Graduation

Before graduation we had to figure out how Justin was going to do his "full" in a gown with all the decorations on it, a cap, and slippery shoes on a stage.  It took a bajillion pins but we finally got it figured out.

As a freshman in high school Justin set a challenge for himself: to do a standing full on stage at his graduation. I didn't know about this goal until just a couple of weeks before. As he walked up on stage, I found myself holding my breath just like I did at every gymnastics and/or cheer event over the past 10 years, and I offered a silent prayer. 

The person reading the graduates names whispered to him, "you ready for this?" He nodded, took a couple more steps, removed his cap, and did a perfect standing full. When he donned his cap and walked over to accept his diploma cover, the principal shook his hand and said, "well done".

So well done! 

No gown, tassel, shoes, or slippery stage could get in the way of this boy and his determination and skill.

We were honored to hang out with our honors graduate, his high school career complete with a 4.20 GPA, an academic scholarship, 11 waived college math credits (that's nearly a full semester!), and a cheer scholarship to Weber State University.

After graduation and before he left for the senior all-night party, we stopped by Kiwi-Loco for our last high school frozen yogurt celebration. When we got home he stood near the kitchen and his halo appeared, confirming my hunch that he is near teenage perfection.

Justin finished the last two months coaching his Airbound Gymnastics kids and though he thought he was burning out after 3 years of coaching and was ready to move onto the next phase of life, he found that he was a little sad to leave.

I put together an 8.5 x 11 booklet with this collage on the front cover and blank pages inside and left it at the gym during the week after he had moved to Utah.  His gym kids wrote the kindest notes! Even some of the coaches and moms left encouraging and gratitude filled words for him. 

When I gave him his book a couple of weeks later he teared up as he sat and read through his card. As much as his gym kids loved him, he also loved working with them. 

Our Madison Bobcat has grown into a Weber Wildcat.

He wears the purple and black proud and they are lucky to have him. After all, Boise State and Utah State also wanted him.