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Seven Years Ago

September 2, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

September 2006

Guess what today is Mom? It’s the first day of my last year in high school!

Seven years ago my daughter made that bubbly pronouncement standing at the bottom of the stairs. Wearing her plaid, pleated uniform skirt, the same plaid she had worn every school day for eleven years, she looked all of ten.

She looked all of twenty.

The screen door slapped shut as she rushed down the porch steps to begin her senior year of high school. I choked back tears. Caught completely off guard, I stared at my gluten-free cereal and wondered what had happened to my life.

Senior year was the busiest of all. Add to her regular school and church activities, a string of pre-graduation events followedโ€”barbecues, teas, lunchesโ€”one a month it seemed. Each function came with parent committees and meetings, participation costs and new cute outfits. Factor into this equation multiple college applications, essays and college visits, there was no time to blink or think or sleep.
I’m convinced the school did everything possible to exhaust and numb senior parents, a sort of coping strategy. When the day arrived and our babies walked across the stage, there were no tears or twangs of bittersweet memories but only a collective sigh from the audience. Someone shouted hallelujah from the back corner. Maybe it was me.

The exhausting year was finally over.

My daughter the valedictorian:))
Seven years ago, my son began eighth grade. Middle school was tough and different. Add to his regular school and church activities, he (and the entire family) was consumed with boy scouts, juggling merit badges with homework, campouts with sporting events. He had his eye on the Eagle.

And let’s not forget the trumpet. My son played the trumpet. The trumpet is loud.

Life was good.

Life was hectic.

What were you doing seven years ago?

talya
Grace Grits and Gardening

This was written for the Write Tribe Festival of Words.

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: creative writing prompt, Seven

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Comments

  1. anuymous dev says

    September 2, 2013 at 4:39 am

    Wow…Time just flies away and you left with memoirs to cherish. Very well written…

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 8:21 am

      Yes, time does fly. I was a bit shocked when I counted back and realized it had been seven years since my daughter graduated high school.

  2. Christopher Mitchell says

    September 2, 2013 at 4:50 am

    My older son was still drifting in school and scouts. It wouldn’t be until the spring (and a buddy’s Eagle COH) the light would come on.

    The younger son was in Middle School and beginning to rebel against what he perceived as expectations. He survived, though.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 8:20 am

      Sounds like we were in similar places, you just missed the ‘girl’ thing…

  3. the little princess says

    September 2, 2013 at 5:14 am

    ur daughter is beautiful!! seven yrs ago my son was about 2 yrs old and i had the best time of my life tending to him and enjoying his sweet baby talk!

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 8:20 am

      That is a sweet time! And thank you, yes she is beautiful inside and out.

  4. Jini Fernandez says

    September 2, 2013 at 5:37 am

    Seven years my son was was just 2 and my neighbors we are taking care of his needs…a big drawback for working mother’s like me.

    Anyway, liked your post.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 8:21 am

      I have all the respect for working mothers. I was one.

  5. Corinne Rodrigues says

    September 2, 2013 at 5:58 am

    Nice! Seven years ago I had met my husband online and we were getting to know each other! ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 8:22 am

      Oh that’s great Corinne! Glad that worked out for you:))

  6. Suresh Chandrasekaran says

    September 2, 2013 at 6:15 am

    These nostalgic trips are joyous and moving at the same time.

  7. Shiva says

    September 2, 2013 at 7:11 am

    Wow … I am sure now your daughter would be more beautiful and would be making you more proud !!! 7 years ago I was waiting to get married to the love of my life ๐Ÿ™‚ and still am ๐Ÿ˜€

  8. vishal bheeroo says

    September 2, 2013 at 8:38 am

    I adore this post and as Shiva said, it’s a proud moment and I am sure ur daughter is perfectly beautiful for her mom. Seven years back, I finished my grad and was missing college:)
    Cheerz
    http://www.vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com

  9. Writercat59 says

    September 2, 2013 at 10:44 am

    Lovely photo of your daughter. Great memories but I’m sure you’re glad the hecticness of her senior year is over. So exhausting as you say. You made me laugh about the idea that the school deliberately made the parents exhausted and numb as a coping strategy. I can relate!

  10. Karan Shah says

    September 2, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    as they say with the birth of a child a parent is born…and as the child grows, grows the parent…you present it so very well and your daughter is as beautiful as you ๐Ÿ™‚

    you can check out my post here:-
    Karan – Grand Mother

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 2:03 pm

      Awwwww, thank you so much for your sweet comment. Visiting you blog now!

  11. Bryan Jones says

    September 2, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    Another winner, you just keep drawing folks in with the real stuff!

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 2, 2013 at 2:33 pm

      Thank you Bryan! I appreciate your comments:))

  12. Kelly Louise says

    September 2, 2013 at 3:30 pm

    Well past school and into wedding days. Life is one marvelous event after another.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 3, 2013 at 3:53 am

      I couldn’t agree more! Each stage is special.

  13. Penny McDaniel says

    September 2, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    Seven years ago, I was teaching all those students who were juggling all of those activities and helping them to write those essays for college apps. Senior year is a crazy year for students, parents, and teachers. I’ve since retired, but I still get former students requesting help with their essays. I’m with you on that sigh of relief when it’s all over.
    Penny
    http://pennymcdanielspiritualguidance.blogspot.com

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 3, 2013 at 3:50 am

      Well I gotta hand it to you. I don’t know how teachers do it. I hope you are enjoying your retirement. I bet you can stay very busy helping kids with essays. Thanks for reading. Checking out your blog now… T.

  14. Cindy "Lu" says

    September 2, 2013 at 6:52 pm

    Love this, Talya! Let’s see: Seven years ago I was the busy working mom of a junior girl in HS. I was overwhelmed at work but enjoyed my job and being a mom. Seven years ago, my moms memory was still spot on. Sadly, that’s not the case now and sadly, still – that’s about all I remember. ๐Ÿ™

  15. Joyce Lansky says

    September 2, 2013 at 7:28 pm

    Our kids must be close in age. Seven years ago, I had a son just starting college, a daughter starting her junior year of high school, and my baby was entering eighth grade, too. Seems like a life time ago.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 3, 2013 at 3:53 am

      Yes I think they are! It does seem like a life time ago, yet sometimes it seems like yesterday.

  16. Kathy says

    September 3, 2013 at 7:52 am

    Kids grow up so fast and I am sure when my kids graduate there will not only be happy tears but the collective sigh of relief!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

  17. Dorothy Latimer Johnson says

    September 3, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    Your daughter is adorable. The truth is, I don’t know what I was doing seven years ago!

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      September 3, 2013 at 4:23 pm

      Thank you Dorothy! I’m surprised I remember. Of course you can’t forget senior year.


Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: May 25, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: May 4, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Rainy Day Edition
  • Spiderwort: my love-hate relationship
  • Sunday Letter: March 23, 2025

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