My oldest son graduates from high school this week. Part of me is still trying to grapple with this fact, while the other half of me not in denial is crying. Where did the time go?

On the other hand, I’m excited to see where he goes from here. Once you graduate high school, what you do next is really up to you. It’s the best part about being an adult—you get to control the path your life will take.

I’m glad he lives up to the work ethic his father and I have taught him. He’s proven time and time again, that he’s not afraid to work hard. This fact alone comforts me. No matter what struggles he faces, he has the internal tools to work through them.

His last gift to me from high school is the metal gates you see below. Over the years he’s created many items for me from both wood and metal, but this one was my personal request. One that took longer than it should because I kept making other metal request along the way this year. What can I say, the boy is talented and I couldn’t help abusing it. Thank you for the gift I’ll cherish forever.