My Baby Graduates from College

I talk about my older son a lot. He claims it is why he doesn’t read the blog. I think he doesn’t read the blog as a favor to me because if he did he would be obliged to send me a cease and desist order. I am, and have always been, a pretty embarrassing mom. I talk loud, I give lots of kisses and I own something called a VersaCart that I walk with (in public) to my local supermarket. My younger son does not yet realize how embarrassing his mother his. My older son knew from a very young age but he is adept at the art of Humoring Mother.

Humoring Mother is something older son has been doing since he was about 3. It means he knows I am pretty incompetent but in the name of family harmony, he goes along with most of my hare-brained schemes. He puts his foot down now and again but that is understandable. He humors me, he isn’t a doormat.

This past Sunday, older son graduated from college. Older son hates school, has hated school since the 1st grade and yet has managed to complete the workload needed to earn a bachelor’s degree from a very nice local college.

We had a combo graduation party/birthday party for him and I had the nice man at Costco write on a giant sheet cake, ‘C’s Get Degrees’ which has been his rallying cry since he started college. I have not been thrilled by this motto since I am an analog nerd and got A’s in almost all my college classes. My mother agreed with this motto, she once actually called me a nerd to my face.

My mother and older son are so similar to each other it is eerie. They both love complicated card games and have zero patience for people they think are morons. And they both humor me because they love me.

I am not a moron but I am not as practical minded and generally ruthless as those two. My mother passed away two years ago but I speak of her in the present tense because my mom will always be with me. Especially when older son is ignoring me at a restaurant to look at his phone because he has had enough of my nonsensical chatter but loves me too much to say, “Pipe down.”

I do not know what the future has in store for my darling boy. His life is his own adventure to chart but I do so very much hope he drops by to humor me every once in awhile.

Congratulations, Adam. You worked hard, and I am proud of you.