And Just Like That...She Graduated

Eighteen years ago tomorrow, I was pacing all over a hospital, waiting on my friend Trudy to give birth to sweet baby Savannah. Oh, what a prayed-for baby she was! Some of you who have read here for a long time know that Chris and Trudy's first baby, Carol, died when she was six months old, and we all missed her so very much. (And we still do!)

We were so excited for Savannah to arrive, and it was a joy and privilege to get to spend all those hours with Trudy as she labored. I took pictures and video as Savannah made her entrance into the world, strong and healthy, and she has had a firm hold of a piece of my heart ever since.

And one week ago today, she graduated from high school, after the strangest senior year on record. She missed out on so many things she'd looked forward to - as did all the seniors this year, I know! Her family threw her a little prom, and her school did hold a graduation ceremony, even though it was very different from what they planned or expected. (We didn't get to attend the graduation.)

Last Saturday was her open house, and Ryan couldn't go, because he was at work, but I attended, and oh what a story I have for you from that morning! But I'll tell that story at the end.

It was a sweet privilege for me to get to take Savannah's senior pictures last fall. I spent a whole day bundled up and traipsing through fields, woods, yards and more to capture the memories she wanted. I loved every minute of it, and so did she! (She made that job so very easy.)

Savannah's open house was held in a really cool old barn, and when I pulled up, I saw this amazing banner that a friend of theirs had made using her senior pictures!

They had decorated the barn so beautifully, and even with the limitations of serving food, they had great prewrapped food, and I enjoyed it!

They had photo boards set up, and I almost had a little meltdown when I saw she'd made one whole side with pictures of us!

I was able to see friends from the church we all attended together, and of course, the guest of honor!

She's grown up into such a lovely young woman, and I'm so proud of her! So thankful for the chance to be part of her life, and even though I don't see her now to the extent that I did when she was little, I know God had His timing and purpose for putting us together as bonus aunt and bonus niece!

(And just so you know - all those pictures on the board seem like about five minutes ago.)

And now...for the story.

When I arrived at her open house (after a chaotic morning that I won't bore you with and an hour of driving to the open house) I pulled up in the yard and parked my little car. I grabbed my gift, smoothed my hair, and got out to walk up to the party.

And that is when I felt the distinct plop of bird poop falling on the back of my hair.

This has never happened to me in my entire life. Ever.

And just in case you missed the above paragraph, I was an hour from home, without Ryan, and the open house was in an old barn. Old barns don't have bathrooms.

What would YOU do in that scenario? Is there a handbook for this sort of thing that I've just missed reading?

The only thing I could think to do was use the window of my car for a mirror to try to see the back of my head, spray my hair with Thieves hand sanitizer, and use leftover napkins from the glove box to try to drag the poop out of my hair.

I think I sanitized my hands about 1500 times (not an exaggeration) all morning. I didn't touch anything (used utensils for all my food, and apologized to everyone closest to me for any potential bird poop smell.

And took a shower the MINUTE I got home.

And that completed my Saturday.