Her last day

Today was Madison's last day of high school. She still has a month of exams left, but those are done off school property so today was her last day at the school with her teachers. I didn't really think much of it. In my mind she still has another month. She still has late night studying and testing and getting together with her classmates to help put together their IB celebration dinner. She still has a month to go.

But then this morning I realized she didn't. This was the last time I would wake her at 5:30 am and nag her to get up and then drive her to school. I suppose if I had had more time to process all of that I would have been a soggy mess. As it was it was our typical morning with Madison. "Hurry up, Maddy." "Madison! Get up!" "I can't be late for school Maddy!" "Madison, do you have your lunch?" Darcy and I were ready and waiting outside for her this morning as the time clicked away. She was running around looking for a safety pin to hold up her make-shift costume. I made her take a picture anyway of her last day.

Apparently there is a tradition in the other two IB schools that the last day of school is known as Break Out Day and all of the IB students wear jail uniforms. This class at our school is the first graduating class of our IB program. They were the first, the newbies that paved the way in our section of the county. While we have followed much of the other two schools we have also branched out and started our own things. Madison and her classmates have always done things their way if they could and they didn't care for Break Out Day. Instead they have formed a different tradition. They are having The Last Supper and dressing appropriately and bringing food. 

So Darcy and I waited again while Madison ran back inside for the phone she had forgotten. We made it to school just before the bell sounded. Many of the IB seniors, dressed in their Apostle garb, were outside hugging and hooting. One guy helped Madison unload her belongings and carried in the cake for her. I watched as they all walked into the school and I drove slowly off. And before I knew it I was crying. 

How did she go from this...

to this...so quickly?