I sit here tapping the desk instead of the keyboard keys because I don't even know how to start writing this post. This year was a big one. May was the most insane month where we did things like color code the calendar to keep each day's 20 things straight, or just not sleep for multiple nights of Grad Week. All of it a lead-up to this one monumental, milestone night. I may have fallen to pieces under the weight of all the feelings if it weren't for the company of our most important people. We were SO blessed to share the special Grad Weekend with Heather, Annabelle, Derek, and Anna. They brought so much joy and laughter into our home, I never even shed a sad tear! And now when we look back on these new high school graduation core memories, they will have all the wacky fun of the K Crew attached to them.
Her gold cords are for her high GPA and her blue and red cords are for Robotics. Dave and I gifted all the Senior CarbonKnights a set of cords to wear and they did so proudly! The success of the Senior-led Robotics team actually got shout outs from 2 different speakers at graduation!
I don't know what Ella was more excited about-- actually graduating high school or spending the weekend hanging out with her cousin Annabelle!
Professional photos before graduation.
Walking in. Each graduate has a slide dedicated to them featuring a baby picture and their senior picture. Not blog-approved though with last names and our school name all over them! I'll send it to you if you want to see Ella's. ;)
Dave was super honored, and honestly a bit overwhelmed, when he was asked to do the opening devotions and invocation. He was introduced to the gymnasium packed with people as "Ella's Dad". As always, he did a great job with a short message from Hebrews' famous blessing. So cool to raise his hands and speak that blessing and then pray over these kids we know and love so well.
Getting her diploma and Bible. The School Board member who gave Ella her diploma is also her boss! She's the woman who owns (with her family) the climbing gym Ella works at. This was special.
The class song was "Goodness of God" and if I was gonna cry, it would be when these 60 young people united in voice to declare their testimony: "All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God."
Hat toss! Ella's brightly decorated red flower hat was easy to track and find back!
Just a quick whole-class selfie as the 60 grads exited the gymnasium to the "Find Your Family Field".
A famous Anna hug!
Annabelle was home with a babysitter, so she didn't make this sister/cousin pic. But, Auntie Heather had a much better time at graduation without a squirmy 8 month old in her lap!
A super proud sister. No one is gonna miss Ella more than Delia.
"Now a jumping one!" We can't even take a family picture without cracking up!
A few of the friends who made Ella's 13 years so amazing.
A quick celebratory treat before Ella had to be back on a 10:00 bus for her all night Sober Grad party. This year's class worked hard to fundraise for a pretty awesome Sober Grad! They took a midnight cruise around the San Francisco Bay! They sailed under the iconic bridges and past Alcatraz in the middle of the night while enjoying a pasta bar and casino games (minus the gambling ;). Ella came home with a bag of gift cards to local businesses, $150 cash, and $100 to Amazon! Pretty sweet bribe to not spend grad night drinking, something she and her friends would have never in a million years done anyway! Also, a pretty sweet opportunity to hang with her whole class one very last time.
More fun pictures and stories from the weekend, coming soon!
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