Remember your graduation?

I don't remember mine too clearly. I remember it a little bit, some parts, but nothing stands out other than clapping for all of our teachers and throwing the caps in the air at the end.

It seems like yesterday when I found Jade sleeping on the stairs, when she was 6 and 3/4 years old. She had a little book in her hand and she was waiting to read it to me. Or for me to read it to her. It was the most touching moment that I've had with her, scooping her off of the stairs and carrying her to bed, feeling terribly remorseful that I didn't get home from work in time to read the story. She wasn't quite as long as the stair was, and so tiny that her entire body could fit across the width. Clad in a pink nightgown, her hand stretched out and wrapped around a book. She was waiting for me to come home.

Now she has graduated, and I still have to remember that we're not going to Miss Winter's first grade reading session, that we won't have any more time at elementary school or Parkview Middle School or anymore first kisses to talk about or homecoming dances to share.

I rented a limo for this graduation, something to celebrate my mom's 50th and distract us all from the fact that my Dad hasn't called or asked about graduation at all and probably isn't going and doesn't care,  and to remind us that we are not going to have this house much longer, either.
 The limo was perfect.

My sister hopped in, embarassed that it was parked right out front for her and my mom crawled in, shocked that this was actually happening. She said she had never been in a limo before. My brother crept in and acted like this was something he'd done a million times, and then Dan, Lisa R and I slid in as well. Radio? Check. DVD player? Check. Minibar? Nope. Forgot the booze, since it was a Highschool graduation + 50th birthday party.

We did what every limo passenger does: Called our friends, asked what they were doing and decided to drive around to get them while dancing out of the sunroof. We stopped back in Ankeny for soda and wine for the adults, we drove around the lake, and then stopped at Cheesecake Factory for desert.

I have had a few happy and amazing days in 2011, but I will sincerely say that this one was the best of them all.