The Southwest Voice

larger view

Well, the school year is winding down now and kids will soon be home for the summer. When my kids were young, I was so excited for summer vacation to arrive because it meant loose schedules, sleeping in and staying up late!

As my children grow up, though, the summers are shorter and seem quicker to arrive. Now I have a graduating senior, an incoming junior, and my youngest will be a freshman in high school. Where did the time go?

What I’d like is to start over, go back to when they were babies and take extra long looks at them when they are sleeping in their cribs. I’d like to play more games, read more stories, and forget about driver’s licenses and prom dates.

But that can’t happen, so instead I’ll cherish this stage as I have the others, watching with pride (and a few tears) as my children grow into adulthood.

But each stage is bittersweet, particularly high school graduation, where we will say so long to childhood friends making their way to college campuses all over the United States.

To the graduating seniors across the Southwest, I wish you a fond farewell and the blessings of the wonderful new life you are about to explore. Congratulations, Class of 2008!