Thoughts on a girl that makes her dad proud – EVERY DAY!

Last night Abbey graduated from Blue Valley North High School. This is arguably the best high school in the state of Kansas. Is that at all like being the best ski resort in Jamaica? No. It really is a great school. Abbey was recognized as one of the Top 10 Students (based on GPA) in her class. She is not a National Merit Scholar. She did not have a 36 on the ACT. If she had not been screwed by her freshman AP Chemistry teacher, she could have had a chance at #1 in her class. The point? She is an amazing student that worked very hard for this accomplishment. Is this boasting? I don’t care. She is an amazing young lady. She  makes me proud – EVERY DAY!

Abbey’s best friend also graduated from BVN. I really like Steph. She’s smart. She’s a talented soccer player. She sings with Abbey in Chambers.  If you know her parents it’s not too hard to figure out why she is a fine young lady. Abbey and Steph became good friends in middle school. What I really like and respect about Steph is that she accepted Abbey as a friend unconditionally. This is hard enough to find at any point in our lives, not to mention middle school. Abbey’s closest friends up to then were not what I would call good friends. “J” would be a friend when it was convenient, and would not hesitate to torment others to make herself feel better. Her other "close" friend knew this, and often played in to it. If only this immaturity was limited to middle school. But Steph accepted Abbey for everything she is (and isn’t). We all should have a friend like Steph.

Fortunately, Abbey has cultivated other friends with similar qualities. I am quite certain that the character of a young adult can be equal parts who their friends and who their parents are. Abbey has a great group of friends. If I picked them myself, there is no way I could have done as good of a job. I hope she does not follow in her father’s path and lose contact with most of them. Friends like this are hard to come by. Don’t screw it up by leaving them behind.

As I wrap up this up, I realize I can’t forget the most important person in her life – her amazing mom. They have a unique and wonderful relationship. They are close like a mother and daughter should be. The cool thing here is that it happened before the child becomes an adult. Abbey is way more like me than Peggy. But Abbey is way more the amazing young lady because of Peggy rather than me.

I’d love to end this here and celebrate all that Abbey has done. But I know she is not done. And because of that, I’d ask anyone that bothered to read this to stay tuned. The even more amazing thing about all of this? Abbey has a younger sister with all the talents and smarts as her big sis.

I can't help but ask myself - How did I get so lucky to have two daughters that make me proud - EVERY DAY!