lissy's graduation marked her graduating the last of four kids, the younger three of us having been homeschooled from kindergarten to 12th grade. (My older sister started homeschooling in 2nd grade.) So, as Lissy Pomp-&-Circumstanced, my mom was also "graduating" from 20 years of teaching - Teaching every grade & every subject four times, while also teaching French for the past 10 years at the homeschool co-op we all attended during high school. Most people are surprised, to say the least, when they find out that Jared & I were homeschooled, & it is with great pleasure that we shut down the stereotypes & assumptions about homeschoolers. Our moms (& dads) provided such astounding educational environments for us, & we are forever grateful.

So! Congratulations to Lissy AND Mom! We are proud of you both. Here's to a new season!

**Homeschooling is probably something I should talk about more often, because I understand that it is incredibly unfamiliar to most & misunderstood by many. If you have any (respectful) questions about our homeschooling experiences, please don't hesitate to comment or email.