Pompous Circumstances PSF

The great milestone in a parent's life, having one's photo taken with the first-born at his High School graduation.
Oh...
but wait, there isn't a photo?!

This is our graduation story.

oooh...aaaahhhhh

Wow.

J1 would be receiving his diploma in Ely Cathedral, one of the most beautiful buildings you could ever imagine. Construction for this spectacular historical site began in 1083. It became a cathedral in 1109. It's nearly as old as the clothes hanging in my wardrobe.

The Hubby was deployed. I was trying to get things settled with J's move back to the U.S. that would take place only days after graduation. I had two kids in British schools and one in Play School (you do that here-- kids begin Play School as early as 2, and are in [the equivalent of] kindergarten by 4). Miss Ky was 8 months and still nursing. Stress was rampant. Precise choreography would be required for the day and absolutely no delays could be tolerated.

My graduating Senior had to be at his school by 7am... one hour away from where we lived. I had four other children to take care of and 3 to get to their schools.
So I did what any church-going mom would do.
I let him sleep over at his girlfriend, Kristine's house.

My other boys (who will NEVER be allowed to sleep over at a girlfriend's home) would get off the school bus at 3:30, we would then drive the 2 hours to Ely, and arrive with 30 minutes to spare for parking and finding our seats. Not, so bad, right?

Of course the bus was late.

I raced home with the kids, directed them to their nice clothes lined up on the sofa (shirts to socks and shoes, just needed the bodies) and bellowed, "Dress fast!"
I grabbed Miss Ky's survival kit and three changes of clothing for her.

I yelled, "Get in the car!"
I loaded the snacks and diapers into the car.
A2 began insisting he had no trousers. I ran back into the house and ... no trousers. What the heck? I must be losing my mind, I was sending my three-year old to a church trouser-less. I ran and got him another pair.
Two mini-people were now in the car. I buckled in octopus child Miss Ky and prayed for Mr. Sandman to come a little early. I got A2 in. And off we went.

One hour and 15 minutes into the trip, boys have to water the side of the road.

We then fall into...
the queue of every other parent driving to Ely Cathedral (also hoping to have 30 minutes to spare).

Unbelievably, we find parking only a few blocks away. I had to dress Miss Ky. As I did so, I was yelling (yes, again... actually, you can't have an "again" if it never stopped) instructions.
"As soon as Ky's dressed, we RUN for it, got it?" and that's when I saw...

Holy cow. Now I know why A2 had no trousers. A1, who is 3 years older and much taller, is wearing them. My 6-year old is wearing 3T trousers. They look like capris.
All I can do is laugh and wonder why we never show up looking polished and pressed.


I follow the crowds towards the building and see the longest line ever. Ky needs to nurse. Boys need to wee again. I began to get very overwhelmed and felt immensely discouraged...

...and then there appears, a face I recognize... Kristine's mother (insert angelic chorale music here). She has her husband take the boys into the bathrooms in another building, and then leads me past this huge line of people (I don't look at them), into the building, up to the front row of the cathedral where there are placards reserving our seats...

The school reserved seats for families of deployed members. Thank goodness the Hubby was in the hot, hot desert or I would have been watching from the nosebleed section.
Um, thanks Hubby.

Another remarkably cool thing the school did: they arranged a video conferencing so that Deployed parents could "be there". I was texting the Hubby, "Can you see me?" and J2 kept walking back and forth in front of the cameras waving.

My phone rings. It's J1 from somewhere in the deep recesses of this glorious building on this momentous occasion, "Can we just skip this, can we go home?"

J1 is the poster child for why young people need sleep. Apparently there were fun times and Wii games for all in the girlfriends' house throughout the night. He was tired. And irrational.

Does your teenager sleep till noon? They sleep crazy long hours for a reason. It's a survival mechanism inherited through ages of stressed out parents going psychotic on moody teenagers. Get off his/her back and count your blessings that he/she is sleeping.

My answer to my tearful, moody teen reaching out to his loving Mom?

"This isn't about you, pal. This is MY moment. You will walk with your class and you will smile for your photos. "

AND drama aside, within a few moments the ceremony begins. AND Miss Ky picks THAT exact moment to poo, which causes her to fuss, so I latch her on like a trained puppy. Makes for some complicated photography.

THIS is the back of J's girlfriend, Kristine.

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she the sweetest looking
little thing? Isn't he messing everything up by moving on to the girlfriend with scary parents?

Oh, wait! There's Son #1!! Waaaaaay over there, out of my camera's flash range...
But he's perfectly situated
for a proud Dad sitting somewhere
in the desert.

One last thing this Dept. of Defense School did.

When our graduate was handed his diploma, inside was a hand-written message from his Dad.

There are no "after" photos of our family, of our proud moment with J. No photos of him holding his diploma or throwing his cap in front of this amazing edifice.

He couldn't quit crying.


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