Another Son has Graduated High School! – An Evening Celebration

Well the big event is over. What a special evening we had celebrating Zachary’s high school graduation! We had about 145-150 people and plenty of food for all.

With all the activity of family being around for Zachary’s graduation, I got too busy to be posting and then after the graduation dinner, we took off on a little get-away. More on our get-away in another post.

The weather was beautiful, the night of the dinner with no wind or rain and the temperature about 70°.

Of course there was lots of preplanning. Tables and chairs had to be brought up from the garage to the lawn, table coverings put on and chairs wiped down. You can see Russell in the background stringing up lights that he wired.

Russ also built a platform for those who spoke and a frame for the screen which we used for a slide show and a few other things.

Mint from the garden, placed into a pint Mason jar with a red checked ribbon tied around it made very cute table centerpieces.

It’s really quite sad but I have only a very few pictures of the evening.  🙁  Not many were taken when there was daylight and after it got dark, the quality of the pictures weren’t very good. 

The Drink Station

Do you see that little produce stand?  My sister and I thought that since Zachary likes to garden that this would be very fitting. Russell built it out of scraps we had around the homestead and all of us fell in l-o-v-e! This is one going to be one nice addition to future events.

The Menu:

• Mesquite Smoked Tri-Tip
• Grilled Chicken
• Santa Maria-Style Pinto Beans
• Twice Baked Potatoes (not placed in the skin)
• Mini Salad Bar
• Corn Bread w/ honey butter
• Baguettes w/ herb butter
• a variety of Cobblers w/ vanilla ice cream

Our “mini” salad bar…

It was so attractive. Rebekah (my big sis that masterminded the dinner) used this very large serving platter that she covered with plastic wrap.

The program that followed the supper was so enjoyable bringing tears at different times and lots of laughter, too.

We started with a song written and sang by my two nieces.  To give you a flavor for the kind of verses we had, I’ll post a few.

Zachary Dachary doc
Do your school and do not talk
There’s math still yet and spelling next
Zachary Dachary doc

Zachary Dachary doc
The noise will you please stop
Please concentrate or you’ll be spanked
Zachary Dachary doc

Then the tune changed and some of the verses were…

He has a vast vocabulary and mind to study theories,
A  con–vo–lu—ted  mystery,      a  SE—MAN—tic   com–plex–ity.
He’s hardly ever prosy or lu-gu-bri-ous or mosey.
But, a facetious, mach—i–na—tion.
Lo-qua-cious, high-strung boy

Do we have a dictionary?

When he enters into a room, all fragilities are certainly doomed
Simply walking down a hall, pictures fall from off the wall

In the woods he’s better fit
On the ranch or in the sticks
Keeping bees and getting milk
Gardening and hunting elk…

It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.  Great job, Chloe!!  (Sadly, we do not have a picture of them singing.)

We had speeches, another poem about Zachary’s ways, a hilarious series of mini-skits that my brother-in-law put together since he was unable to come, a slide show and another song “I Want Your Perfect Will in My Life.”

Zachary was in true form – being quite humorous.  He had me come on stage when he gave his speech and proceeded to give me 2 dozen red roses but only one at a time.  He’d state something he was thankful for and hand me a rose, then state another something he was thankful for and give me another rose and so on, until he’d given me about a dozen.  Then he just handed me the other dozen.  It was a special moment for me.

A really unexpected moment for Zachary was when he received his diploma.  We had him stand to the side of the stage as we read his diploma (and displayed it on the screen so everyone could see it)… Then as he came forward to receive his diploma we played the “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel.

After everyone had heard about Zachary’s crazy ways that evening, they could totally relate to the “Hallelujah!, Hallelujah!”

Zachary loved it. 

Take a box of chocolate covered nuts and raisins as you leave, please.

“Thank you family and friends for your love, support and friendship through the years.  We are delighted that you could share this special evening with our family.”