A High School Graduation

I was 16 when the first love of my life was born. My sister gave birth on November 11, 1997 to a healthy, bouncing, baby boy. He stole our hearts immediately.

& this past weekend he graduated from high school. Let me say that again, HIGH SCHOOL. I can still remember living at home with my parents and every time they would keep him for any time at all they would have to take down pictures of Jennifer or he would just cry and cry.

I remember him winning the grand prize at the Carthage Maple Leaf baby show. His love for fire---which I'm still sure he has. His modeling career as young man. Taking him to Milwaukee with Justin and Kaden and having him be one of the first to learn that we were expecting Logan.

I've had a front row seat watching this kid grow up and although he may have had a few fumbles here or there--what kid doesn't--I couldn't be more proud of him.

But we weren't only in town to celebrate this guy and his huge accomplishment but also to celebrate his parents--my sister--on a job well done, so we made a weekend out of it.

My sister has a beautiful home on the lake. We aren't unfamiliar to lakefront property as we venture to the Lake of the Ozarks every summer for multiple weekends but to live full time on the lake--now we are talking. The boys were so stoked to fish but we weren't having much luck…

Until my sister declared a competition. The Sieberts vs. The Souths vs. The Graduates. Game on. We were up for the challenge, even if we had a teeny, tiny Spider-Man pole. 

There was really no doubt in anyone's mind who would win. & after the competition was over, Anne and I took the kayaks out for a spin. It was as gorgeous as the photo looks.

And I guess we needed to earn our keep so Justin made breakfast, the boys cleaned & I, well I decorated for the graduation party--that counts right?!

It felt like the weekend came and went in a blink of an eye but that's because we were just having so much fun and not wanting it to end.