Graduation Day. . .

When I made the decision to home school all those years ago, I really don't think I imagined it would be for the next 11 years.  I knew it was the right thing to do for Zach at the time and so I just did it.  It wasn't easy.  It wasn't difficult.  It just was.  And it worked- year after year after year.  It's been very helpful that he has continued to love learning.  I've never had to force feed him school work and he has (honestly) never had a bad attitude toward his education.  When he finds an interesting book (usually non-fiction) he tends to carry it around with him just in case he finds a free moment to read it.  Just the other day when he was leaving on a road trip he said, "It's nice to take my Bible on a long trip because I can open it up and: instant entertainment!" 

And now, here we are, graduating.  Really, both of us are graduating because I don't think Gloria has any intention of coming back home after her year in public school so I've come to accept the fact that I am no longer a homeschooler.  Weird.  But kind of nice, too.

When I first started really thinking about what Zach's graduation would look like I figured it would be a simple ceremony, possibly right after church on a Sunday afternoon.  Somehow over the last couple of months it grew into a much bigger event than I ever thought it would.  The clincher was when we went to my niece's graduation from Borah and Zach caught a glimpse of (maybe) what he was missing out on.  It was all very impressive with speeches and hand shaking and caps and gowns and fancy diplomas.  I had already talked with a few people about being a part of it and the grad paraphernalia had been ordered but I started thinking much, much bigger and maybe a little more "official". 

My amazing mother-in-law did much of the footwork and detail planning for the reception part of the event and I kinda-sorta put together the details of the ceremony.  I say "kinda-sorta" because I gave a very vague idea of what I was thinking when I talked to the three men that Zach wanted to have as a part of the ceremony and they pulled it off in an incredible way.  I made a slide show of pictures of Zach from the time he was a baby right up until the pictures I took last week at Samuel School.  Zach supplied the songs for it and they synced up beautifully.  Rob put together the sound and lights and we set up a stage and chairs in the gym at church and somehow everything worked together to make a perfect day. 

I want to remember every detail . . .

This is one of three sheet cakes that Jeanie made.  The other two weren't as fancy but they were all very delicious! 

At the beginning of the ceremony, I introduced the three men that would be speaking and the connection that each one had with Zach.  The first one to speak was Mike Spengler.  He is Zach's new Eli (Samuel School mentor) and has been hanging out with Zach at youth group and other places for a couple of years.  I need to get the video from my sister in order to remember all of what was said but I do remember that he started out by saying that if the three guys on stage really have had an impact on Zach's life then Zach should be up there saying nice things about them!!  He went on to say some really cool (and true) things about Zach before taking his seat. . .

Byron Folwell was up next.  He has been a youth leader at church off and on for years.  He's artsy and intelligent and eclectic and has a sense of humor that is very similar to Zach's.  (He's also married to Melanie who took Zach's senior pictures and made my cool grad announcement!)  I loved that he took the approach of the "requirements" of a home school graduate.  He did some research and found that home school graduates are supposed to be painfully shy, frightened of public speaking, unable to carry on an intelligent conversation and able to make their own clothes from scratch.  He even asked Zach if he happened to be wearing burlap underwear!  It was hilarious!  As he made each point, he countered the assumption with the reason that Zach didn't qualify as a home school graduate.  I loved it. 

And then it was Gloria's turn.  She had asked Zach if she could sing at his graduation and for some reason he was opposed to having the Miley Cyrus song, It's The Climb, at his ceremony so she settled on a little speech of her own making.  It went like this:

"Zach- you are the most creative person I know.  By just seeing something you like, you can make it out of Legos.  You are also one of the smartest people I know.  You have taught me more than any other teacher has before.  I have always thought that someday you will do something big and become famous.  And when that day comes, I'll be proud to say that I'm your sister.  You are a great brother and not only a great brother but a great person as well.  You have taught me to be a better person and to learn from my mistakes.  I love you a lot and I always will.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for you but I bet it will be something cool.  Gloria"  

So, yeah, that was pretty sweet. . .

And then Rob decided he had something to say.  He talked about the measure of success and ended with, "I may not know what I want to be when I grow up but I know I want to be like him (pointing at Zach)."  I don't think there was a dry eye in the place when he was finished.

And then the "official" speech maker took the stage.  Brad Tricola has been Zach's friend, mentor, youth pastor and pastor (in that order) for the last two years.  I had many reasons to ask him to officiate this ceremony and one of those reasons is that he has a gift for public speaking.  I knew that whatever he decided to say, it would be just right.  And it was.  Somehow he took what could be considered a pretentious milestone and made it light hearted and yet profound, funny yet serious, casual yet beautifully formal.  It was perfect. . .

At the end of his speech he asked the class of 2011 to please stand.  And Zach stood. 

Brad smilingly used every graduation formality he could think of as he shook Zach's hand and gave him his diploma. . .

Mike and Byron followed up with the all-important hand shakes. . .

The Baker High School class of 2011 was recognized:

 He moved his tassel and then tossed his card board hat to thundering applause. . .

It was a very cool moment for this former homeschool mother. . .

We played the 15 minute slide show which seemed to generate plenty of ooh's and ahh's and even a few chuckles and then. . . as I was wrapping things up, Zach decided he had something to say.  I need to see the video to remember it correctly but I do know that it was straight from his heart and very very meaningful.  I just love this boy. . .

And then we all went to the other side of the gym and hung out and had cake!!

I couldn't have done any of this without my family.  Everyone chipped in and helped before, during and after.  I didn't have to worry about a thing.

Zach received a basket full of cards that we opened later in the evening but one of the best gifts was having the Breshears show up at the end of the party!  They are back in town for a week after being gone for 4 long years.  It was so cool to see all of the kids hang out again.  Zach and Gloria and I are actually cousins (quite a bit removed) with Austin, Corrie and Ashley.  My dad has Breshears in his family tree and my mom and Tracie traced it back a few years ago until they found the connection. 

After the party when everything was cleaned up and put away, I was exhausted but very content.  Very glad that I decided to do more than a simple ceremony after church on a Sunday afternoon.  This is a day that I think we'll smile about for a long, long time.  I am one proud mama. . .