Dear Kid,

In honor of graduation (yep, it’s today), we search Pinterest (and by “we” I mean Pi) for inspiring graduation ideas.

She decided we would make chocolate Reese’s mortar boards.

So Grandma and Grandpa peeled wrappers from about a million mini Reese’s cups, and you and I set up our assembly shop to manufacture create put together said hats. To be fair, Pi made the first one to show us how (followed immediately by Pi eating the first one).

In other news, the sheer volume of sugar in our house right now could send an entire country (a small one, but still) into diabetic shock.

Congrats (or Congrads) to all the graduates.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

The photos have been snapped, the tassel has been moved, the diploma has been presented—you are a graduate.

(Updated Cast link provided for your convenience.)

There are moms who will use this occasion to weep and wail and wallow. I will simply point out that I wore water-proof mascara to graduation and there is no need for me to weep in print.

There are moms who will use this occasion to reminisce about times when their child was brand new (or nearly new). Or about the parallels with graduating from Kindergarten or the first time their child played soccer. I am not one of those moms (I can barely remember what I had for breakfast today).

There are moms who will use this occasion to prognosticate about the Wonderful Times Ahead in college or about the endless possibilities that await. My crystal ball is broken and my ESP has always been fuzzy, so you’re on your own to create your future without predictions.

Do not however be fooled into thinking that I will leave this occasion unremarked upon. (Silly you.)

There are almost 4,500 colleges in the United States.
There are more than 133,000 public and private secondary schools.
We are talking a LOT of tassels. And a lot of graduation parties.

Congratulations to the Class of 2013

I am so proud of you, kid. You are an incredible person. You are kind and giving and confident. I’m very proud of the honor cords and the things you have accomplished. But mostly I am proud that you are you–that you accept the best of people and let that influence but not change you. That you think about the impact your actions have on the world around you. That you know how to cook and how to chop down a tree. How to stop a puck zooming at you at a zillion miles an hour and how to comfort an unhappy child. And that you do it with grace and ease and dignity and humility.

You are the best you possible. Dad and I could not possibly be more proud of you.

Love, Mom