Julie and I are reaching a major transition in our lives. Our three kids are all reaching major milestones on the growing to adulthood, and those in turn mark major milestones for us.
– Diana, our youngest, graduated yesterday from high school. In the fall she’ll be going to UVA – our third to go there. We’re immensely proud of her.
– Kate, our middle child, has what is pretty much the ideal summer job for her. She is studying to be a biologist, probably working in genetics, and this summer she is working in the lab of one of UVA’s bio professors. She’s the only undergraduate in the lab, and she is getting a lot of attention and chances for glory. Most notably, her name will be going on the papers that the lab publishes over the summer – and there should be several. That’s likely to do wonders for her grad-school resume. We’re immensely proud of her.
– Andy, our oldest, has been out of UVA for a year now. He’s planning his first big solo vacation – next weekend, he leaves for Japan. He’ll be attending a J-rock concert, going to a tea ceremony, and sleeping one night in a Buddhist monastery. It all sounds like a tremendous blast – and we’re immensely proud that he’s doing so well on his own.
Taken all together, our three children are moving up and moving on in the world. It’s an exciting time in their lives, and an exciting time in mine, to see them all blossoming. I guess Julie and I did something right!
Postscript: On Thursday, my sister Sara gave birth to her first child. A little strange: she’s entering the active parenting world at around the same time I’m exiting it. Curious how these things go.
But in any event, congratulations to Sara and Gary, and a welcome to the family to Marjorie Grace Heard.
Joe, this is the first time I am commenting on your blog but I have been following it all along. I must say, “A Job Well Done” is an apt title to this post. Whatever we do in life, I always think molding your kid into a good human being is the toughest and the most rewarding achievement emotionally.
The other day at an amusement park, my kid went up a ladder for a tall slide all by himself – for the first time. I was waiting outside for him to come down from that slide. I remember how anxious I was to see him come out on the slide from the top because I wasn’t sure if he walked up all the way or not..
The point being, from the time they start walking, our kids begin their outward journey away from us. I am sure you know this even more than I do 🙂 And it feels both sad and great at the same time!!
Anyway, Congratulations to you both, on a job well done!