Updates part two …

Tom and I are the parents to a high school graduate. I’m not sure how that happened!! Wasn’t he just a baby last week??

(Not my best picture – but the moment is historic!)

Spencer’s graduation was held at Red Rocks Amphitheater. It’s a beautiful location, but at 9am the sun is shining brightly right onto the concrete risers – it was REALLY hot!! I can’t even imagine how it felt to be in graduation robes!! Spencer’s high school is a big one so we had fears that the ceremony would go on for three or even four hours (they have in the past!!) but this year the administration (or maybe the student body government) took pity on all involved and created a speed version of the ceremony – I think we didn’t quite last two hours. The student talks were on point and brief, there were no long winded guest speakers, and they had the awarding of diplomas down to a science. Plus they had big T.V. screens so you could actually see the faces of those tiny people down in front!! Here is Spencer on said screen.

Graduation festivities go on for days, apparently. The week before we had a special “cording ceremony” where all the students wearing special cords and sashes were given those ahead of time and we all got to clap for their achievements. Some kids were definitely super-achievers and on graduation day they had loops and loops of extra stuff around their necks. Then there was Seminary Graduation – Spencer attended a daily scripture study class all four years of high school (it met at 6:30am each morning – a major accomplishment for any teen to get up that early on a regular basis). A day or so after graduation we attended a graduation BBQ. Apparently these parties go on all week long – Spencer attended one almost every day the week he graduated.

We’re really proud of how well Spencer did in school and are excited for his new adventures at BYU in the fall. For now he is working hard earning money – but that is a whole other post!