Graduation

Today was supposed to be a very special day. As I turned my calendar to May, it stuck out like a sore thumb: "Graduation 2PM." I had planned to watch both my girls walk across the stage with their caps and gowns on to shake the hand of their college president. But instead, the school year will end with a whimper.

Gothgrrl, the first of her generation in my family to graduate, will get her diploma in the mail. She's been working full time for the last month anyway while taking finals by internet. She's already focused on the next step- veterinary school at the University of Auburn. If they have classes this fall.

Princess had planned to walk in the commencement ceremony, then take her last classes this summer and graduate in August. But since there will be no summer school, she signed up for the fall term. That will stretch her long-distance marriage to two and a half years. But the kicker is that there might not be school in the fall. If the school decides to do only online classes this fall, she is screwed because two of the required classes she needs are physical education. If that can't be worked out, she may just give up three classes short of graduation.

Gothgrrl's boyfriend is coming to live with us today. He is an international student, and cannot go home. Today for him, instead of graduation, is the day he must clear out of the dorm. He is dead set on getting into medical school in another year, but meanwhile must wait for our lagging government to grant him permission to work and support himself until then. He is willing to do essential medical work, but must still wait.

The French Prince receives his master's degree sometime this month. He is all alone in Paris trying to negotiate a job search during a lockdown and then setting up a household without his wife.

I feel for all four of my graduates, as history has dealt them an unfair hand. But I am so proud of their accomplishments!