The Best Day of My Life

The 5th grade grad with her Mama in a candid

It's been a big couple of days for my family. Yesterday my son graduated from 8th grade, and today my daughter graduated from 5th grade. When I was a kid, you didn't graduate until 12th grade, but I appreciated the ceremonies marking the passages my kids will be making this year.

At my daughter's ceremony, the kids chose to sing this song:

I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
Wo-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh
Wo-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh
I stretched my hands out to the sky
We danced with monsters through the night
Wo-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh
Oah-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh

I'm never gonna look back, woah
I'm never gonna give it up, noo
Please don't wake me now

Oo-o-o-o-o-o
This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)life
My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife
Oo-o-o-o-o-oooooo
This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)life
My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife

On the way home, I told my daughter I liked the song and they sang it well, but I hoped that this wasn't the best day of her life. My son agreed. But my daughter didn't get it - -that I was hoping there'd be more momentous days for her ahead -- and I love that she didn't, because it just shows how in the moment kids are.

Besides, it was a pretty darn good day. My son was off today, so after I got back from taking my daughter to school, we walked to a local breakfast joint. It was a beautiful day and we had such a nice time together.

In a similar vein, the three of us walked to a local restaurant for dinner. We went to a fancier place than I normally take my kids to -- at my son's suggestion. Our waiter turned out to be someone I knew from the yoga community -- and also someone with whom I once went on a date. My kids were very curious about that, and it was fun to have that discussion with them.

After dinner, we played frisbee on the roof of the parking garage and then walked home and had cupcakes and ice cream for dessert.

All in all, a banner day:

I howled at the moon with friends
And then the sun came crashing in
Wo-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh
Oah-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh
But all the possibilities
No limits just epiphanies
Wo-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh
Oah-oah-oah-oah-oah-oh-oh

I'm never gonna look back, woah
I'm never gonna give it up, noo
Just don't wake me now

Oo-o-o-o-o-o
This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)life
My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife
Oo-o-o-o-o-o
This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)life
My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife

I hear it calling outside my window
I feel it in my soul

The stars were burning so bright
The sun was out 'til midnight
I say we lose control

Oo-o-o-o-o-o
This is gonna be the best day of my (Oo-o-o-o-o-o)l-ii-fe
My li-i-i-i-i-ii-ife