Our Graduate

Our Emma has graduated! I can not express how proud I am of this kid. Her senior year was full of trials and tribulations…but she persevered. Between suffering through undiagnosed gall bladder disease, and a first love that has now ended, to weeding out the toxic friends in her life, she has learned a lot in the past year, unfortunately the hard way.

As a Mom, you wish that there were some magic wand that you could wave that could take away all of your child’s pain…whether it’s physical or emotional. Those awful situations that they really have to get through themselves, hurt us as parents even more.

We have a saying in our home, “One of life’s greatest lessons to learn, is which bridge to cross and which bridge to burn”.

When you think about it, this quote says it all. We all follow a path in life…and it’s the decisions we make that guide us to where we will end up and mold us into the person that we will one day become. Some of those decisions may be very difficult to make, but in the long run…we all have to do what’s best for ourselves…and only ourselves.

I am happy to say that Emma is doing absolutely wonderful now…and this past Saturday graduated with honors.

Here is our little girl…ready to snatch that diploma and to take on the world!

Richard and I with our baby girl.

Of course her best friend Sam was here to help her get ready. Sam will be a senior this year. Only one more year to go little one!

And her Aunt Sharon celebrated with us too…Sharon is not Emma’s biological aunt, but has been my best friend since she and I were 13 years old. For 34 years she and I have been through everything together. From our first loves, marriages, kids, through the good times…and the bad. She will be there with me until the bitter end. The one with tweezers in hand to pluck my chin hairs when I am no longer able to do it myself.

I so love you Sharon…

And my Mom and Dad…who are also so very proud of their granddaughter.

My brother-in-law Robert happened to be here visiting my Father-in-law. He lives in Arizona and is absolutely the sweetest guy in the world! Unfortunately Dad blinked when I took this picture and I didn’t notice it until I loaded the pictures onto my laptop.

Dad will be 88 in October and it was pretty tiring for him to attend. Now that I look at this picture…it’s quite possible Dad was asleep! :)

We were so happy that they were both able to make it for Emma’s special day also.

And just a few more pictures taken Saturday.

 

 

Had to add this one Sharon…  :)

Congratulations Emma!

“May your dreams take you…To the corners of your smiles, to the highest of your hopes, to the windows of your opportunities, and to the most special places your heart has ever known.”

 

Now on to a few prim things… :)

I had mentioned a few posts back that I was working on my bedroom…again! Here is a little glimpse of what I have done now…I re-painted all the trim in Antique Pewter and added a chair rail. More pictures of that to follow another time, but do you remember the prim lamp I was working on? The broken lampshade and the white Goodwill lamp?

Well here that is completed…it only cost me about $15.

And a lantern lamp that I recently purchased…The picture hanging on the wall above is my grandparents marriage certificate that my Mom had framed and detailed with floral accents by an artist she knows.

I also found this large basket that was marked down from $40 to $10 at the same place I bought the lantern lamp.

 

I couldn’t resist this sampler.

A little prim picture I picked up at a flea market for $3. It just had to paint over the 80’s matting.

And finally…a gorgeous 4 gallon crock I just got off of Craigslist for a whopping $20!

Obviously the seller had no idea of this crocks value…but I sure did! Sweet!

I have got to get a move on here…We are having a Graduation party here on July 17th for Emma and a friend of hers. Her Mom apparently told her she would not pay for a grad party for her…That she would need to pay for it herself…Sad.

So needless to say, I have a ton of things to get done around here before then…Last I heard, close to 100 kids have been invited.

Dear Lord give me strength.

Sincerely,

Debra