Graduation brings back memories
High school graduation will be upon us in about a week. A few of us moms were reminiscing about how our sons and daughters have grown up.
Kathy Woelk, JoAnn Wall, and I were talking, in separate conversations, of how we remember some of kids attending Happy Face Day Care, now Lucky Ducks.
The three of us worked at the day-care center. Kathy was childcare provider/instructor, and JoAnn and I were parent volunteers and assistant teachers for a number of years.
We remember a few of the kids and their unique and distinct personalities. We look at them now and see how they have developed into young men and women.
The group of guys that our son Ronnie hangs with have become really special to me. Not only did I get to know them personally, but also I got a chance to know some of their parents on a personal level because of the boys' friendships. I wouldn't trade that for anything.
For instance, Adam Woods was a little shy around our family at first, until he got to know us better through Ronnie and by seeing me in school and at games.
Carson Greenhaw, who doesn't know a stranger, became my second son. I'm known now as Momma "D," which I just love. Because of his and Ronnie's friendship, Lou and Steve have become friends of ours. It was always good to know throughout the years that Ronnie always had a safe place to go and hang out.
We laugh about it, but Lou's like me. She doesn't let any stuff go on, and if she sees something not quite right, she will say something about it.
Some people have problems with others speaking their minds, but that's a quality I admire in Lou. I know where she's coming from — she doesn't play "the game."
Other friends whom I have come to know or know better because of the friendships of our kids are Melissa Bartel and Becky Lindsay.
Melissa and I had a little rocky start, though. She tried to reach out to me and become friends when our kids used to play at the pool after bubblers swimming class. When I first moved here, nearly 25 years ago, I was somewhat hesitate to open up to "white" people. I wasn't very friendly to her and kept my distance.
But, Melissa kept reaching out, and eventually I was opened enough to let her get to know me on a more personal level. We have been friends ever since. We have weathered some storms, in each of our lives, together — supporting each other in a variety of ways.
We don't see each other as often as we would like because of our busy schedules. But when we do see each other, we just pick up where we left off. God brings us together sometimes just to encourage each other — that's a special kind of love.
I met Becky after Melissa. I remember Becky walking up to me on the street a couple of years after I moved to Hillsboro. She introduced herself as we stood right under the only traffic light in town. We had some common ground because she was raised in a large city. Since that day, we've been friends.
Reminiscing can be fun, and it makes you cherish those precious moments. Kids grow up so fast. They start off as little infants, grow to toddlers, and then mature into independent beings marching off to elementary school.
Before you know it, they become middle schoolers and then high schoolers. Now I'm looking at them about to graduate and go off to college, technical school or maybe start a family of their own.
Life is indeed precious, and for a mother it is extra special.
OK. This ends all the mushiness. We will have Rachael graduating from Wichita State in the spring of 2004 and Charity from high school in 2005. I'll have to save some of the sentimental reminiscing moments for then.
