Monday, May 01, 2006

The Last Day of School

This picture was taken 20 years ago. It shows Portia (brunette) all dressed up for her first day kindergarten at the local elementary school down the street from our home in Houston.

Little sister Babs is holding her hand. This marked the first year that the two would not be attending the same school, since Babs remained in preschool at a local Episcopal church.

Today is Portia's last day of "real" school, as she attends her last class of law school. Although final exams and then the bar review and the bar exam are just ahead, many years of formal education are coming to an end for her.

It's definitely a time for nostalgia for El Jefe and me as we look back fondly at this cherished picture, recalling many happy memories along the way as Portia progressed from public elementary, middle and high school, to Yale and the UT Law School.

And I must admit to shedding a little motherly tear of nostalgia as I write this, for her last day of school marks a change for us as well. Our oldest daughter completes her education with a law degree, a job in hand with a good firm, and a fine young man to share her life with. Portia is really all grown up.

El Jefe told her yesterday that although he is very proud of her, it made him feel a bit sad and old to realize how time had passed. She said he wasn't to think he was old until he had grandchildren, which cheered him up a bit. We're so pleased she and her fiance will settle in the Houston area. She's lived away from home base for 7 years and we've missed her.

Happy last day of school, Miss Portia! (And how about those Astros?)

4 comments:

reverendmother said...

Aww... how wonderful.

We are years away from that; still, I am afraid to blink for how quickly the time is going.

Anonymous said...

I always loved that picture. It's a bit odd for me too. I try not to think about this being my last day of school though (especially since I will be attending a school of sorts this summer). Sometimes, the only way to get through big things is not to realize how truly big they really are.

And yes, how bout them 'Stros?

see-through faith said...

wonderful :)and a great pic and from the heart blog too :)

be blessed

Anonymous said...

The last day of school can be a strange feeling. I remember handing in my last seminary paper (successfully resisting the urge to dance my way through the library shouting, "woohooo!"). It was a great sensation, but it was really strange to think that for the first time in 4 years I had literally nothing to do. No papers, no classes to attend, no...nothing. It was a little disconcerting and frightening to have all the structure disappear from my life in an instant. But I got over it.
Like Cool Hand Luke, I just lay out and enjoyed...nothing.