Schools out for summer!

Its all done! We're completely done with high school! its been an incredible journey, one that Jennifer and I made together. Yes, hub was there, but I'll brag when I say it was ME ME ME that was the team player with Jennifer. From the time she entered kindergarten August 23, 1997, at 4 years old right on up to May 31st, 2011, jenny and I were a team. In fact, my heart goes out to those kids who have no parent on their side.

I remember well, that first few weeks in kindergarten. I recall the mean kindergarten teacher that told me that jennifer was starting kindergarten too soon, and that she'd never get anywhere in life. This comment was made not even 2 weeks into school! (Yeah, can you believe it??). I yanked Jennifer right out of that school, and put her in another one. We were so lucky to have gotten Mrs Joy as her new kindergarten teacher. She told me that Jennifer was bright, and helpful, and would do great in school, even though she was only 4.

We had our ups and downs. She was on the superintendants honor roll list for her grades in Elementary school. Perfect attendance from 4th thru 8th grade. Mind you, from 6th grade thru 8th grade we lived 37 miles from the school. I drove her each way EVERY school day. we could have put her a school closer to where we lived (with my inlaws). But, i wanted to keep her closer to her friends, and in a good school, so I sacrificed my time (and my car) and drove back and forth to school. There were days when money was short, so to not spend money on gas, i would get books from the library, and sit in the mall. I would people watch or read, generally just kept myself busy from 8am until 3pm. Yup, it made for some long days, but what won't we do for our kids?

She had a bad year in 10th grade. Coincidentally this is when we moved to Waltons Mountain. She got in with the wrong crowd, made some poor choices, and was in an extremely overcrowded school that was run by the students and not the teachers. in 11th grade I put her in a charter school and that was THE best thing ever. Small teacher/student ratio. Jennifer excelled and life was back on track.

Now we're out of school, so what do we do? She's 17 and has 6 months until she turns 18. So we'll spend a few months just 'chilling', then quite possibly it'll be off to Cosmetology school where she can learn to do hair and makeup. She hopes to be a stylist or work on a movie set. If this works out, thats great, if not, thats okay too!

We're so proud of her! Yay Jennifer!

Bofus after graduation!

Jennifer decorated the car!

The 2011 graduation class of Julian Charter school (Jenny's school is Pine Valley Academy, an extension of Julian Charter School)

With diploma in hand!