the first

She was our first child, the first grandchild on my side, the first niece, the first on almost everything. Sunday she became the first to graduate from college. No one in our families has graduated from college....she is the first.
As I walked across the campus on Sunday I found myself saying out loud "It feels like we just brought her here" and yet those 4 years passed in a mere blink. She approached this milestone with calmness and maturity. Actually the entire weekend was a relaxing, wonderful experience. So unlike her graduation from high school. Now that could only be described as frantic chaos. Mix in some major attitude by the soon to be graduate and it's simply amazing anyone survived. I think when your child graduates from high school you as a parent are as vested in the process as they are...you are the one guiding and nagging that they stay on course. So as much as it is their moment, parents also get a pat on the back for helping them reach this point.
From the moment they are born we are beginning to let them go. Sometimes it's easier than others. With each big step, with each new moment we take another step back, College is when you get to step back and see just what an amazing kid you have...
and amaze us she did. This is her moment to shine, she worked for this, stuck with it thru the ups and downs and earned this moment completely. Watching her walk across the stage and accept her diploma was overwhelming. I was filled with complete pride at what she had accomplished...to realize she is an adult, (when perhaps the mom in me will always remember the little girl,) a pretty amazing one at that. As is so her as she walked by where we were sitting she glanced up and grinned and did her little wave, the sparkle in her eyes so similar to other times when she was little and would see us and pause giving us a grin and wave before she resumed what she was doing. I can't wait to see what she does next....