Benjamin's Graduation

Benjamin recently finished up his homeschooling career, and to celebrate, we invited a few family and friends to hang out at the park with us. 

Aaron rightly described the event as more of a commencement than a graduation because Benjamin is beginning the next phase of his life.

Here is an excerpt from the speech Aaron gave:  

"Benjamin, I respect you as a man. Your laughter is contagious. Your competitive nature makes you a winner, and makes others around you better. You are full of ideas and new perspectives. When I look at you, I see a young man who has got what it takes. I’m impressed by the young man I see.

I have no doubt that your future will be full of adventure, with a few mistakes and bumps and bruises along the way. Yet, anyone with the blessing of getting to share your journey will look back from time to time, those few moments when you give yourself and others a second to catch a breath, and they will look out from the mountain peak, over a vast ocean and say, 'wow, what a ride!'”

"I sought a sword. Something about a sword still holds us in a spell. From King Arthur’s knights to light sabers. I saw an amazing blade the other day. Intricate, ornate, a real eye catcher. But that was just it, it caught the eye, would be great for a ceremony or to make an impression, but where is the action? You my son, are a man of action. Your blade needed to be a blade made for action as well. 

Based on my research, this is an M1905 bayonet. Used in the world wars, it is likely that your great grandfather or those he served with carried something like this. Much earlier in battle tactics, I learned that often the use of this was to drive the enemy from the field. In other words, it was the last stroke in securing victory. Now that, sounded like you!"

We watched a slideshow of pictures Aaron had put together to describe Benjamin's personality and growth in the last seventeen years.  Sarah snapped this picture of my hubby holding me as we revisited those years with great joy.

All of Benjamin's grandparents haven't been together since Aaron graduated from seminary in December of 2005,

so it was a special treat to have them all in the same place at the same time.

We're excited to watch Benjamin continue to grow as he heads off to join Sarah at John Brown University this fall.  I'm focusing on enjoying my summer with all six of us around the table again.