Graduation '08

Briana, the girl we've practically adopted graduated today.  We had her open house a couple of hours after the graduation ceremony.  We've been working for days on getting the house and lawn ready for the big day. 

Concord Academy Boyne is a charter school, so the classes are limited in size to 20 students. This year's graduating class numbered 14, 8 girls and 6 boys.  I really enjoy Concord's graduation ceremony because it is small and intimate, unlike larger schools. The student's get to choose which teachers and staff they want to speak, and there is a still video show near the end of the ceremony of all the graduates from when they were babies and small kids through their school years.  It's very cool and the grads all get a copy of it, along with a copy of their dance, drama, choir and band performances during their careers at Concord. We are watching one of the videos now as I type this.

Bri cried through the whole thing, and I pretty much did too!  (I'm a sympathy crier).  Plus it will be sad when she moves out next week to go back to her sisters.

Her dad, step mom, brothers and their families came up from downstate and her sister and family came up from Kalkaska.  Trisha and I made a TON of food for the open house.  We made a taco/Mexican bar. Her sister made all of the desserts, and a fellow church member, who is the bakery manager of Wal-Mart, made her cake as a gift to her. 

Several people from church and her school came out to the open house even though it was only 50 degrees outside today! They didn't eat enough though! We had so much food left over, it's ridiculous.

It was nice meeting Bri's family, and her sister gave Jeff and I a really nice card thanking us for taking care of Bri this past year.

Next year is Kaleb and the following year will be Karlie! Ooooh, I'm getting so  old!

 

This is a pic of our lawn as we were getting the tent,  tables and chairs set up.