Today I attended my sweet grand baby’s Pre-K graduation. Three groups of 4 and 5 year olds marched into the gym to the tune of Pomp & Circumstance. That is where the similarities to a graduation ended. After that it was a lot of singing, dancing, wiggling, waving, smiling, and picture taking. It was quite a celebration. I loved it.

Breezy was dressed in a white lace dress with black trim. I bought it for her in Chicago or Boston;  I can’t remember which. Her mom paired it with a black sweater with sparkly buttons and some high heeled white sandals she wore in the Belk’s Kidfest fashion show at Easter. She was beautiful. She marched in so proudly.

When she saw her momma, Mimi, Nanny, Papa and Gigi, she smiled the biggest smile and threw out her hand to waive. I snapped a pic and posted it on Facebook. Her mom says it’s the best picture ever, so innocent and genuine. That’s our Breezy.

She’s part of several blended families so she has ALOT of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. I don’t know of another child who is more loved and cherished. And she doesn’t have a problem loving all of us back. She loves everyone.

When they got to the stage she was front and center, just where her Gigi thinks she belongs. She’s the littlest one in her graduating class. So tiny, yet her personality is absolutely huge! I have such high hopes for this precious child.

Her principal welcomed all the guests. He reminded us that these are not the same babies we brought to their school some 180 days ago. He is so right.  When her momma and I left her on that first day of school last August she cried and said, “Don’t leave me here alone.” We were stunned because she is such a social little being.

Just the day before at orientation she had asked to meet the principal. She went in to his office by herself and had a nice chat. She carried his business card, almost bigger than her hand, to school the next day “just in case I need him,” she told me.

So when she cried I was taken aback. I couldn’t even go in the classroom with her. Her momma left Breezy crying with her teacher, and met me in the hallway, tears streaming down her own cheeks. We went to Chick-fil-A’s Dwarf House and cried through breakfast. But, nine months later here was a little girl who has flourished under the tutelage of Dr.Dye, Mrs. Debbie, and Miss April.

When Dr. Dye greeted the crowd, he informed us that we were looking at the high school graduating class of 2028. You could hear an audible, collective catching of breath. Wow. That’s a little hard to imagine. My husband was celebrating his 60th birthday. He leaned over and said, “oh, I hope I’m still alive then.” Me too, honey, me too, I thought.

My mind was spinning. As a college educator, I asked myself, “how many of these children will graduate high school? How many will go on to get some post secondary education, which they will need for the workplace of tomorrow?” I said a quick prayer, “God, please let all these children live at least til high school graduation.”

Each of the three classes had their time on stage. At the end they all joined in to sing, to the tune of ‘She’ll be comin’ round the mountain,’ “we’ll be goin’ to Kindergarten when we’re five! We’ll be goin’ Kindergarten when we’re five!”

Then they turned around and filed out the door. The pomp and circumstance was no more. And I, for one, was sad. I wanted to hear more from these darling babies. I wasn’t ready for the little boys and girls to grow up.

dmzh