May 28, 2024

May - The Lead Up To Graduation

May 1st was the day all the parents in our neighborhood could start placing signs in our yards to celebrate our kids. Of course, these two signs went in front of my house on that day. LOL!

Our neighborhood also allows signs for the month of May in the front of our neighborhood entrances (I live in a BIG neighborhood with a number of different sections.) There was a man/neighbor in our neighborhood who offered to purchase signs if someone in each section could spread the word, organize the people interested in their section and collect the money. I just knew if I didn't do it, no one else in my section would. I really didn't want to do it. I waited for a little while to see what would happen and then I just decided that I needed to be the point person. So, I helped the man/neighbor get the design put together for our section's sign, collected the names and the money and he ordered the sign. I didn't realize he wasn't going to install the sign though. Ugh. So on May 1st, Doug and I installed the sign ourselves. I think we did pretty well despite being amateurs...

 
 
 After being out in the elements for several weeks, the sign has gotten a bit droopy. We will take it down on June 1st. It has been really great seeing Briana's name on that sign!

Our neighborhood gazette also listed the names of the neighborhood graduates as well...



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At the very end of April, Briana's dramatic writing teacher asked her a question. He explained to her that he and a friend had been dining at a restaurant and saw an interesting painting. He took a picture of the painting and asked Briana if she could recreate the picture so he could give it to his friend as a fun gift. He offered to pay her - so he commissioned B to paint him a picture! It took her a little while to complete it, but she did an amazing job! Her teacher was very pleased.
 
(The original is on the left and B's is on the right.)

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On May 7th, Briana had her Senior Awards Night. We knew that Briana would be receiving her graduation stoles and cords for Beta Club, National Art Honor Society, National Honor Society and End of Pathway completion for culinary. What we didn't know is that she would also receive an award for Printmaking (which she took first semester) and an award for Culinary Student of the Year! Those were some great surprises!

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 I sent out Briana's graduation announcements and she has been receiving some lovely cards and monetary gifts - which we are very appreciative of (thank yous going out soon!). This is how she looks pretty much every time she opens a card...


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On Mother's Day, Doug and I gave Briana an early graduation gift. Since she was in kindergarten, I have been collecting signatures and heartfelt messages from Briana's school teachers and putting them in the book "Oh The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Suess. I wasn't sure how Briana would react when she received it, but as soon as she read the note that I attached to the book (including a list of all the teachers who contributed), she started to really cry. Briana doesn't always show big emotions outwardly, but she did that afternoon. It showed Doug and me how much the gift touched her and that meant so much to us. It was a perfect, touching moment...

The messages were so heartfelt and wonderful. Her teachers all really loved her and that meant a lot.

We decided to give her the gift early because she was starting to stress a little about getting her teachers to sign her yearbook at the end of the school year. She had no idea I already had so many beautiful teacher messages just waiting for her!

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 Finally the last day of school arrived...

  
 All her last day of school pictures...
   
The last day of school was college/career T-shirt day and it was supposed to be the senior outdoor picnic. But it rained. And the school had no indoor backup plan. So, no picnic or real opportunity for the seniors to hang out and get their yearbooks signed. It was very irritating, but everything else senior event-related worked out, so I am going to let it go.

Bri did get a couple pics with friends. These are her culinary friends/classmates...

Bri and her friend Parker in Zoology (they have been friends since elementary school)...

 
They did this project together for Zoology (yes - they chose Bluey!). They did the research together, but of course, Bri was the artist on this one...

Briana received her yearbook on the last day of school. It is surreal to see her in there as a senior...
 
Senior ad...



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 A few days before graduation, Briana's former elementary school hosted a senior walk. It was so surreal and emotional seeing her walk those halls one last time...

I invited my parents to come see her walk too...
 
A cub waiting at the entrance of the school...

Briana with her garb...
 
Briana and Meredith walking to the media center...

It's walk time...


Briana walking those halls years ago (sniff)...

Briana and Meredith have grown into beautiful young ladies (on the left they were in 2nd grade)...

The elementary school graduates!!


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 With a class of 734 graduates (you read that right), it took three days for the kids to practice for graduation. The graduation was taking place outside, so two of the three days was located in the stadium. Bri said those days were warm, and we were glad graduation was taking place at night...

Briana received her honor medal on day two of grad practice...

 
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Then graduation day finally arrived...

And I will write all about the graduation in my next post!!

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