A Time For Moving On

The beginning of summer marks the end of the school year. The end of the school year means graduations to attend, congratulations to extend, and good-byes to be said.

 It all began with one our goofiest grandkids. (we have a few of them), Andrew, who graduated from pre-school. I like his graduation cap - and his enthusiasm.

 His teacher is going to miss this little guy. She told about one day when he was playing in the yard. She saw him stand up and suddenly run clear across the yard and into the bushes. She asked him what he was doing.
His answer? "I farted myself all the way across the yard". I think I have an idea who taught him that one, and it wasn't anyone in the Phillips family.

 Cy graduated to a new bedroom and a new basement playroom. No sad good-byes for him.

 It was a different story at the kindergarten graduation for Ping's first class at Muir Elementary. As Janene and I walk through the neighborhood, we see lots of six year old children who talk to us in Chinese. It is too bad that Ping won't be around to see the fruits of her labor.

Sad good-byes as Ping left her little college students and headed back to China and home. We sure miss her. The last time we talked on Skype, we all cried.

Joe graduated from Viewmont and a big chunk of Diane and Dan's family were on hand to celebrate this milestone. After earning his Eagle Scout award, this graduation ceremony at Weber State University was nice way to cap off his high school education. Now he is off to the working fields like the rest of us, before he heads off to college.

I always thought Dan was tall, but now both Mom and dad look up to their grown son

Laura and Isabelle both said good-bye to Valley View (Grandma's Alma Mater) as they graduated to junior high school. Janene and I never got to be in the same class with one of our cousins. These two young women  have been able to share that great blessing

Mom and Isabelle don't seem to have any regrets about moving on. My dad has something he says a lot. "onward and upward". I never really knew why he said that, but as I watch our children and grandchildren each pass these mile markers, I can't help but think about the final gatepost out there in the future. I hope and pray that it will be "onward and upward" for all of our family until that final day when we can all be together with no more sad good-byes.