Gosh, I feel old!

My baby nephew, JT, is all grown up now. I just can't believe it! He was the first grandbaby in our family and was the only one until Julianne was born when he was four. The world revolved around JT for those four years. He was a little doll with snow-white hair and big blue eyes and enough personality for six kids. He was so sweet and so good. When I was expecting J he was so excited to be getting a cousin. He thought I should have a girl and name her Lester "or somethin' like that." JT graduated from high school Saturday night. When he came up the aisle in his cap and gown I was fighting tears (and losing). The keynote speaker decided that we should all sing the national anthem but didn't tell us to stand. On the first syllable JT stood and removed his cap. Everyone else in the gym followed. That's when I lost it! I was so proud! Yesterday morning I snuck out of work to watch him swear into the Marines as a Reservist. That was hard. I thought about him all day and wondered if her was at boot camp yet. Strangely, I felt better when I got a text message from his dad saying that he was at the airport USO in San Diego waiting for someone to pick him up. I know he'll be okay but I worry.

8th Grade Graduation

I can't believe that I have a kid in high school! I'm not old enough for that! I missed almost half of the ceremony (the boring parts at least!) but had a blast at the party after. They had a little reception for families and then the kids had a dance. Our family stayed to watch and visit. Julianne's dad and little sister, Devin, were there. That was cool and meant a lot to Julianne. Little Devin danced her legs off. It was very entertaining! I think that kid doesn't have a self-conscious bone in her. My aunt & her husband were there--so was my mom and my sister and her husband. We enjoyed watching the kids dance and got to take a lot of pictures of them.

Wow!

I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up! She graduates from 8th grade tonight. I'm so proud. She's a great kid. She gets an attitude with me and it's so frustrating and hurtful sometimes, but she's been good. She's been told to stop talking in class, but has never been in trouble. She isn't a perfect student, but makes pretty good grades--mostly A's and B's. If she makes anything lower she brings it up before the next report card. She's popular and very well-liked and has a lot of friends. I don't want to pat my own back, but I think I've done a pretty good job--especially since I've done it completely alone. I think it's okay to take a big hunk of credit. She's at her friend's house right now getting ready for graduation and the dance after with a few of her inner circle. They're excited because they will all be cheerleaders together next year and now they're more inseparable than they already were! I feel for Molly's mom right now! I'll bet her house is LOUD!

I have to admit that I'm fighting tears right now. I'm proud but I'm sad. I know that the next four years are going to fly by and my baby will leave home and start her own life. I hope that she is strong and independent and goes away to a good college and then has many great adventures before she settles down with her prince and a picket fence. I just can't believe that the bulk of my job will be done. If she is everything that I want her to be she won't need me so much. She thinks she doesn't now and it's killing me.

It's been a wonderful but lonely job. I've never been any other kind of mom except a single one. Her dad has only come into her picture sporadically. He's never taken her on weekends. I only just in the past few months have been willing to leave her alone in the evenings. I've dated, but it's been hard to maintain a relationship. I've lost touch with most of my girlfriends as they are either married stay-at-home moms or single party girls. My life has pretty much revolved around being Mom. I'm trying to look forward to being alone again and "getting a life". Maybe I will do things I planned to do before I had babies. Maybe I'll find a job in Europe for a year or two or become an international flight attendant. Maybe I'll even get my own picket fence!

Just for nostalgia, here she is on her first day of kindergarten:

Yay, Rah, Julianne!!!

Now, I'm not proud or excited or anything like that, but MY BABY MADE THE CHEERLEADING SQUAD FOR HIGH SCHOOL!!!

Cute!

http://www.adoptasquid.com/

Digi Newbie!

My camera has been a vital organ since I got my first one for Christmas in the fifth grade. I've had one grafted to me since. I started scrapbooking about ten years ago. I just discovered digital scrapping this past week and I'm obsessed! I've had Art Explosion's Scrapbook Factory for a year but haven't used it. I was already a font junkie with thousands of fonts, but now I am scouring the internet for digital scrapping downloads--preferably free. In the past three days I've accumulated many hundreds of them and haven't spent a dime. Yesterday was National Scrapbook Day so everyone is giving things away this weekend. I have joined a couple of message boards related to digital scrapping but have spent the most time at http://www.3scrapateers.com/. I think this is the beginning of a long, beautiful friendship.