What can you say about the fifth high school graduation?

Being fifth in a family of five kids has definite advantages. Seth is everyone's favorite. He never has to compete, and they all let him do pretty much whatever he wants. They let him find all the Easter eggs. They let him move the mouse on the Advent calendar. They let him steal their Halloween candy with no repercussions. They always let him go first. Some of them are old enough to have careers and money to buy him stuff. In many ways, it's great to be fifth.

On the other hand, sometimes it's challenging to discover what's special in an event that's happened four times already. That is sort of the case today, as I struggle to blog Seth's high school graduation. Nevertheless, I will give it my best try because his graduation was special and important and noteworthy. Because it was his, and we are so proud. It was held at the Maverick Center in West Valley. It wasn't our first graduation ceremony there, or even our second. Both Shulamith and Isaiah graduated from Westminster College in the Maverick Center.

But Seth is our first Utah high school grad. The very best thing about the ceremony was getting to hear him sing, one last time, with both Vocal Ensemble and Concert Choir. VE sang the National Anthem at the start of the ceremony, and Concert Choir closed out the celebration with "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. Both were beautifully done.

The ceremony, itself, was a bit long, as graduation ceremonies tend to be. I loved the student speakers; the adult speakers were meh. In the middle of the principal's remarks, he burst out into song, singing "Do You Hear the People Sing?" from Les Mis, the fall, 2017 Hillcrest High School musical that won best musical in the state of Utah. His singing was so unexpected right in the middle of his speech that I didn't know how to react. I whispered to Shulamith, "Do you think he thinks he's a good singer?" Anyway, weird.

I gave birth to Seth eighteen years ago this coming week. I had been up all night in pre-labor when the phone rang first thing in the morning:

"Hello. This is the lunchroom at Little Mountain Elementary School. Your son, Eli, has an outstanding balance of $4.82 on his account, and this will need to be paid before the end of the school year next week."

"Okay. Well, I'm actually in labor right now, but I'll get on that just as soon as I can."

"Oh my! Yes, you go have your baby then."

We headed to the hospital, and Seth was born a few hours later. I missed Shulamith's 8th grade graduation that morning, but she came right over afterward to show me how beautiful she looked in her deep blue, sparkly dress we had bought for the occasion. And she held her fourth and final brother in her arms, creating a bond that would last the next 18 years, and I'm guessing, forever.

I thought this new child, this capstone baby, sent to us seven years behind the others would seal the deal for me: I'd be a mommy forever. Surely he would never really grow up.

He totally betrayed me.

Today he is 6'2", a full head taller than me. And so handsome. And kind. And smart. And funny. I love him so. My goal is to enjoy every second of the next 82 days before he leaves on his mission, and not let a single unappreciated moment slip past me.

Happy graduation, Seth! I know you're feeling sad to end this chapter, but they call it "commencement" for a reason. The best is yet to be.