Ben's High School Graduation

All year we have anticipated the event we had the privilege to attend on Friday night: Ben's high school graduation. 

Actually, we started thinking about it long before this past fall. Probably as early as 2008 (when Ben started preschool), if not before, we were looking ahead to see what year our firstborn would graduate ... and 2022 sounded so far away.

Somehow it has arrived! 

It started in September--even before the first day of school--when we ordered Ben's graduation hoodie (seen here covered in clay after a morning of 3-D art).

Then in January, we signed up for graduation photos, which happened the first weekend in February.

I was sitting in the back of the school gym when these were being taken--my first time inside the school since March 2020 due to Covid--and it was my first glimpse of Ben as a high school graduate. I'll admit, I felt a bit emotional! I loved the pictures, though, and have had them framed on our wall since they arrived--so I've had a bit of a chance to get used to the idea.

Next came prom,

followed by Matilda,

and Ben's 18th birthday.

Three huge events that further transformed Ben into a graduate and an adult.

There was no denying that our little Benny was growing up and coming close to finishing school. In the meantime, he also applied to university, got accepted into his program of choice (media arts), and registered for fall classes.

Then last week the school sent home a sign for our front lawn to make it official--graduation was only a few days away.

Ben ended up getting really sick with a cough/cold and missed most of the last week of school, but he was back for Thursday and Friday. Friday night, he put on the cap and gown,

and we headed to the school for some pictures:

with his siblings,

with his parents,

with just Mom,

and just Dad.

Even though the kids were all completely exasperated at that point, I managed to get them to pose for a few more: 

just Ben and Janae,

just Ben and Alaina,

just Ben and Eric,

and just Ben. 

Then his friends started calling him over for pictures with them as well :)

Finally, we went inside for the convocation (program cover designed by one of Ben's classmates).

Ben was surprised to receive one of three $1000 Board of Education Scholastic Awards for academic achievement, and then he got called back on stage for a $1200 district scholarship and medal for his Dogwood project (the first 30 pages of a full-length novel he has now written). And then he crossed the stage to receive his diploma.

I couldn't help but be a proud mama!

Looking back over Ben's school experience, from his difficulty learning to read/write and do math in elementary school to his years at the virtual school and his return to regular high school, he has overcome so much. 

He has become an excellent student, getting A's and B's in all his classes (98 percent in scriptwriting this year!), participating in his school's escape room and major musical production, and stretching beyond his comfort zone in other ways as well. I am always amazed at his creativity--his scripts and short stories have made me laugh, read faster to find out what happens, and just marvel at his endless ideas. 

Luckily, Ben will be attending university close to home, so we won't need to say goodbye just yet. As this year has shown, growing up happens gradually and not all at once! I am so excited for Ben to keep learning and growing and to see what his future will bring.