Proud Pop Moment

Yep, a ‘Proud Pop Moment’.

My recently graduated Girl Child was accepted into the Peace Corps.  I always knew she wanted to help the world.

An honestly good thing...

I admit to being a bit hesitant to her quest for this.  She has, in the past, had a naïve moment or three.  She wants to see the entire world, not giving a care to the realities of where she wants to go.

An example –

Her university partners every year with a foreign government to do a study project  — economic or political.  The selected students do tons of research, seeking solutions to the issue presented by that foreign government, and culminating in the students going there for a week to present their findings.  A couple years ago, Girl Child came home saying she desperately wanted to do that.  She said the students the year prior went to Thailand.  Knowing her penchant for acting emotionally on travel issues, I asked where this year’s project would be.  “I don’t know!”, she replied, “…I think it’s in Syria*.”  Whoa… stop the train, dear girl.

So, when she talked about going to the Peace Corps, I was picturing her requesting Somalia (“…to help those poor pirates…”) or some such.  Still, I supported her self-nomination process**.

But, here she is.  Accepted.  Off to help others.  In South Africa.

I’m so damn proud of her.

And, damn right, I’m going to go visit her when she gets settled in.

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*Noted for not only being aggressively anti-American, but for being rather severely sexist towards women.  Not a good place for a young, American girl to go.

**Peace Corps selection is a notoriously long and painful process.  Plan on at least a year and be prepared for getting no feedback in the interim.  Frustrating.

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Harvest Time

…as in the “Fruit of my Loins”…

Major transition this weekend.  Girl Child graduates from university!

Over 20 years in the making...

Hooplah!  Huzzah!!

Proud Pop, obviously.   Increased a bit by finding out that Daughter Person was recognized by her Political Science department as one of two Top Senior PoliSci students.  She was happy with the $500 honorarium that went along with it.  Extra fun comes in that Boy Child was able to take vacation time and will be flying in just a few hours from this posting.  We’ll get to spend at least a bit of his visit just hanging out together.  Very cool.

Of course, as seemingly typical in my life, there’s no good thing that goes without a bit of boat rocking—and forgive me for sharing this minor downer, but had to share.  Girl Child’s maternal grandparents are coming in for the graduation ceremony.  That’s not a bad thing.  What got my hackles up was a conversation with Boy Child…seems ex-father-in-law sent both he and Girl Child an e-mail which said, “I don’t want to see your father while I’m there.”   While a very fair statement (I’m not exactly thrilled at the chance of seeing him either), the fact that he laid that on my kids—on my daughter’s special day—pissed me off big time.  Both kids, having been raised peacemakers by me, started stressing about how they would have to make that happen.  Boy Child called me and I assured him that I was entirely flexible and had zero demands other than actually seeing Girl Child graduate…I’d even sit alone.  A great relief, as the kids could gauge the situation and make a decision without worrying about what I would think/feel/be angry about.   But, he’s a twit (I like better what my best friend referred him as being – A Douchenozzle!! ).

So, the last of my (known) progeny is soon out of school and officially on her way in life.

I will revel with pride over her accomplishment.  Hell, I am already.

They grow up so (too?) quickly.

Next stop for her? Peace Corps…