"Take care of that little Panther..."

I covered my second of three high school graduations this week last night.

This one was special. For a lot of reasons.
From a reporter's point-of-view, it was a smaller class, which meant a shorter ceremony and a more intimate setting for possible stories. It was also held outdoors -- my first one in 4 years of coverage! -- which is great for better photos and a bit of a breeze.

It was also nearby... barely two miles from our house. In fact, we can see the stadium lights a lot of nights from our windows.

This was also special because it's the school our Baby Z will graduate from (barring any random moves, home-schooling or sudden contempt for the county). I found myself in a trance watching the black-and-white clad seniors smiling for their parents, taking deep breaths just before accepting their diplomas and getting caught up in the emotion of the evening.

One day, my son will be out on that field (I'm already hoping for an outdoor ceremony in 2027 or 2028!) and I'll be holding back tears, with Scott yelling at me for taking too many photos and perhaps another boy or girl wondering if they get Zack's car now.

It's very surreal.
And so exciting!





When I was talking to the school's superintendent after the ceremony, he was so excited knowing we were going to have a baby and that that child would be attending the school district.
As I was leaving, he shouted my name and said, "Take care of that little Panther (the school mascot)."

You better believe it.
Taking care of and loving with all my might.

(And secretly plotting its stellar track career... shh, don't tell Daddy!)