Dave and Allyson: Our Last Clovis High Graduation...

How did we go from this....

(the first day of Kindergarten)...to this...so fast!?

Joel, the time has gone quickly, and now you are a graduating senior...congratulations!

We had to make "graduate" cupcakes for the occasion...

Loved the theme of graduation with the awesome cougar on the sign..."May the dreams you dream be the future you find."

The year is on the football scoreboard...this year the graduates came onto the field a totally different way than our other four kids did...instead of coming through the bleachers and past the audience up to the stand so we could see them, they came from behind the stand and we could not see Joel at all. Not just because people were standing up in front of us (grrrr) but because it was so far away, it was just too hard to tell who was who!

And it wasn't until after he walked back to his seat from getting his handshake and diploma that we could see where he was...he's the fourth row up from the bottom, next to the white robed people (the white robed people made the number 2013).

I did get a little emotional as they entered the stadium...and as I sat next to Ashley and Clark...Ashley was our first Clovis High graduate and it had been 7 years since we were there for Clark's graduation! We didn't see Joel walk across the stage to get his diploma because they announced his name wrong! Seriously, how do you mess up Joel McKinney? Joel MAC-uh-nee. Really? We all looked at each other, was that Joel!??? We saw him walk back across the stage and back to his seat. Bummed that we missed it! We didn't know where he was sitting, and they weren't reading them alphabetically so we weren't watching close enough (or wouldn't have been able to tell it was him) we were just waiting to hear his name. Crazy! And so many people were so loud and obnoxious cheering for their graduate that we couldn't hear all the names being read...it was supposed to be a traditional ceremony...I would have liked a little more common courtesy. One guy even had one of those air horns...and noisemakers were not allowed in the stadium. Some people...anyway...I digress!

I think my favorite part is after they have all walked across the stage and are back in their seats, they all in unison switch their tassels to the other side. Very synchronized...it was very impressive! Another emotional moment. At the end of the ceremony they did a cool fireworks show and I got emotional once again. (yes, it was an emotional evening!) The end of an era at our house...

So proud of our Joel and the fine young man he has become! We met up with him in the baseball field afterwards...here is his friend Ty Kennington...who was trying to locate his mom and sister...we ran into him quite by accident.

Here is Ashley standing on tipee toes trying to be tall next to Joel...

Then we got Clark in there too...three of our five children...we missed the rest of the family and wish they could have been there!

Mom and Pop with the handsome graduate...what a fun and happy night!

I tried to make a money lei for him (with some rolo candy included) but it needed more dollars (or more candy!) to look better, and getting it all crumpled up in my bag didn't help it much. Oh well, it's the thought that counts right? And the money will spend just the same! He didn't wear it long though because people were afraid to hug him and mash it more! So I put it back in my bag. It was a good idea...in theory.

With his friend Duncan Nankervis...

And with his diploma (cover only...they get the "actual" diploma when they turn in their robe).

Sharing a laugh with his good friend Austin Kincade...

Now a pose for the camera...we never did see any of his girl friends...I know they were there! We missed having picture opportunities with them. One friend, Mallory, is the first to graduate in her family and her little brother was hit by a car going into graduation...so her family missed the entire thing! I felt so bad for her. Thankfully her little brother only had a concussion, but he had been knocked unconscious so he went to the hospital in an ambulance. I hope someone got some pictures of Mallory for her mom!

And last but not least, turning in his robe to get his diploma. They get to keep the hat and tassel. Notice the young man at the front of the picture...his money lei looks the way it's supposed to! We saw candy leis too, and one girl with so many flower leis around her neck it's a wonder she could see and breath! Lot of balloon bouquets and flower bouquets too...it's fun to see what people do for their graduates.