To say our life has been a whirlwind of activity the last several weeks is an understatement.  I’ve long said that May is the new December between sacraments, graduations and end-of-school-year events.  This May was no different as we celebrated two separate sacraments – First Eucharist for our granddaughter and Holy Orders for two fellow parishioners/friends, a college graduation for our niece and a high school graduation for our son, Patrick.  Throw in several end-of-school/senior concerts and meals and our calendar was pretty packed.

Claire’s First Communion

Tiffany’s college graduation

Andrew and John’s Ordination to the Permanent Diaconate

Each event brought together family, friends, lots of food and many toasts for the happy occasions.

Jesuit Dallas and Texas Tech cookies

Jesuit friends for life

Ben and Roddy who just wanted to play ball

Claire and Tiffany enjoying the pool

University of Tennesee

A toast to success!

First Communion Party

Presents!

Celebrating new Deacons

So many good times!

My biggest highlight was the high school graduation  of our son, Patrick.  Just like every other parent I know I am very proud of all that he accomplished and the bright future he has ahead of him.

The Graduate

Niece Claire, Granny Ethelyn

Grandma Connie

Uncle Tom, Aunt Judy, Cousin Tiffany

Aunt Sheryl

Uncle Jon, Aunt Chireen, Cousin Jace

Sister Krista, Brother-in-law Leslie

The Graduate with family

His whole senior year brought ample time for reflection and a big ole’ mixed bag of emotions but, now that it’s officially ‘done’ I need to stop for just a moment and take-it-all-in.  After all, the older I get the truer it seems to be that life happens in the blink of an eye.  It feels like yesterday that I was despairing over getting him potty trained and then all of a sudden he was finished with classes and final exams.

But, for something that seemed to pass so quickly we accomplished an awful lot of living.  There were vacations both near and far, girlfriends and breakups, new friends and old friends, births, deaths, emotional distress, torn ligaments, band, sports and driving to name a very few.  Goodness….so much of life experienced and, yet, I also know he has only touched the tip of the iceberg.

As he leaves behind the high school life and prepares to step into the world of college – and all it brings – I will pray he continues to make good choices while  choosing to love and respect all those he meets along the way.    I will also pray that God will protect him in his stupidity because it wouldn’t be a complete life without mistakes, blunders and his share of what-was-I-thinking choices.  And, when those harder life-times happen, I hope he remembers that failure is most often just a step to better.  Finding the courage to face the difficulty and move forward – with whatever the circumstance is – makes the better that much sweeter.

However, if he forgets and begins to despair in the hard times – I trust he will remember that I am always just a phone call and/or text away.

Graduations and sacraments, family and friends – so many really good things to be thankful for.

Romans 12:9-12

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.