Graduation Parties And An Adoption

My sister died of leukemia in 2010. She died too soon to witness all the graduations and births of her grandchildren. I attend when I can. I attended the graduation party this year for her granddaughter.

My sister’s third granddaughter graduated from high school this year. Her son has five daughters. Her daughter had two boys. Four of her grandchildren have graduated so far and she has a great-granddaughter and one due in November.

When we arrived early they were setting up the party. They apologized for the late notice and the late start. I didn’t get the invitation until a couple of days before the event, but I did know about it a few months ahead of time. It was on my calendar, and I had every intention of attending.

My brothers were not there when I got there, so I phoned them. One said he was about an hour away but would be there. The other said he already had plans. I didn’t think the party was well attended, but they had a live band that didn’t begin until we were leaving three hours later.

The band had some warmup songs, but we could tell the actual show was starting as we were leaving. I rode with my daughter, and she had her youngest kids with her, and a grandson. Her grandson made it known it was time to go.

There were three graduation parties that I went to, all fun, and people came and went like an open house. In addition to the one above we attended a great niece's graduation. My husband’s brother died too soon also, so we really try not to miss his grandchildren’s graduations.

Then we attended my granddaughter’s graduation. She is our youngest daughter’s child. We were asked to bring a crockpot with taco meat for walking tacos. Fun, fun! Good times.

Since the hubby and I have seven children, twenty-six grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren it is tough to get to everything. Especially when most of them are at least three hours away.

This last weekend we invited the family on my side to an adoption ceremony. An Anishinabe (Ojibwe language/Chippewa) spiritual leader comes to do the ceremony. A feast and a giveaway were a part of the ceremony. Everyone was smudged and so were the gifts.

We ended with a magician later for entertainment. He is a Native American magician that has entertained us at other gatherings. He is a friend's son and has been entertainment for our family for fourteen years now.

I have three brothers that attended and one cousin that we adopted in our culture way. His three siblings are now deceased, and his mother died most recently. This cousin was closest to both our mother and our sister. He and my sister were the same age.

Some of our children and grandchildren wouldn’t leave the beach, and then others left before photos. Because I am the oldest the spiritual advisor stated that because his mother just died, I could help to fill that role. And that explains the title of son/brother.

When our youngest brother died from covid two years ago, we talked about adopting Devery. It was shortly after his mother died. We were all very tired of attending funerals and a couple of us had for the most part stopped attending funerals for friends and some family.

I saw a cousin two months before she died and we laughed, told stories, and caught up on each other’s lives and that is how I wanted to remember her. I didn’t attend her funeral.

Having the adoption ceremony is something more upbeat and the thing to do and we hoped that others in our family may do the same when they see someone who has lost most of their immediate family.

It was a very busy June and I am hoping for a slower July for all.

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First published by Mercury Press in Medium.