Graduating Class of When?

I think I have been in shock since the day my eighth grader brought home something called a four-year plan. At some point I heard him saying; blah, blah AP classes, blah blah need to graduate, blah blah COLLEGE, blah blah HARVARD! Wait did he just say college and then say Harvard?

Later when I had my wits about me, I asked about the Harvard thing. I was thankful to hear that he was using that as an example. My wallet sighed with relief.
It is mid-February and he has registered for classes for freshman year of high school. I do not think a week goes by that I do not say to someone: "You know David starts high school in the fall." I think somewhere deep down inside I think if I say it enough it will sink in. Last week as my son and I got ready to walk out the door to head to the high school my husband says: "Everyone tells me the next four years will fly by." My inside voice started rambling! There are days when I think about where we will be in four years. Most times I think about what loan or credit card will be paid off. Then I catch myself and realize that in four years my first born will be starting college. Suddenly, I want to stop time.

I often find myself looking at my son and thinking who is this person and what did he do with my little boy. The person that stands before me is often a self-centered teen. He looks less and less like the boy I used to hold in my arms. He looks more and more like the man he is becoming. He has not had his growth spurt yet. This is something that upsets him greatly. I sit back wanting him to have what he wants, which is to grow. But I also sit back knowing that once that height comes I will look at him and the traces of boyhood will be invisible.

I am cautious person by nature. I also like things to move along slow and steady. Change is something I like to prepare for. I think parenthood has taught me that time moves forward at lightning speed. I have this mental file of little snippets of our lives. Those memories are mine to pull out whenever I need them. I hope my children have some of those little snippets as well.