The cake was home. The ingredients for the orange julius punch were in the refrigerator. Kate's purple gown hung in the hallway closet along with her cap with its purple and white tassel. Bret and Peter had arrived safe and sound around 9:00 tonight.
Now I lay next to my husband, listening to his soft snoring and the laughter coming up from the basement. I just laid there in the darkness for a long time...thinking. Remembering that day many years ago when Mark and I both stood at the end of the drive way, watching our little boy walk proudly up to the bus driver and announce, "This is my sister Kate. She starts kindergarten today." Then we watched as they walked through that school bus door and into the brand new world of school.
Now Bret was just about a college graduate and Kate would walk out of SE for the last time on Sunday. They both seemed to have serious friendships. I was so glad. Mark and I really liked both Emma and Peter. Not only them but their parents. It made me smile as I lay there. I reached over and placed my hand in Mark's and gave it a squeeze. I whispered to his sleeping face, "I'm so glad I have you beside me honey. You make all these changes so much easier."
It was around midnight when I heard the dial of the washing machine being turned, then pulled out and water rushing into the tub. Bret was starting his wash. We were getting use to this college habit. It was about an hour later when Bret came running up the steps two at a time, heading back to the utility room. You could hear him open the dryer door, throw in his clothes, turn the knob, and pull it out. Clunk...clunk....clunk. He always put his tennis shoes in the dryer! It sounded like he stopped at the refrigerator for something to eat and bang....bang back down the stairs. I covered my head with the pillow. "Oh well Carrie, get over it. Someday these noises will only be memories." I said to myself.
Saturday dawned sunny and warm. All was quiet in the basement when the alarm went off around 6:30. Today would be busy. The last minute things to get around for tomorrow, Mark wanted the kids to help move the pregnant sows into the farrowing shed, and the grass should be mowed if possible. So after a bowl of oatmeal and some scrambled eggs, Mark headed outside to the shop and I cleaned up the kitchen and put a load of wash in the washer.
By nightfall the sows were in their clean crates, and chores in the farrowing shed started up once again. The beds were all made up with clean sheets, and the house was pretty well clean. Peter's mom and sister were here and there was a lot of chattering and laughing. There were cars parked every which way in the drive way.
Bret had invited Adam and his brother over for the evening. A hot game of spoons was going on at the dining room table. Debbie and I were sitting on the couch, she at one end and me at the other, trying to talk above all the hollering going on in the other room. Mark was leaned back in the recliner reading the daily paper.
"I got that!! No! I did!" came the screams from the dining room. All of a sudden there was a banging of chairs and another, "I'm going to get that!" Then sounds like someone was hitting the wall!
"What on earth!" we said looking at each other and jumping up off the couch and running to toward the commotion.
There on the floor in the corner of the room was Adam and Bret. Adam proudly holding up the spoon and smiling. Everyone excited to see who would get the spoon, all but Kate that is. She sat quietly shuffling the cards and replacing the spoons in the middle of the table.
"Whatever you guys. Let's play again," she said placing the cards upside down in the middle of the table.
"Well I guess you won Adam," Bret said laughing and getting up off the floor.
"Wow that was a tough one! Nothing like really getting into the game," Debbie said as we walked back to couch to continue our talk. Mark was still in the same position, the newspaper still held up in front of him. Nothing bothers him for sure.
"I think it's time for bed," he said dropping the paper on the floor and letting the foot rest down. "I'll see you all in the morning," he said letting out a yawn.
"I think I'll do the same," Debbie said with a stretch and yawn. "What do we do for breakfast in the morning?"
"I think we will just have everyone fend for themselves," I said picking up Mark's paper and walking to the kitchen. "The cold cereal is in here and bowls and juice glasses are over here," I said opening up the cabinet doors. "There's eggs, bread for toast...whatever you want."
"We'll have plenty I'm sure. Good night you all," Debbie said to the kids as she headed down the hall.
Sunday dawned sunny and pleasant. After church there was a fast lunch and dishes were cleared and put in the dishwasher. The cake sat on a card table in the corner of the dining room. Little sandwiches were made up and in the refrigerator along with the punch and vegetable tray.
Once again Mark drove our car the short two miles south to the school on the hill. Once again we parked there among all the other hundreds of cars, the hot sun glistening off their windshields.
Once again we stepped through those familiar doors leading into the commons area. There was a constant buzz of voices as we made our way among mom's, dad's, Grandma's and Grandpa's all walking to the same place...the gym.
Once again we sat there together on those long bleachers. This time it was our Kate who was standing somewhere beyond those doors at the back of those sixty empty chairs setting in rows out there in the middle of that gym floor. Our Kate dressed in her purple gown, her cap fit nicely over her hair that fell loose down her back.
