Flashback Friday: Graduation

I don't have a scanner, so can't show you K's kindergarten picture or his Senior one. Nor do I know which box in storage contains the poem I wrote after his third day of kindergarten! But here's a brief rundown of his school life.

Pre-K: He had two 'girlfriends' when he started at age three, Shelby and Kailani. When they 'graduated' three years later, K declared loudly he wished Kailani was going to his school, and that she was the one he was going to marry.

K: We had moved to a new home in the country, and on the first day, he came running up to me. "Mommy! Mommy! I've made a friend!"

"Good for you! What's your friend's name?"

"I don't know...(what's your name?) Austin! He's my best friend!"

At the end of that year, not only were he and Austin inseparable, but he'd forgotten all about Kailani and set his sights on Katie.

Sport: Pee-wee Baseball. Tried being catcher, but with his newly acquired glasses, he didn't do a very good job. Tried to umpire instead of catch! Coach moved him to outfield.

1st: Upset the boys when he and Katie were both line leaders; he held the door to the cafeteria and let the girls enter first.

Sport: Pee-wee Baseball. Batting skills improved.

2nd: Came home with a smug look on his face. He'd kissed Katie on the slide.

Sport: Thoroughly enjoyed his last year of Pee-wee Baseball! Their team won nearly all their games, and he was picked for the All-Star team for the first time. Hit his first grand slam home run while I was in the concession stand:)

3rd: Had a tough time with his teacher; he knew the material and felt he wasn't being challenged. First year he dropped off the Honor Roll for one grading period. Played Santa Clause in the Christmas program.

Joined Cub Scouts and enjoyed it, taking 2nd place in Pinewood Derby.

Sport: Tried basketball, but hated to run. Did well in Minor League Baseball, discovering he enjoyed stealing bases!

4th: Loved his teacher; got accepted into the Accellerated Reading, Science, and Critical Thinking group. But Mom went to work, and no longer had a lot of extra time to help him read Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire out loud, and fell behind. I grew tired of nagging him to read.

Received his Arrow of Light award at Cub Scouts and picked the BSA troop for the next year. Again, his car placed 2nd at Pinewood Derby.

Sport: Joined Football, and after a week of not wanting to practice in the heat, Dad spoke to him about giving 110%; that the coach wouldn't put him in a game if he didn't see him making an effort. K discovered he enjoyed tackling other kids and not being scolded! His team not only went undefeated, but they put him on the All-Star team and was undefeated! Since we didn't live in the district, people began asking us if we planned to move...

Minor league baseball: Became a catcher's nightmare if he was on 3rd base:)

5th: Played Abraham Lincoln in their History class. Katie had moved away, but Kelsey was soon calling him 'husband'.

Crossed over to Boy Scouts and was soon bitten by the NASA bug after a trip to the Challenger Learning Center.

Sport: Enjoyed his last year of Football, again making the All-Star team, and still did well.
Major league baseball: Had disastrous year. K said, "It's not fun anymore!"
Tried basketball again, but again, discovered he hated to run.

6th: Tough year. He could do the Math faster in his head than on paper, but the teacher wanted the class to show their work. Drove me crazy when helping him with Algebra, because he kept asking 'why'. He also got suspended from school for a week, along with another boy, because K 'defended my honor' when the other boy made a joke about my unexpected pregnancy.

Was also bitten by the acting bug when he had a major role in church Christmas Play, The Best Christmas Ever.

7th: 6th grade math headaches behind him, he blossomed:) Since he was no longer playing sports, Boy Scouts took over his spare time. I think this was the year he 'tapped out' and received his Order of the Arrow badge.

8th: Still on the honor roll, he voiced concerns about his science grade, convinced he "wasn't doing too well." I spoke to the teacher, who informed me K was 4th in the class. His buddy Grant held the high score, with girls holding 2nd and 3rd. K just wanted to figure out how to score higher than the girls!

9th: We moved to our current home, and while it took him a few weeks to really adjust to the bigger school, he still did well and soon made friends. Found out if he'd only had one more credit hour, he'd be classified a sophomore instead of a freshman.

10th: He got his driver's license and worked in the watermelon fields during the summer. Started dating Samantha, but it quickly went from romance to strictly friendship. They are still 'Besties'.

11th: Started dating Sam's cousin Tanja. He also started AP classes and at the end of the year, already had all the credits he needed in order to graduate, except for his Senior classes.

12th: Decided to go out for football. At the end of the season, and watching him play in the final three games, the coach told us he wished he'd put him in the games sooner, and had had him all four years of high school. He still lettered and made many new friends. Joined track, and learned shot put and discus. Took Tanja to the New Year's Eve Ball, but she moved in January.

Got accepted to Purdue and also attained Eagle Rank in BSA. He graduates with honors tonight, and is ranked #29 in his class of 140.

Obviously, we did something right:) I'm proud of him!