Hayden's graduation

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
Lewis Carroll

Where does time go? It doesn't seem possible that the little girl whose early arrival guaranteed that her birth date would be linked in memoriam with the onslaught of Hurricane Gilbert. That baby born in the midst of a Hurricane while grandma (aka. Gammie) flew THROUGH the Hurricane to meet her first grandchild has now graduated from high school. Little did we know that the timing of her birth was a foreshadowing of things to come. As Hurricane Gilbert snaked and flung itself along the coast finally coming ashore where it wasn't predicted to hit, our life with Hayden has turned out to be quite the same. Just when we think we are headed in one direction, Hayden is good to throw us a curve, and we quickly launch off in a new direction. Life with our first-born has never been boring, and what a blessing she has been. She has been my closest friend and strongest ally. Though at times our relationship has come under scrutiny for being too casual or comfortable, I wouldn't have traded one day for it to have been any other way. When she heads off to college I will feel like I am missing an appendage. I have virtually had Hayden by my side my whole adult life, with her being born three months after I graduated from college, I have never been anything other than a mom.

I discovered the writing of Edna St. Vincent Millay as a freshman in college 25 years ago, and they stirred something in my soul. All these years later, I read this same poem and find its words applicable to Hayden's life to. She will find her way!!


”Such as I am, however, I have brought
to what it is, this tower; it is my own;
Though it was reared To Beauty, it was wrought
from what I had to build with: honest bone
is there, and anguish; pride; and burning thought.”
Edna St. Vincent Millay

So, little Hurricane Gilbert baby is now Hurricane Gilbert young lady. I am sure we can expect to have a wild ride through college, but what a ride it will be. I cannot wait to see what God does with her life and pray that she will yield to His will.

And thanks to ALL OF YOU who made the trek to be here and to those of you who had a short distance to come...all of you. You all hold a special place in our hearts. And though we grow tired of having to relocate, with each relocation God has blessed us with the friendships of all of you. We have been blessed beyond measure and we give thanks to God for you. And for those of you would couldn't join us, we give thanks to God for you, too. You were in our hearts.