Graduation

Yesterday was Ariana's high school graduation.

What a more perfect day for an outdoor graduation ceremony. The day was gorgeous. The sun was blazingly glorious, and the weather deliciously warm. Such a beautiful day, unlike the damp, dreary, and yucky day that we had today. Why! I even came home with a sexier version of a farmer's tan, even though it was more of a sunburn instead of a tan

Ariana's morning graduation preparations started off in a less than typical manner.

Shortly after 10:30, documentarian Tami Gold and her associate David from AndersonGold Films, Inc., arrived to film Ariana getting ready for her big event and to interview the both of us for a project that they had been working on since the beginning of last year. It was really nice to see them again, as they are awfully sweet people who have become friends over the course of the project.

When it was time for Ariana to go to the school, I asked Tami and David if they could drive Ariana to the school because I had a little surprise that I needed to attend to ~ hang the crudely spray-painted banner that I had made the night before. (I almost got caught by Ariana when I tried to sneak it outside before she got into my studio to use the computer.)

After the surreptitious deed was done, Neil, his mother Carol, and I were off to the high school.

Because we had arrived early, we got choice seats in the bleachers over-looking the football field, which today served as ceremony grounds.

The grads-to-be filed in at 1 o'clock in a grand procession.

The valedictorian gave thoughtful speech on gratitude. The band, led by one of the graduates, played a rather long, but impressive, medley of songs from The Phantom of the Opera.

Finally, the moment that all parents, relatives, and friends have been waiting for had arrived! It was time for the seniors to receive their diplomas!

When it was Ariana's turn I did something that I have never done at any graduation ceremony ~ or any event for that matter ~ before. I let out a loud yell. Neil and Carol were far more decorous in their behavior. However, I could not let Ariana receiving her diploma unacknowledged. I wanted her to hear my yell of joy.

She finally did it! After those four seemingly interminable years of struggle, Ariana finally had her diploma in hand!


The closing of this chapter brings the beginning of a new chapter.


What a glorious day for celebration, not only for Ariana, but for all the seniors graduating that day!


Needless to say, we were all very proud of Ariana and her accomplishment. Not only had she capped her completion of four years of high school, Ariana's struggles had not gone unacknowledged. In fact, during the Senior Award Ceremony two days before her graduation Ariana was awarded a plaque in recognition of her perseverance, effort, and attitude.

With the ceremony now over, it was time to go home.

There was a surprise waiting for when Ariana got home. We had Ariana sit in the back seat with Neil so that he could catch the expression on her face as we approached the house.


There it was ~ that crudely spray-painted banner that unabashedly proclaimed our pride to the rest of the world , or at least to all who drove by our house.