Once again a hush fell over the crowd as two men and three women made their way to the five chairs setting in front. They stood there facing that door in the back corner, their hands clasped together in front of them. A podium of light walnut stood to their left. In front of it stood a beautiful green plant. Behind the podium stood the table. The table that held sixty black diplomas each holding the key to close one door and open new doors for the sixty young graduates.
Once again the band started that song that always sends goosebumps up my spine: "Pomp and Circumstance." Once again everyone stood and our eyes were glued to that back door as the class made their way in and up the aisle to stand in front of their chairs. Some walked slow, arms swinging at their side. Some walked briskly looking up into the crowd and waving. Some wore a gold medallion around their necks. Some wore a gold cord. Everyone wore purple. Everyone wore a smile.
As I watched Kate walk briskly through that door, up the aisle and stand before her chair, her gold cord and medallion hung around her neck, tears started to roll down my cheeks. This graduation seemed harder than Bret's for some reason. Maybe it was because soon, very soon, Mark and I would be a twosome once again. Or maybe it was the fact that I too was saying good bye to this school, these people who had become my family.
The speaker was brief but gave the class very good advice. Then once again we watched as the names were called off one by one. There were shouts from the crowd, and once in awhile a horn tooted, as each one received their diplomas.
"Kate Beck" The principal announced.
Kate walked gracefully to the front. Mrs White handed her that black diploma and gave her a hug. She talked to Norma and received a single rose and another hug, then the principal reached up and moved her tassel to the other side of her cap. Our little girl was now leaving SE. Where had the time gone?
After the last name was called, the band struck up a song and sixty purple caps went flying into the air. Sixty young men and women started their final walk out the gym and into different worlds. Yes Kate's and my days at SE were over.
It was late when Peter's car left the yard. All was quiet and a bit lonely after such excitement. We were glad Bret was able to spend the night before he headed north once again for the summer.
"Let us know when you get up to Butch's," I said putting a zip lock sack of oatmeal cookies in the front seat. "Do you have water?"
It was 10:00 and Bret was anxious to get started. He had a long six hour trip ahead of him. "I'll let you know how I get along. Thanks for the goodies," he said waving at Kate who came around the garage.
"See you at college this fall," she said waving and disappearing into the garage.
So Bret was off once again and once again we were a family of three. The summer was a busy one for all three of us. Kate had a job again plus she talked Mark into letting her help drive the combine at harvest. There was alfalfa to cut, rake, and bale plus prairie hay to put up, milo and beans to plant, and Kate and I spent long days plowing the wheat stubble. As I plowed, I tried to make mental notes of what needed to be done before Kate headed off to college. So it seemed like in no time it was August and we were preparing once again for our trip east, the pickup loaded down with college things.
"Is that the phone?" I hollered to Mark from the living room one night in early August.
"Yeah, I'll get it." He said walking to the living room.
"Hello," I heard him say, "oh yeah, I can talk for a while. Surprised to hear from you."
"Who is it?" I mouthed to him.
"Bret."
"Oh. Tell him hi."
I busied myself around the kitchen cleaning up the supper dishes and then ambled my way down to be with Kate for a bit. It was always fun to have girl talks, and I realized that it wouldn't be long before we wouldn't get them. After about an hour I made my way back upstairs, heading to the bedroom.
"Well what did Bret want?' I asked pulling down the bed covers.
"You won't guess," Mark said taking off his shoes.
"Well... what?"
"He asked me what we were doing at Christmas time."
"Why did he ask that? He knows what we are doing. He has lived here all his life."
"Well he was wondering if we wanted to come up there to visit."
"In the middle of winter? With all the chores? I don't think so. Why?"
"He's getting married!"
I just stood there, mouth hanging open. "What? You're kidding me right?" I couldn't decide if I wanted to jump for joy or cry. Our Bret had popped the question!
"That's what he told me."
"Why sure we will go up there! Good grief, our son is getting married!"
"That's what I told him!"
"Wow! Now that will take some getting used to! When is the date?"
"December 20th."
"I need to tell Kate," I said hurrying out the room and down the stairs.
"Kate... I have ..."
I stormed in her room and stopped short, putting my hand to my mouth. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," I said backing out of the room.
Kate was laying on her bed, legs bent at the knees, her phone at her ear. She was chatting with Peter
"It's okay mom. Just a minute Peter," she said putting her hand over the receiver. "What do you want?"
"Dad just talked with Bret and he and Emma are getting married!"
"Wow....when?"
"December."
"Wow...he will be doing a lot of things at once. He graduates then too. Well thanks for the news," she said going back to her conversation with her sweetheart.
It took me a long time to settle down. I laid there for the longest time just thinking. Now what all do the parents of the groom do? I will have to get a dress. Man, what kind of dress? I'll just have to call Emma's mom and talk with her. I thought of what it would be like to have Bret married. Married!
