Survivors of May; 8th grade Graduation & Lots of Feelings

We did it. We did ALL the things and came out on the other side. Today is finally Kate's last half-day of school, and Alex has been graduated for 3 days and out for a week already, and my stress levels have dialed themselves back to "acceptable," for now. I do still have to get them packed for 2 weeks at camp in the next 8 days, but I think with a credit card that shouldn't be too difficult. (Aside: I know it's fun to have a different costume for every "Nite Life" at camp, Camp People, but I do wish you'd provide a BIN of costumes the kids can pick from once they get there, instead of making ME visit Party City for more junk after I've already spent very-many-hundreds of dollars paying for this camp.)

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That was all I could muster on May 25th; but we also survived the first 4 days of June and got both kiddos dropped off at camp. Hooray, camp!

Let me return to my Feelings from Alex's 8th Grade Graduation. There were a lot of them. On his last day of school, I made sure to have the day off work so I could participate in all the send-off activities, like their "Last Carpool," where the kids decorate the parking lot (read: they TP it gloriously) and parents driving their younger kids to school honnnnnnk their horns and make a giant noise to celebrate -- for a continuous half-hour. Several groups of teachers ride through the carpool line, too, a few times, usually in convertibles, sometimes squirting the lined-up 8th graders with water guns and blaring their radios. It's like the Party version of carpool, for one day. And, oh, it was fun. I was teary-eyed when it started (we had to be there an hour ahead of time), at the sheer celebration of it all. The kids just revel in being the center of attention, and it's such a festive atmosphere, so different from the buttoned-up every day! Afterwards, of course, they have to clean up ALLLL the mess, which they did, quite well, and then they're treated to donuts, they rehearse for Honors Night and Graduation, they have a picnic lunch, and then, the big event: The 8th Grade vs. Teachers Volleyball Game.

I've never known a school to do something like this, but it's huge at our school. They make a big deal leading up to it -- even holding 6 or 8 serious practices for the kids, because the kids MUST WIN. ;) I think the teachers practice, as well. Everyone wears their class shirts (which they decorate or destroy especially for the occasion), there's loud music and an actual game with a ref and coaches and all. Best 2 of 3, and Alex's class won in 2. Alex actually SCORED a point! It was so exciting for our little non-athlete! I didn't cry at this part, too much, until the end if I saw some of the 8th graders crying, which I did. Got a little choked up there.

Finally, on that day, the kids do their Last Walk through the halls, and all the littler kids stand outside their classrooms for high fives. It makes me teary to think about it, but in actual fact it was anti-climactic, I thought.

HOWEVER. Honors Night and Graduation were Extra Climactic. The first kid I saw dressed in a cap and gown nearly knocked me over with emotion, before the graduation Mass started. And it wasn't even my kid! It wasn't even a kid I particularly LIKE! But I've known him since he was 5 years old, and I think that's what undoes me in this whole thing -- it's the fact that these kids have been in my circle and in my heart since most of them were practically babies. We all share them -- we all parent all of them through the 9 years together. So it feels bigger than just one kid leaving the nest -- it's all the ones you've grown to love.

We were super proud of Alex who earned (tied for) the highest GPA in Social Studies, an award for Principal's List all 4 quarters of 8th grade (that's a 93 or above average in every core subject), and the Presidential Academic Award, as well as some other nice honors. And we were so thrilled Mom and Dad could join us. There was lots of talk about high school and where everyone is headed next, there were special songs and slideshows (including baby photos!), the kids had a pool party, Alex and Brandon had a 2-day sleepover while Kate still had to finish her last week (she was not pleased), and gosh, it was all a whirlwind.

I was really glad it finally ended, to be honest -- in the meantime and while all of that was happening, work was also stupid-busy, ugh! But if I think about it, I'm still quite sad that he's finished at St. Joe's. What a wonderful place. I'm glad I still have 4 years with Kate there!