8th Grade Crossover

Yesterday marked a milestone that Sarah has been looking forward to since the 6th grade.  Ever since she was 12 years old, when she saw the 8th graders leave school a few days earlier than the rest of the middle school, she's had her sights set on her own 8th grade "crossover".  There have been many 8th grade graduations throughout the city this week, but our school calls it a "crossover."  This is probably because our school is K-12, so you're not really leaving the campus, but "crossing over" into the high school.  I like the name.  I think it fits.

This week was a week of "lasts"...last week of middle school, last time eating lunch in middle school, last time getting picked up in the morning by Mr. Wilmsmeyer for middle school...

No more houndstooth middle school skirt!

When I came downstairs the day of Crossover, Lawrence had left a vase of flowers with a card and a candy bar for Sarah.  This made me tear up, because when men do things like this without being asked or told to by their wives, well, it just sort of gets me.  Sarah and her dad can fight like cats and dogs (especially over the remote control or when she doesn't have a case on her iPhone!), but they are very close, and I thought it was so sweet he did that.

I gave her a new silver chain with an initial charm and a birthstone charm.

Let's do this!

The ceremony took place at 8:30 in the morning at Highview Baptist Church.  Sarah and her 150 classmates filed in and we spent the next hour and a half recognizing all they've accomplished, not only this year, but throughout their time in middle school.  The girls looked so grown up and beautiful.

Sarah with a few of her friends before the ceremony

Sarah won the Principal's Award this year for Spanish.  The Principal's Award is awarded to the student with the highest GPA in a particular subject.  She loved taking Spanish this year, so I wasn't surprised to see her win this.  If I knew how to say "good job!" in Spanish, I would, but alas, I wasn't as good of a Spanish student as she is.

Receiving the Principal's Award for El Espanol!

Finally, she received her certificate of completion (the last name called, gotta love having a last name at the end of the alphabet - you get the loudest applause!).  

Good Bye Mr. Mounce!  Hello high school!

Meme and Papa came to see her, and John was super thrilled to miss school for this ceremony.

Speaking of Meme and Papa, they told me while we were there that they don't remember me having an 8th grade graduation.  I told them they had to work and didn't come, but they have no recollection of this, so I unearthed the invitation for it from my middle school scrapbook (of course I have a middle school scrapbook!  I've had the scrapping fever since wayyyyy back!).

This is for you, Mom and Dad!

Funny side note...I graduated 8th grade on my future wedding date.  Who knew?

I had to get one last picture with my cousin Jennifer and her daughter Taylor.  Sarah and Taylor have been in school together since kindergarten, and I have loved, loved, loved seeing them because such close friends.  How rare is it you become close friends with your second cousin?  And as Sarah says, they would be friends even if they weren't family.  Anyway, Tay is moving to a different school next year, so this is their last time together at a school event.  I know they'll still keep in touch, but it was just another "last" to take note of.  

After the ceremony we went to iHOP for breakfast and then Sarah and I shopped for a dress for her to wear to her Crossover party that night, and then got manicures and pedicures.  Her class had an awesome dance party at Big Spring, and she was thrilled that I Lawrence and I had volunteer duty at the ball park snack bar, so we couldn't stay and chaperone!  I did manage to snap a few pictures when I dropped her off.

All ready!

I think we're in the right place

Friends

Salad? No. 

Cake?  Yes.

OK, Mom, please leave now!

Since I was only there about 15 minutes I didn't get to take any pictures of the "real" party, but she assures me it was a blast.  I did snag this card she had in her bag from the photo booth they had.  

Yeah, I would say it looks like they had fun

Middle school was a wonderful three years, and I'm so excited for her to enter this next chapter of life.  All the celebrating was fun, but now, BRING ON SUMMER!!!!