See below to see my labor of love, the She’s All Grown Up Graduation Video! Now a college graduate, she’s truly all grown up! 
This sweet girl of mine that I used to regularly blog about when I covered a lot more parenting topics on this blog is now a 22-year-old in full adulting mode. As an empty-nester with young adults, my new mantra has been to “stay in my lane” which means to offer advice at times, but with respect since my kids are now adults. Support and a listening ear are always offered and let’s not forget how my children have become my teacher in multiple ways, especially when it comes to staying updated with the ever changing technology world!
Me and my girl walking around her beautiful college campus. I will miss that.
Yes, this day has officially arrived…
My daughter’s college graduation was incredibly joyful and especially emotional as this group of graduates were the 2020 high school seniors who lost their graduations, senior proms, dorm rooms, in-class college freshman classes and other milestones that were all but guaranteed until the shocking cancellation of everything due to Covid19 that took us all by surprise. Every human being on this earth was affected.
My girl was especially broken-hearted after watching her big brother’s celebratory graduation season four years earlier that came complete with all of the bells and whistles that she dreamed about happening for her and her beloved classmates in 2020. Her heart was also broken, she told me, when she pictured the horrific losses others were experiencing such as losing loved ones in ICUs that were not allowed any visitors and mothers giving birth without a partner allowed to be present due to the pandemic.
2020 – a year to be forgotten, but that no one will ever forget.
AND this Class of 2024 college graduates were ALSO born in 2001 in the midst of the horrific tragedy of 9/11. My fellow parents of 2001 babies agree that this group of kiddos, in their early 20s now, were born with an extra sense of caution…or uneasiness…perhaps as infants that subconsciously sensed that their parents were in shock as they welcomed new life in the midst of those absolutely horrifying terror attacks.
It strikes me that these 2001 babes came into a world during a crisis…and then 18 years later in 2020 went out into a world in a crisis pandemic. Crazy!
So 2024 is a year to be celebrated as they, once again, head out into this crazy world to fully take on adulthood and all of the pressures and freedoms that come along with that.
So with that, I decided to do it up big (as they say) for my sweet girl’s college graduation. Doing it up big meant a wonderful graduation party and a heartfelt graduation video that is truly a comprehensive look back at my girl’s 22 years of life so far. This video has an extra special stamp on it…my girl added her edits and a few of her college performance clips to the video. Plus a childhood pal of hers, the uber talented Noah with his company Rather Generic Productions, did some very good last minute editing for me. My girl also chose the music, a mix of classic hits and show tunes…it’s all so good!
So grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and take a look back at my daughter’s 22 years…minus terror attacks and pandemics!
The video chapters delight me with some expected stuff, but a few extras like a fashion chapter, her extraordinary performance section from age 2 to 22 and our tear inducing (you’ve been warned) wish chapter with our lifelong well wishes to our girl paired with favorite pictures.
22 years! Went by in a flash and the joys and the heartbreaks experienced in each different stage makes up the fabric of my Alexis Elizabeth so far…I am thrilled to have a front row seat to see what her next chapters hold!
Congrats to all of the graduates out there and I say cheers to the parents, too!
And for those of you expecting infants, with babies, toddlers, kids, teens…hold on! I believe Erma Bombeck coined it perfectly…”with children the days are long, but the years are short”…I’m here to tell you with a 26-year-old son and a 22-year-old daughter…that is the absolute truth. Take it all in, breathe, laugh, cry and cherish every stage…the good and the hard…and I hope that this blog has provided some helpful parenting tips through the years.
BUT…actually forget all of the advice from everyone and go with your gut!
And go…go be with those kids of yours. The absolute best thing you can do is to invest in your children. That investment comes back in the form of some pretty interesting adults who may even want to hang out with their parents sometimes.
Hard to believe that I’m penning my daughter’s college graduation blog post! Yep, don’t blink!
