Memorial Day to the almost end of School

It's time for the almost end of year wrap up. Amazing things are happening around our house.
     Memorial  Day, the day set aside, after the Civil War to commemorate all the people who died in war, I looked it up when, I think, Nastia asked me what was memorial day, was a bust. I usually like to watch the parade that passes by down the end of the street on Lake Rd., but I had to drive Elena to work and by the time I got back home it was over. I think that is the first parade in Congers or West Nyack that I have missed in a long time. The Girls first miss. That Afternoon, when Elena was finished with work we went to the movies and used our movie passes. Best to use them while we can. As far as memorial Memorial Days, this was not one.
     Nasta graduates School very soon. I am having trouble wrapping my head around that fact. We have had them for almost ten years and they should be graduating Elementary school, not High School. The End of School approaches fast as We struggles to give our daughters more freedom. My biggest problem with giving them more freedom is when I was younger, yes it is one of those stories, we had to earn our privileges, not be given them. David and Nastia are going to the shore on the eighteenth, for the day. I originally said no, Teri goes, and we have both used this line, 'Well She is nineteen, going to be twenty...' the problem is the both of them do not know how to be adults. And yes at that age neither did I, but in some ways the two of them have shown a rather poor lack of good judgement. I know they will be careful, and I need to cut the apron strings and have faith,  but it doesn't make it any easier to put their fate in God's hands. And I know we didn't bring them all this way just to have one of them become road kill. Have Faith.
     Well, after all that We are having a party for Nastia's graduation. It will be on the twenty-third. A Saturday. More about that in a later blog.
       Nastia had her Prom a few days ago. She got out of school early to get her hair and nails done. I remember going to a girlfriends prom. I worked late,it was a Friday. When I got home I was exhausted. I got dressed and we went.
     The next day We went to Atlantic City.It was over cast and foggy.
     David came over early, that was considerate. For Her junior ball he was late by twenty minutes. He comes in and is waiting for her in the Kitchen. Teri and I go down stairs and talk to him.After a moment or two she asks where's her corsage? He says he forgot to pick it up and runs out to get it. He runs over to Shop Rite and gets back before Nastia is ready. That is how early he is. She comes down the stairs and I hear David say wow,I look and understand why he said it.
Teri and I take pictures and more pictures. It's going to be her only senior prom and I want as many good memories as possible for her. David helped big time by being early. That really helped to make it nice. They leave and all the commotion ends and it is silent. I see the future and I am not entirely sure I want it to get here that soon.
     I sit down stairs in the living room waiting for them to get back. I remember every night I was out late my Father would be in his chair watching TV or doing book work or even sleeping. I don't know if he was waiting up for all of us to come in, but it is one of the memories I have, one of the securities, the constants I have when I was about Nastia's age. I also think what memories do I want both of our children to take with them into adulthood? One of them is I was always there, even if I did nothing, I was there if needed, sort of like my dad, I guess.
     A few days late Teri, Nastia and myself go to an awards ceremony. Nastia has won an award for working hard to achieve her grades. It is a certificate and a check for $250.00. Very nice and thank you Ms Chamberlain for nominating her. I took a video of the short speech and Nastia walking down to receive the award, so I only have one picture of her waiting for the announcement.

She was a nervous wreck. She didn't want to walk down there and accept someone handing her an envelope.I do understand, when I was in school, I was the shyest person there. If I had been either one of my daughters, their life would of eaten me alive, I never would have been able to do what they have done. Having done it, they can't see how miraculous it all is. I still shake my head in wonder almost ten years later what they have done and how far they have come.