Over and Out!

Kyra is finally past middle school and headed for the big time. She has been looking forward to this day for years and it is finally here. I know Red Smith (where she attended 3-8) was hard for her on many levels. Not necessarily academically but she found the social situations difficult to deal with. Unfortunately her previous school had an incredibly diverse population of students in terms of economics and she found that trying to keep up with the Jones' was a bit tough if not more frustrating than anything. She is looking forward to her trip this summer to New York and Washington DC (only a week away now) and I know she is grateful to all her aunts and

uncles for the generosity both for her graduation, financial support with her trip as well as her birthday this month. Its a big deal to her and although she is not the most expressive individual when it comes to gratuity I want you all to know just how much it meant to her. so Thanks to everyone!!! Today Miss Kyra walked across the stage to accept her diploma. Well they call it 8th grade celebration in an effort to down play the fact that the true celebration happens when a child graduates from high school. Well forget that! In this family we are celebrating all accomplishments no matter how big or small. Its a birthday? Lets have cake. Its a graduation? Lets go out to dinner. No matter what... we are celebrating each other. Because as my father taught us 5 years ago... life can change unexpectedly and there is no reason not to enjoy what we have when we still have it. Because her school downplayed the event I noticed that Kyra did too. She didn't even really talk about it with the rest of us and so I know it came as a bit of a surprise to everyone. However being the crazy stepmother I am, I called the school and got all the details. I was able to pass that along to Tim's family just in time for them to be able to attend. Whew! SO in the end those of us that were not previously committed were able to watch her stride across that stage and move on to the next big step in her life. I was so damn proud of her. Even though she didn't get dressed up at all (like her classmates) I was still proud to stand next to her and claim her as my own. Her friend (boyfriend but we don't talk about it I guess) Dylan came along to cheer her on as well. Her little sisters were there too (which I think she was secretly happy about). They make her crazy... but I know she loves them anyway.