Noah’s High School Graduation

Noah graduated from high school on Saturday at a ceremony held at Ft Lewis College in Durango, CO. Congratulations Noah – we love you and are proud of you. He is the fifth of our grandchildren to graduate from high school – there’s a couple more still to go. Jessica’s branch of the family were all there for the graduation – graduations are always a happy time for family and this one was no exception.

We were going to get up early Saturday morning and drive the 250 miles to Durango, attend the graduation, go to lunch with everyone afterwards and then drive back home. I figured we would be home before dark and all would be good. Granddaughter Sierra decided we weren’t strong enough to do all that in a day. So, she bought us a motel room in Pagosa for Friday night, called us up earlier in the week and said we had to break the driving into 2 days. That, of course, is sweet of her – which is a part of her nature – but it is the first incident of family deciding we’re too old to know how to take care of ourselves – lol. Not sure I’ll be very good at being pampered by being worried over and told what to do in the coming years. But thanks, Sierra – it was nice to have an extra evening with family on Friday night.

Watching grandchildren grow up has been a joy for the last 20+ years. You can see one of our two great-grandchildren, Maverick, in the picture above. Those old enough to have graduated high school are all doing well. Noah is working as are all of the rest of them – taking care of themselves – making mostly good decisions. I remember quite a bit about myself in those first few years after high school – lots of unknowns, wanting to do well, in love most of the time, wanting a good job and a fast car, spending lots of time with friends, short-term 6 month goals changing weekly, long-term goals mostly non-existent, struggling with spirituality, wanting to be grown up but not very good at it and not understanding not being very good at it. I think my grandchildren are doing a better job at getting along in the growing up then I probably did. They struggle sometimes and that will continue, but I’m not afraid for them – they’re going to be fine.

Years ago, I gave my children a lot of advice in their years after high school. I don’t try to do that much with the grandchildren. I would really tell them only one thing and hope they would hear – pay close attention to God – He’s real and it’s important.

Below is the whole crew except for the great-grandfather running the camera. They’re a good-looking bunch.

I suppose if we lived to be pretty old, we might be alive to see Maverick and his cousin, Maddie graduate from high school. Should that happen Sierra will not only have to buy us a motel room, but also come pick us up in Belen, drive us there and then take us back home. She doesn’t know what she started in buying that motel room for us – lol. The years will bring what they bring, won’t they? Just as I’m not afraid and only have hope for these grandchildren, I’m also not afraid and only have hope for us in the coming years. Life is a blessing, but so is eternity. We celebrate these family events – we enjoy them immensely and they are part of what is a good life. I didn’t ever get very good at long-term goals, even after all these years. Most every day uses up all my energy without trying to figure out too much about tomorrow. Each day has its good things and should be lived out with purpose – it’s quite a bit to do to make each day mean something and accomplish a little good as part of what we do. Regardless of how the days play out, for all of these grandchildren, and for grandparents also the view of future is a view of anticipation and hope. Graduation – a milestone done – more to come – the days we’re given are real – they are important – destiny is a choice and merits our close attention.