Wow! This was definitely a time of new doors being opened, and even though it was scary, I was excited!
Now I lay next to my husband, listening to his soft snoring and the laughter coming up from the basement. I just laid there in the darkness for a long time...thinking. Remembering that day many years ago when Mark and I both stood at the end of the drive way, watching our little boy walk proudly up to the bus driver and announce, "This is my sister Kate. She starts kindergarten today." Then we watched as they walked through that school bus door and into the brand new world of school.
Now Bret was just about a college graduate and Kate would walk out of SE for the last time on Sunday. They both seemed to have serious friendships. I was so glad. Mark and I really liked both Emma and Peter. Not only them but their parents. It made me smile as I lay there. I reached over and placed my hand in Mark's and gave it a squeeze. I whispered to his sleeping face, "I'm so glad I have you beside me honey. You make all these changes so much easier."
It was around midnight when I heard the dial of the washing machine being turned, then pulled out and water rushing into the tub. Bret was starting his wash. We were getting use to this college habit. It was about an hour later when Bret came running up the steps two at a time, heading back to the utility room. You could hear him open the dryer door, throw in his clothes, turn the knob, and pull it out. Clunk...clunk....clunk. He always put his tennis shoes in the dryer! It sounded like he stopped at the refrigerator for something to eat and bang....bang back down the stairs. I covered my head with the pillow. "Oh well Carrie, get over it. Someday these noises will only be memories." I said to myself.
Saturday dawned sunny and warm. All was quiet in the basement when the alarm went off around 6:30. Today would be busy. The last minute things to get around for tomorrow, Mark wanted the kids to help move the pregnant sows into the farrowing shed, and the grass should be mowed if possible. So after a bowl of oatmeal and some scrambled eggs, Mark headed outside to the shop and I cleaned up the kitchen and put a load of wash in the washer.
By nightfall the sows were in their clean crates, and chores in the farrowing shed started up once again. The beds were all made up with clean sheets, and the house was pretty well clean. Peter's mom and sister were here and there was a lot of chattering and laughing. There were cars parked every which way in the drive way.
Bret had invited Adam and his brother over for the evening. A hot game of spoons was going on at the dining room table. Debbie and I were sitting on the couch, she at one end and me at the other, trying to talk above all the hollering going on in the other room. Mark was leaned back in the recliner reading the daily paper.
"I got that!! No! I did!" came the screams from the dining room. All of a sudden there was a banging of chairs and another, "I'm going to get that!" Then sounds like someone was hitting the wall!
"What on earth!" we said looking at each other and jumping up off the couch and running to toward the commotion.
There on the floor in the corner of the room was Adam and Bret. Adam proudly holding up the spoon and smiling. Everyone excited to see who would get the spoon, all but Kate that is. She sat quietly shuffling the cards and replacing the spoons in the middle of the table.
"Whatever you guys. Let's play again," she said placing the cards upside down in the middle of the table.
"Well I guess you won Adam," Bret said laughing and getting up off the floor.
"Wow that was a tough one! Nothing like really getting into the game," Debbie said as we walked back to couch to continue our talk. Mark was still in the same position, the newspaper still held up in front of him. Nothing bothers him for sure.
"I think it's time for bed," he said dropping the paper on the floor and letting the foot rest down. "I'll see you all in the morning," he said letting out a yawn.
"I think I'll do the same," Debbie said with a stretch and yawn. "What do we do for breakfast in the morning?"
"I think we will just have everyone fend for themselves," I said picking up Mark's paper and walking to the kitchen. "The cold cereal is in here and bowls and juice glasses are over here," I said opening up the cabinet doors. "There's eggs, bread for toast...whatever you want."
"We'll have plenty I'm sure. Good night you all," Debbie said to the kids as she headed down the hall.
Sunday dawned sunny and pleasant. After church there was a fast lunch and dishes were cleared and put in the dishwasher. The cake sat on a card table in the corner of the dining room. Little sandwiches were made up and in the refrigerator along with the punch and vegetable tray.
Once again Mark drove our car the short two miles south to the school on the hill. Once again we parked there among all the other hundreds of cars, the hot sun glistening off their windshields.
Once again we stepped through those familiar doors leading into the commons area. There was a constant buzz of voices as we made our way among mom's, dad's, Grandma's and Grandpa's all walking to the same place...the gym.
Once again we sat there together on those long bleachers. This time it was our Kate who was standing somewhere beyond those doors at the back of those sixty empty chairs setting in rows out there in the middle of that gym floor. Our Kate dressed in her purple gown, her cap fit nicely over her hair that fell loose down her back.
Once again a hush fell over the crowd as two men and three women made their way to the five chairs setting in front. They stood there facing that door in the back corner, their hands clasped together in front of them. A podium of light walnut stood to their left. In front of it stood a beautiful green plant. Behind the podium stood the table. The table that held sixty black diplomas each holding the key to close one door and open new doors for the sixty young graduates.
