Singing a Song of Remembering...

Today we celebrate another milestone in the life of one of our children. Ashley, our youngest of 5 children, is graduating from high school. This will be the graduation ceremony we will celebrate and mark the end of 27 years of homeschooling. We started when Zach was 4.

For each of our children, we hunt for, gather and sort through boxes and albums of photos of their childhood for a Senior slide show at graduation.

We spend several days with photos spread out on the table (and on the computer desk top) - remembering and talking over fun times, beach trips, playing in the snow, family vacations, birthdays, Christmases, camping trips, having to wear co-ordinating outfits and of course those bad haircuts. We try to tell them the stories behind the pictures that represent events they might not remember - hoping that as we do, we are reinforcing basic family truths: that they are loved and valued and that we cherish them.

Raising these kids have been a joy and a privilege. It's been challenging, sometimes difficult and there are so many things that I would love to do over and things I regret not doing - but it's been a profound gift to have each child added to our family. And, Ashley is no exception! So grateful for her life and for the young woman she's grown to become!

Happy Graduation, my baby girl!

Here are a few of my favorite pics of Ashley: