Erik's High School Graduation

It was such an exciting day watching Erik graduate from high school. 18 years... where did the time go? Seems like yesterday that I was lying in that hospital bed, holding our son who was born 5 1/2 weeks prematurely. He sure isn't tiny anymore though (and our grocery bill represents that lol).

So much has happened in that amount of time. And Erik's graduation had me reflecting on how lucky we are to be here, right now in this moment... together.

My mother struggled with kidney failure and spent years on dialysis. I lost track of how many times I got calls in the middle of the night from IC Unit that she had taken a turn for the worse and that they couldn't stabilize her and telling me I should get there quick. Erik was pretty young then, and I would dress him (it was always around Christmas) and drive through the chilly night to the hospital to wait and pray for her to pull through... again. A few years ago she received a kidney transplant, but it still has been a bumpy road for her... one wrought with challenges and at times discouragement.

I remember when Erik was a baby, and I would wonder if my gram would see him grow into a boy. She has been living with us now for over 5 years as she slowly slips further into Alzheimers. It has been so difficult watching her as the dementia takes more and more of her mind. But at Erik's graduation, you could see the joy light up her face as she spotted him walking past her. She grabbed his arm and smiled so big! It made me cry.

It was such an amazing thing that my mother, grandmother, and Nana (my mom's mom) were there to see Erik graduate. I feel so blessed.