The Long and Short of It: Wrapping Up Senior Year

Today, (the rest of) the end of senior year. I couldn't believe it was happening while it was happening, and I can't believe now that it's all over and done. 

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Immediately after the Lads historic playoff run ended, Will dove headfirst into Senior Assassin. He's competitive by nature so I think he would have been all in on this game anyway, but having a redirect for his energy and attention following the loss was good for him. His team didn't win the weeks-long game, but not for lack of trying and commitment on Will's part. 😂

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Toward the end of the year, seniors at the kids' high school go on a day-long field trip called Senior Wellness. It's held at a camp outside of College Station, and it's kind of like a mental health day - the kids play games, do ropes course-esque activities, go swimming, and just hang out. Will sent me zero pictures, but a friend who's also a teacher sent me this one.

He's on the top, and apparently he and his teammate
went quite a few more rows before their tower toppled. 

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Senior Prom and After Prom (an 11pm - 3am party, held at a local event center with basketball, pickleball, spikeball, futsal, volleyball, sand volleyball, esports, an arcade, a casino, SO MUCH FOOD, and $20K worth of prizes and scholarships and created to keep kids safe on a notoriously dangerous night) were both great successes.

Will and Suzy have been friends for years (and I've been friends
with her mom for years, which made prep and pictures easy and
fun), and they were a perfect match for senior prom.

After Prom selfie - taken around midnight,
right before my shift ended and I headed home.

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Decision Day - lunch, games, and lots of prizes - was another fun event during the last month of school.

Another event, another selfie. Selfies were all
I asked of him during this season of senior fun.

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The kids' high school principal does a lovely job of honoring PTO members with seniors. I'm not hanging up my PTO hat just yet, but the acknowledgement of time and dedication senior parents have put in - many have served on PTO boards for 13+ years, since their child started kindergarten - is appreciated.

Senior mamas at our last (of this year) PTO meeting.

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Edited to add...Senior Walk! No sure how I forgot to include this rite of passage before I hit "post" the first time. 

In our school district, seniors are invited during the final week of classes to return to their elementary schools - wearing their caps and gowns - and walk the halls one final time. The kindergarten through fourth grade students line the halls, cheering as and high-fiving the big kids as they pass by. It's sweet and a little heart-wrenching at the same time. 

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On the day after graduation, Will's state-qualifing cello quartet - three of whom were seniors and were therefore technically done with high school - traveled to Austin to compete one last time. They scored a "1" on their piece, which was a great way closed out the orchestra chapter of their high school careers.

I don't have a pics of the quartet, but here's Will
and the two friends with whom he road-tripped
to the state competition. I'll miss listening to
them make music together.

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I'll sign off on senior year shenanigans (though posts about senior pictures and graduation are still coming) with these pictures of Will on his last day of high school. The last picture was taken and sent to me by his physics teacher, right before she had to battle Will's Nerf gun. 

What an incredible ride.