So, the kids don’t really have an 8th grade graduation from Jr. High– but they do have an in-house, 6th grade promotion ceremony, with some sweet traditions. At the beginning of the year they take their kinder-buddies around and show them the school. At the end of the year they take their kinder buddies from class to class and each class sings them a song and gives them a flower– parents not invited. I love that, a little. It’s all about the kids.
But there is a little promotion ceremony after that, and I went to see it, and was very happily surprised.
They gave the usual awards– academic, citizenship, perfect attendance–but then, because the sixth grade always studies Green and Roman history, they give out the Hercules award– for best effort in all things– and the Socrates award, for best critical thinking.
Guess who got the Socrates award.
We were so proud of him.
But then, we’re always proud of him. He’s smart and funny and kind. And the other night, when we were watching @midnight, they asked for #greekpickuplines, and Zoomboy said, “Hey, wanna ride in my X-Wing?” So he’s quick on his feet too.
Do you all see how tired he looks? He was obsessing about this day. Today, as we were eating cake, he said, “It’s the end of childhood.”
I said, “Bullshit. You’re still my little boy. You’ve got a lot of days left to be a kid.” Oh my God, he was so comforted. He may even sleep tonight.
But still… after school when I went to pick the kids up, I had a moment. I watched Zoomboy and Squish walk from the picnic table by the Kindergarten room, down the fence line to the gate, and then up the sidewalk to the car. It hit me.
That’s the last time they’ll ever do that together.
And I teared up a little. And asked Mate to take a picture of them as they got to the car. There they are. They’re gorgeous. And they’re still my babies.
But oh, hell. Not for much longer.
