Five Brown Kids

Taye drove down by himself and stayed overnight. Scary for me, fun for him. He got his schedule, got his campus food/ID card, went to classes about his preferred major and had fun at the late night party with a hypnotist show. “It was awesome,” Taye said. On the way home he stopped at a tiny worn down Mexican restaurant for some super spicy food. “I’m tearing up” he texted me.  And now he is ready and counting down the last few weeks. Big pile of bedding and supplies gathering on his bedroom floor.  (His new “free” shirt says, “I just came for the food”)

My best friend of 14 years is leaving again - following her husband to a new job across the country. We met with friends for one last lunch out at Lemongrass Thai.  (An almost monthly occurrence since I moved up this way)

Tyrone's parents flew to Michigan for Tiana's high school graduation in May and then drove down here with Quintina (Tyrone's sister) and her kids to go to Taye's graduation.  I had fun watching the cousins catch up again.  We took Sanaya swimming lots, Jonathan went to the high school run basketall camp as a participant while Jaxon was helping to coach.  The Browns and Quintina and Tyrone looked for houses.  The Browns are moving here in a few weeks!

From the high school’s collection. It’s my favorite grad photo!

Right here, right now I'm writing a love letter to the Wake County Public School System.  This year they graduated 11,500 kids.  It was a busy week! I loved Taye's graduation. I was blown away by the diversity of his high school.  So many brown students and white students and hispanic students and asian students, students with beautiful hijab's under their mortars, students who had disabilities but made it across the stage by themselves and some who needed help.  Students with a dozen honors ropes and students who just did enough. And I know there were students in that group who lack legal status, students who were homeless and the school district followed them from place to place with personal transportaion to get them to school as much as possible.  Students who worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. Kids with super big trucks and luxury cars and fancy houses, and kids with almost nothing. 

Taye finished k-12 school on his birthday! What a gift.  He came running into the house after his last exam yelling that he was done and giving me the biggest hug. So excited for what’s next!  First day of kindergarten, last day of high school.

Pullen park with the girls on a cool June day.