Its that time of year when things tend toward the chaotic (which is why I am now finishing this several weeks after I started writing it). That's never more the case than when one of the kids is graduating. Add an eighteenth birthday into the mix and well chaos is very much the state of things.
So Sam has turned 18. With final exams looming it was something of a quiet affair with just the family. Sam hasn't decided that its worth starting drinking at this point in his life, so much so that several days after his birthday he said, "Do you know that no-one offered me a drink on my birthday?" I in return asked whether he would have had one. His response was, "No, I just thought it was interesting." I had sent him off to buy champagne for the sole purpose of making him have to show his ID once on his birthday just as an acknowledgment that there was some right of passage.
It was only a week or so after his birthday that we were at school for his graduation assembly. Being the second time around for us after Michael went through it two years ago, we knew that we were in for something of an emotional ride. That proved to be very true as we swelled with pride and saw Sam's achievements celebrated along with those of his cohort. Having engaged in a plethora of sporting activities (if for no other reason than to avoid wearing formal uniform almost every day), he was recognised for service to a couple of sports and showed off his well-balanced approach to life with a couple of academic awards for topping subjects as well. The icing on the cake was when he was presented with one of the 6 mercy awards for his year. Not a bad effort at all and thoroughly deserved.
Following on from that we went through the last of the current formalities - Graduation Ball. In a reflection of Sam's life philosophy - (live it in shorts) the pants that came with the suit we bought him officially became the only pair of pants he owns that extend past the knee. When asked if he was excited about the ball, the response was pretty much a shrug of the shoulders and "Maybe, it shouldn't be too bad." I honestly think that Caroline, Michael and I who all went along to the event were significantly more excited about it than he was. When it came to a close at half eleven, Sam went off home with a friend as he had to get ready for 'schoolies' the next day. Caroline, Michael and I opted to party on. And to be honest, I was floored when I found out that Sam was actually going to schoolies. I was pleased that he was, but completely surprised. I half expect to hear when he returns that he spent two days camping and playing Pokemon. Somehow I think that there's a fair chance that he'll be the only one of the boys that goes through that little ritual of life without having a single alcoholic drink. I seem to remember Sam mentioning that he may have had a drink of orange juice, just to mix things up at some point.
So what is there to say about our Sam in this belated celebratory note to his eighteenth birthday? he is independent, responsible, honest and reliable. He is quite possibly the best of all aspects of us, his parents. His achievements are many and varied and he is an absolute delight to have as part of the family. One day there will be a girl that will awaken him to the other half of the species and if she's lucky enough to snare him, he will be a good catch indeed.
Exams are over and we now get to endure the wait to see how ell he's gone. Hopefully the reward matches the effort and dedication that went into his year.
Not one to sit idly around, Sam's been busy since finishing school. He's assembled presents for teachers, from baked goods to compressed air powered marshmallow guns and has now set about the task of cleaning out our shed because somewhere along the way in the last couple of years Sam has become a clean freak. It's not a bad thing, not unless you're looking for that bill you were going to pay a couple of weeks ago and find that its already been slipped away somewhere safe so its no 'littering the counter'.
We're looking forward to seeing what comes next for Sam and in the meantime I thought I'd just bestow a couple of titles upon him for fun as a reflection of interests and achievements:
Master of Origami
Washer of dishes
Assembler of computers
Baker of cakes
Fixer of phones
Pokenut
Wearer of shorts
Declutterer extraordinaire
Happy 18th Birthday Sam and congratulations on the completion of school. You'll go far and you'll do well. Have fun along the way.
