Monday, September 10, 2012

With Flying Colors

 
back in 2009 when we first started homeschooling....
 
Ladies and Gentlemen ....
 
drum roll please....
 
He did it.
 
The BoyChild passed the GED with flying colors!
 
He did extra great in Science and Reading.
 
from www.paperfashion.net
We were busy decluttering his room upstairs (I'm forcing everyone to declutter!) - and I had to come downstairs for a potty break - there on the kitchen island lay the mail....
 
There it was.
A 9x13 envelope with Aaron's name on it.
My heart started pounding.
I ran upstairs with it.
 
Aaron and I sat on the edge of the bed just staring at it -
I felt his heart - it was jumping out of his chest.
He opened it - we looked -
 
Meets or exceeds Math
Meets or exceeds Language Arts
Meets or exceeds Reading
Meets or exceeds Social Studies
Meets or exceeds Science
 
Bam.
There's his diploma.
We were both speechless.
We hugged so hard.
We ran down to tell Glenco.
We called his mom.
We texted people.
We Facebooked.
 
Happy day!!
 
We've since been to Chicago to start the enrollment process for Paul Mitchell.
He should be starting the January session - he has to wait until he's 17 - and he'll be 17 in December.
This week he starts looking for a job in earnest.
This Friday he takes his driver's test.
 
All so quick.
 
seems like yesterday we were planting a garden together....
 
Last week I was decluttering the office (two large bags removed!) - I was cleaning out the desk drawer and I found all of Aaron's pencils.  Many of them never used (I had a little pencil fetish for a while - bought pencils for every holiday, etc.)  Some of them were worn down to the nub with a replacement eraser on them - I thought of how often Aaron struggled with math and would erase so many answers, so frustrated, so defeated.
 
I just kept smelling those pencils.  I sharpened them all and put them back in the drawer.  Relics of a day gone by - memories of sitting on the couch - drinking lattes together reading, laughing and learning. 
 
We both learned so very much.
 
The biggest lesson I learned homeschooling was to calm the heck down.
 
Children learn so much more in a relaxed environment of nurturing and love than they do in a strict environment of starting school on time everyday and pressure of understanding everything.
 
 
To say I'm proud of Aaron is such an understatement.
I'm so proud of the man he's becoming.
I'm so impressed with his manners, his sense of humor, his kind heart.
I'm so impressed with his ambition and hard work to get on with his life at such a young age.
 
I'm going to be sucking the marrow out of these few, precious short months that he'll be here with me more often than not.
Come January he'll be gone - off to Chicago - having new experiences, meeting new people, learning - growing and fulfilling his destiny.
 
 
Aaron posted this on his Facebook page - I love it.
Rock on Aaron - I'm so blessed you are a part of my life.
 
Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in square holes.

The ones who think differently.

They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify them or vilify them.
About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.

Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you look at an empty canvas and see a work of art?
Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written? Or gaze at red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

We make tools for these kinds of people. While some see them as the crazy ones, I see genius.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

THINK DIFFERENT.
 
 

38 comments:

  1. SOOOOO happy for him. Maybe a modeling career on the side once he gets to Chicago?

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  2. How exciting and wonderful for Aaron! Best wishes for a fabulous future!!

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  3. CONGRATULATIONS!!!YEAH!!!
    aaron must be happy to have that behind him, proud of his accomplishment and looking forward to the drivers license, then off to chicago. jayme you are to be commended on helping aaron get this far! aaron is to be commended for pushing through the walls that were holding him back from the dreams he had/has. that is some kind of beautiful love you two have for one another. you two are a testament to never giving up and living and following your dreams.
    love and hugs to both of you!
    jan

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  4. I'm smiling here...yep. You got it. He got it. You learned to relax...that it was not your job to try and open his skull and pour all the "right" information into him so that he could spit it back out for a test...but to inspire, to get a spark lit, to see the fire start under him, and then watch his own interest and desires light up the fireworks of interest and curiosity to learn MORE... He learned HOW to learn and research and find out what he didn't know. It's like "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man HOW to fish and feed him for a lifetime." He should know now what he has to do to find out what he wants and needs to know. RAH. That's what a GREAT teacher accomplishes. She teaches Critical Thinking for LIFE. She makes them aware of the BIG PICTURE...beyond their here and now. She teaches them the world doesn't revolve around them, but they have something to contribute and accomplish in it. A task. A purpose. Now...go out and FIND it, and DO it. And by the way, they will understand this. That GREAT teacher will always be there for them. :-) Hugs and Congrats to you and Aaron. Job well done.

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  5. Congratulations! One stepping stone crossed and now the next one! I'm so excited for you and your family. Thanks for sharing. Hugs.

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  6. Wow! What an accomplishment for him and you! I also believe that loving, living and learning in each and every day is the true "school" of life. Did that make sense? Anyway, congratulations and many more successes in the future!

