He graduated!

As I type this, my college graduate brother is in a real-world job interview. It seems more bittersweet than my own did for a multitude of reasons. I thought this summer was hard, but this is the nail in the coffin of our family. Morbid terms, but to me this means we are an older family now. People will age more rapidly, lives will change more dramatically and we won't be little kids any more.



This summer, I cried like a baby at the Junior National. Not only was it hard to swallow that our family was done with junior shows for good, but it meant that Colt and I weren't juniors either. Granted, I gave up my membership years ago but I chose to live vicariously through him. And, as some of you calculate my age and scratch your heads wondering when I will birth my own junior let me tell you- I don't think that will be the same. Being a parent to a junior is something totally different to me.



As Colt went into his first heat of showmanship, Rascall Flatts' "Hear Comes Goodbye" came on in the ring. Mind you, I hate that band, minus a few songs but it brought a lump to my throat and tears in my eyes. As I looked around, I noticed the same people were around me as were around me when I took my last heifer in the ring for my last show. Great people will stay in your life forever, but you take them for granted until you squint through tears! I honestly believe that. Having Colty ask me how to do a tail and requesting I carry him a bucket of water before finals were more than I could handle. Cue the tears.

Then came this Saturday. First we didn't know if he even made it to the big parade of future tax payers. Even his friends, who delivered him to the site, were unsure if he was in the throng of robes. Come to find out, our little boy was the second name called in the Dept. of Ag! Heck, that isn't where we thought to look... at the front of the herd. No way. So needless to say, I wasn't prepared and didn't snap too many pictures.

On to our party time... I mean his party! We had fun, his friends came from far and wide and had a big time. Youngest MCS auctioned them off and I must say, I am excited for that kid to start selling sales. He was amazing! Would love to sell via the Internet with him!

Now, Colty is in a job interview, one of the most nerve wracking things in the world. And, I must Christmas shop for my hubby for the sixth Christmas! Why are we all grown ups and doing adult things? I am not having a good time with this. Now that Colty is gone from Stillwater, it seems to be the perfect time to grow up, do all the adult things people do but I DON'T WANN!!! !!!!!

So, as I wiped tears from the corner of my eyes on Saturday, looked at my mom and dad and fondled my wedding ring, I was resigned to say that time is moving along more rapidly than I ever expected. I am not belted in properly and I don't know if I want to be. I love this crazy, fast life and the person my family lead me to be. Thanks to you all for supporting my little brother and I!