Graduations, Graduations and more Graduations

2025 was truly the Year of Graduations for our family. We celebrated Finley graduating from elementary school, Baylor from middle school, and the big milestone—Briley and our niece Ellie graduating from high school.

We kicked things off with Briley’s high school graduation, the first and biggest of the bunch. My mom and dad, Amanda, Julie, and Jeff all came into town to celebrate. The ceremony was held at the Blue Valley West football stadium on a beautiful evening. Between the band, choir, and student speeches, I was blown away by the talent of these kids. Hearing Briley’s name and watching her walk across the stage was bittersweet. As a parent, you’re incredibly proud of their accomplishments, but it also marks the beginning of their journey into independence. Afterward, Briley went to a party at Chicken N Pickle, but didn’t stay long—she said it was kind of boring.

The next morning, we hit the road early for Ellie’s graduation in Kirksville. It was held outdoors, and even though the temperature was in the 70s, the sun made it feel much hotter. Ellie graduated third in her class—an amazing achievement! We celebrated with a party at my parents’ house before heading back to Kansas City so the younger kids could finish their last week of school.

Next up was Baylor’s 8th Grade Farewell. The ceremony was wonderful, with standout performances from the band and choir. One especially memorable moment was the girls’ choir singing Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA, accompanied by a student on both acoustic and electric guitar—so cool. Baylor had a great middle school experience, but he’s more than ready for high school. His class celebrated with an afternoon at Chicken N Pickle and wrapped up the year with the traditional 8th Grade Clap Out.

Finally, we celebrated Finley’s 5th Grade Farewell on the last day of school. The ceremony was lovely, and Finley sang A Million Dreams with the choir. Each student was given three adjectives to describe them—Finley’s were Exuberant, Affectionate, and Resilient. I couldn’t agree more. Big things are ahead for this little girl. It’s hard to believe we’re down to our last year at Mission Trail Elementary. Finley capped off the day with a class shaving cream fight—pure joy.

Great things are ahead for this group of graduates and I am excited to watch them on their respective journeys.