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  7. Oh what great news! I am so happy for you all.
    Congratulations! Such hard work and now you both
    get the pay off! So happy for you. It made my day reading this! Here's to great adventures and success in the future as well! Happy Day!!!

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  8. SO proud of Aaron and also proud of his teacher...that be you, Miss Jayme! :-) You provided the environment that allowed him to dare believe beyond the ordinary...you allowed him to be different. Can hardly wait to see where this journey takes him! xoxo

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  9. Congratulations, Aaron! You are a great example of reaping what you sow. Hard work pays off. Good luck!

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  10. Congrats Aaron!! doing my "happy dance for you both. that is awesome news... i bet you are so proud. i love the last FB photo of Aaron ... that is a great shot. so cute. his eyes are amazing. wow!! keep celebrating! (:

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  11. BIG Congratulations to you all -- wishing Aaron the best as he gets on with things :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  12. Three cheers for those outside of the box!! Congratulations! Such a time of mixed emotions. GeOrGeOuS picture!!

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  13. Woo Hoo!!! Congratulations Aaron!!! So exciting! Can't wait to read all about the new and wonderful, exciting things that are in store for you!!!
    You've done a great job, Jayme. What a blessing you've been to each other!

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  14. Amen and Amen, Jayme. I had one of those square pegs, too. He makes my heart sing to this day- xo Diana

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  15. Gold stars for Aaron and Jayme. Congratulations of all the good work.

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  16. WoohoooooO!!!!!! Congratulations Aaron!!! And Jayme!!.. you're a big part of this too... just awesome. I am sooo looking forward to hearing of Aarons adventures at Paul Mitchel in Chicago.

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  17. Congratulations Aaron! And AMEN to everything you said in this post!

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  18. What a gorgeous young man, and obviously smart,ambitious, sweet, and a credit to his mother!! Congratulations to him, wishing him all the very best in life...Sandra

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  19. Fantastic Aaron . . . for sticking to your goals . . . look where it got you! You are one dynamo . . . Stretch yourself, reach to the highest . . . I think "All Things Are Possible" for you !

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  20. How could he not succeed with you behind him, what a difference your love and humor have done to form this young mans life. . . so proud of Aaron, you done good jaymster, you done good, you should be super proud!!

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  21. AWESOME!!!! Love the facebook post!

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  22. Gah! Such wonderful news! You should all be proud....student, teacher, and mama!

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  23. Jayme,
    Congrats to Aaron and best wishes for continued success! Congrats to his teacher for a job well done. You have helped in giving him strong roots, now he will use his wings. I know this beautiful young man will soar! I've always loved the Steve Jobs quote.
    Your Friend,
    Deborah

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  24. Congratulation Aaron and Jayme. Such a huge milestone. And such devotion Jayme to the nurturing and education of Aaron. .
    We creative types do think differently and often get marginalized because we, think, say and do differently than the majority. But there's room enough for all. Good luck Aaron with your future, such an exciting time for you.

    Best of luck to you too Jayme. Look forward to hearing more about Aaron journey.

    Bridgemor

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  25. That's wonderful --great job, Aaron (and you, too, Jayme)!
    It's an exciting, wonderful and a little sad thing to see them moving on and trying new things. Cherish this time until January and keep posting!

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  26. Absolutely beautifully said! Congratulations Aaron! And you too Marmie!

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  27. I missed this post!! I love your boychild. He is fabulous. DIFFERENT rocks around here! congrats! muwah

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  28. Congrats to the student and congrats to the teacher! Great job Aaron! So excited for you. I will need an update video of Helene visiting you in Chicago when you start at Paul Mitchell maybe?? PLEASE? How exciting. Best wishes on a great future Aaron. Jayme..ya done good!

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  29. Way to go Aaron! His success totally made my day! I'm so happy for you guys. He is an amazing young man and life has so many great things in store for him. Yay! Perhaps when he gets to Chicago, he should start a blog too!

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  30. A lurker friend here! Love this picture and your post. Blessings and hugs.

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  31. Congratulations to Aaron, he worked hard and he has grown into a goodl looking young man, and by the time I have written this I bet he has passed his drivers test too,

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  32. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! to both of you!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!

    And tell him he is a sexy one....

    hehe

    jan

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  33. Woohoo and Congratulations! As a mother of 3 square pegs, I am thrilled to see Aaron succeed.
    My 29 year old daughter passed her state boards for medical assistant just last week. And she did it while (her choice) living in the Salvation Army dormitory and putting herself through school after floundering since a failed marriage at the tender age of 19 with a young baby. We can choose our destiny, and God will work miracles for us if we let Him.
    May God continually bless all of Aaron's dreams!
    Susan

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  34. I'm so late getting here, but I wanted to say that I am super proud of Aaron and I wish him all the best! I hope that we keep getting Aaron updates. :-)
    And congratulations to you too Jamie, as you are the one that helped him, so you deserve some credit.
    blessings
    ~*~

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