Two years ago Katie told me that - when she walked for her high school graduation - she absolutely did not want the staff to read out: "Katherine Lynn Young - will be attending Columbia College."
Columbia College is our local Junior college. Honestly, it's an excellent facility; one of my good friends teaches there and it has a very good reputation. But her aspirations were higher than that, and that's OK too.
Last night with an overflow crowd at our small high school, with family and the Dawsons and Nilssons present, we all heard: "Katherine Lynn Young - will be attending U.C. Santa Barbara." That one small announcement made me so damn proud.
Here are the photos from one of the cameras:
We've raised a smart, tough, tall, creative, and beautiful young woman, and she's taken a big step. Our "reward" will be that she moves out of the house, and to too large an extent, out of our lives. I am definitely not looking forward to this (although she certainly is).