Graduations

A pile of school photos, still incomplete by a few years yet. They represent substantial growth, effort, learning and accomplishment on the part of our kids as hardworking students.

• 78 is the number of report cards that together with our kids we've reviewed and analyzed, commented on, signed and returned to the school to support them in improving their grades the next term.
• 2 is the number of languages in which, thanks to immersion style bilingual instruction, our kids are now able to fluently communicate.

People say it seems like yesterday their grown up kids were babies. It doesn't feel like that to me. So far it has been a fun ride but it hasn't been short or without effort!

• 4600 is the approximate total number of lunches I've packed.
• 5000 is the estimated number of times to date I've driven to drop off and pick up kids from school.
• 48 inches of additional height and 200 lbs of healthy body mass is the total amount that two bodies have grown fuelled by healthy, home cooking and baking, active lifestyles, reasonable bed times and unlimited hugs.
• Too numerous to count are the total number of athletic practices and competitions and music lessons, rehearsals and performances we've watched.
• 5 are the number of trips to the emergency room we have made with thankfully minor childhood injuries.
• 13 is the number of academic year ends we've celebrated together with ice cream cones after the last class of the year

This week we will witness two graduations - they won't be our first or, I do believe, our last either but tonight will be number one for this year.

• 5 is the number of people I need to prepare dinner for and have ready early if we are to get to the school in time to get good seats. (I think all those concerts I attended as a teenager where we got rush seats was excellent training for parenthood!)
• 4 is the number of batteries that must be charged to capture the precious moments of tonight's event.
• 1 is the number of pairs of dress pants I just two minutes ago heard need to be lengthened (without the benefit of the body that will wear them tonight) by mid afternoon if they are to be ready to be worn at the ceremony this evening.
  

And so it goes. Could we be any luckier?