Graduation

18 years ago, my husband handed me our son.  He was beautiful, helpless, and full of potential.  I had expectations, dreams, and a bit of fear as I thought about his future and the life he was just starting.  I watched him grow, crawl, walk, talk, and discover new things on a daily basis...I was proud.
This amazing little boy taught me what love is.  My heart swelled. 
Over the years, there have been arguements, tears, and extreme frustration, he didn't realize his potential but I did, and still do.
We have been very lucky to have great teachers help him on his path, teachers that have talked with me at great lengths and helped me understand the difference between a teenager today and what life was like when I was a teenager.  They coached him, prodded him, helped him, and most importantly, believed in him.  They gave him the power to make choices and helped me deal with those choices, especially when I thought they were the wrong ones.  As I look back, Conner didn't make bad choices, he made choices that taught him lessons and isn't that the purpose of those teenage years?  To make mistakes and learn from them? 
Now, he is a high school graduate and I look at him today as I did some 18 years ago, he is beautiful, not so helpless and still full of potential.  I still have expectations, dreams, and a lot more fear as he is, now, ready to take his first steps into his "real" life.  He will leave home and I can only hope that I have armed him with the tools necessary to navigate in the scary world of adulthood.  I know he will make some more mistakes but, he will be fine.  He will accomplish great things and have wonderful journies, I'm just sad that I will not be there for all the new "firsts" but I am still very, very proud.
Conner, go experience life, have fun, be safe, love with your whole heart, but call your mother every once in a while!

Thanks,

from Heather