Once again the band started that song that always sends goosebumps up my spine: "Pomp and Circumstance." Once again everyone stood and our eyes were glued to that back door as the class made their way in and up the aisle to stand in front of their chairs. Some walked slow, arms swinging at their side. Some walked briskly looking up into the crowd and waving. Some wore a gold medallion around their necks. Some wore a gold cord. Everyone wore purple. Everyone wore a smile.
As I watched Kate walk briskly through that door, up the aisle and stand before her chair, her gold cord and medallion hung around her neck, tears started to roll down my cheeks. This graduation seemed harder than Bret's for some reason. Maybe it was because soon, very soon, Mark and I would be a twosome once again. Or maybe it was the fact that I too was saying good bye to this school, these people who had become my family.
The speaker was brief but gave the class very good advice. Then once again we watched as the names were called off one by one. There were shouts from the crowd, and once in awhile a horn tooted, as each one received their diplomas.
"Kate Beck" The principal announced.
Kate walked gracefully to the front. Mrs White handed her that black diploma and gave her a hug. She talked to Norma and received a single rose and another hug, then the principal reached up and moved her tassel to the other side of her cap. Our little girl was now leaving SE. Where had the time gone?
After the last name was called, the band struck up a song and sixty purple caps went flying into the air. Sixty young men and women started their final walk out the gym and into different worlds. Yes Kate's and my days at SE were over.
It was late when Peter's car left the yard. All was quiet and a bit lonely after such excitement. We were glad Bret was able to spend the night before he headed north once again for the summer.
"Let us know when you get up to Butch's," I said putting a zip lock sack of oatmeal cookies in the front seat. "Do you have water?"
It was 10:00 and Bret was anxious to get started. He had a long six hour trip ahead of him. "I'll let you know how I get along. Thanks for the goodies," he said waving at Kate who came around the garage.
"See you at college this fall," she said waving and disappearing into the garage.
So Bret was off once again and once again we were a family of three. The summer was a busy one for all three of us. Kate had a job again plus she talked Mark into letting her help drive the combine at harvest. There was alfalfa to cut, rake, and bale plus prairie hay to put up, milo and beans to plant, and Kate and I spent long days plowing the wheat stubble. As I plowed, I tried to make mental notes of what needed to be done before Kate headed off to college. So it seemed like in no time it was August and we were preparing once again for our trip east, the pickup loaded down with college things.
"Is that the phone?" I hollered to Mark from the living room one night in early August.
"Yeah, I'll get it." He said walking to the living room.
"Hello," I heard him say, "oh yeah, I can talk for a while. Surprised to hear from you."
"Who is it?" I mouthed to him.
"Bret."
"Oh. Tell him hi."
I busied myself around the kitchen cleaning up the supper dishes and then ambled my way down to be with Kate for a bit. It was always fun to have girl talks, and I realized that it wouldn't be long before we wouldn't get them. After about an hour I made my way back upstairs, heading to the bedroom.
"Well what did Bret want?' I asked pulling down the bed covers.
"You won't guess," Mark said taking off his shoes.
"Well... what?"
"He asked me what we were doing at Christmas time."
"Why did he ask that? He knows what we are doing. He has lived here all his life."
"Well he was wondering if we wanted to come up there to visit."
"In the middle of winter? With all the chores? I don't think so. Why?"
"He's getting married!"
I just stood there, mouth hanging open. "What? You're kidding me right?" I couldn't decide if I wanted to jump for joy or cry. Our Bret had popped the question!
"That's what he told me."
"Why sure we will go up there! Good grief, our son is getting married!"
"That's what I told him!"
"Wow! Now that will take some getting used to! When is the date?"
"December 20th."
"I need to tell Kate," I said hurrying out the room and down the stairs.
"Kate... I have ..."
I stormed in her room and stopped short, putting my hand to my mouth. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," I said backing out of the room.
Kate was laying on her bed, legs bent at the knees, her phone at her ear. She was chatting with Peter
"It's okay mom. Just a minute Peter," she said putting her hand over the receiver. "What do you want?"
"Dad just talked with Bret and he and Emma are getting married!"
"Wow....when?"
"December."
"Wow...he will be doing a lot of things at once. He graduates then too. Well thanks for the news," she said going back to her conversation with her sweetheart.
It took me a long time to settle down. I laid there for the longest time just thinking. Now what all do the parents of the groom do? I will have to get a dress. Man, what kind of dress? I'll just have to call Emma's mom and talk with her. I thought of what it would be like to have Bret married. Married!
Wow! This was definitely a time of new doors being opened, and even though it was scary, I was excited!
wedding bells will be ringing for Bret and his gal :) loved it as usual cousin <3
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