Moments D493: Graduation presents come alive

Today was the day my high school graduate niece and I have been waiting for!  Tonight was her graduation present come alive.   What better than a graduation CONCERT for a grad present from her (favourite?) aunt!  

On tap:  Rozzi Crane, Kelly Clarkson, and Maroon 5.  What an incredible concert and better yet, what an incredible evening!  Rozzi has an incredible soulful voice.   And, I'll publicly admit, I'm a Kelly Clarkson convert.   She had me when she walked out in a pretty girlie dress and BARE feet.   Not only that, she was amazing....very personable and interactive with the crowd.  And her voice?  Holy smokes.  Amazing. I had goosebumps a few times during her performance! Maroon  5 was also fantastic.   They were much more grounded and real than I expected them to be.   All in all, honestly, one of the best concerts I've been too all year!  The concert itself was almost worth the trouble I had getting the tickets.

The payback came because it was all about the evening with my niece.  Watching the beaming smile,  listening to her sing along to nearly every song.   So. Much. Fun.  Yes,  definitely worth the trouble getting the tickets.  

As we left the concert and walked through the CNE grounds, we stopped and picked up a couple of pieces of pizza and shared a drink.  What a beautiful night filled with song, dancing, and laughter.  It was a night that will always be a special moment in my heart.

Moments celebrating a milestone.  

Moments creating a memory for life.

. 

Moments D429: Graduation Day

Today I left work at lunch.  A planned half vacation day because today was my niece's graduation from high school.  I have been a part most if not all of this lovely young ladies milestones in the past18 years.    This certainly was not one I was going to miss just because it fell on a work day.

My niece was nervous... she kept talking about tripping up the stairs.  We all assured her that that would not phappen.

Watching her prep and preen....I felt the proud aunt. Dropping her off at her friends and experience not to be missed. She was radiant.  She was ready to leave high school behind.

Well the graduation itself was a bit painful in that it was long and the arena without air conditioning was stinking hot and humid, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. As my niece crossed the stage, I let out one of my piercing whistles that did not end until she was no longer on the stage. So focused was I on cheering her on that I actually didn't get a spectacular photo of her in her moment. But I know that she knew where that with was coming from and honestly that's all that mattered.

I am so very proud of my niece she has grown into a beautiful, kind, intelligent young lady.  I find myself excited for her and her new adult life ahead of her and I can't help but reflect upon my own. Here we are two souls separated by 21 years and yet we find ourselves both starting new paths. 

Before I said goodnight to her and went on my way home,she hugged me close and asked me to fill her in on my fun weekend coming.  Of course I would...I told her.   New adventures await us both.

Moments celebrating milestones.

Moments celebrating your loved ones.

Moments D428: Quotes

Tomorrow is my "nieces" graduation.  I've taken a half day off to go down to Welland and celebrate this milestone with her.  She has grown into an amazing young woman and I'm so very proud of her.

Today's moment, was my decision to write out 22 quotes to tuck into her graduation card.  They are inspiring reminders of the life that she is about to build for herself.

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Life the life you have imagined.  ~Henry David Thoreau.
2. Give light and people will find their way.  ~Ella Baker
3. Common sense is not so common.  ~Voltaire
4. You're off to great places, Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting, So....get on your way.  ~Dr. Seuss
5. Hozoo'naa'n taa'aa ~ Navajo Saying  (Fly in beauty)
6. Dear past, thank you for the lessons.  Dear future, I am ready.  (Anonymous)
7. The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. ~Marcus Aurelius
8. Faith is the bird that feels he light when the dawn is still dark.  ~Rabindranath Tagore
9. Not all who wander are lost.  J.R.R. Tolken
10. Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.  ~Dalai Lama
11. Inhale the future, exhale the past.  (Anonymous)
12. Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.  ~Charlotte Whitton
13. Don't look back, you're not going that way.  (Anonymous)
14. If you could get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.  ~David Viscott
15. Action is the real measure of intelligence.  ~Napoleon Hill
16. By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.  ~Benjamin Franklin
17. Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is not path and leave a trail.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
18. Fear is what stops you, and courage is what keeps you going. (Anonymous)
19. To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.  ~Winston Churchill
20. Nii hozoo'anii'nii go'o hhozoo'naa s'aa  ~Navajo Saying  (In beauty this is finished, in beauty this begins.
21. Breathe light into darkness.  ~J.Pidgen
22. It's not always rainbows and butterflies.  Its compromise that moves us along. ~Maroon 5 Lyrics

Moments basking in pride for a loved one's accomplishments.

Moments sharing words of encouragement and inspiration.