Happy 21st Birthday Powell!

Happy 21st Birthday

Powell Thomas

You make us proud every.single.day

by the way you choose to live your life.

We wish you a lifetime of happiness

and success!

I love that my boy

wanted to come home from school and

celebrate his day with his family!

Since we have quite the age range, we needed to find something

we could all do together!

So we kicked off the day with burgers at a fave spot...

and then we headed to do some family bowling!

What fun to buy my guy his first "legal" drink ;) 

and toast him into this new chapter!

We had such a fun night

with all of our family there...and my stepdad

Dennis who hadn't bowled in 30 years...

had the highest score!!

Happy Birthday P-dub!

We love you to the moon and back!

Happy 19th Birthday Powell!

♥Happy Birthday Powell♥

This is the first birthday we have not been with you...but today we celebrate YOU!

This has been a year full of excitement, accomplishment, struggle, growth and so much more...you have handled it with strength and courage....and we could not be prouder of the man that you are!

As you finish this last week of your first year of college, know that we are here cheering you on to the finish line!  

Finish Strong!!

WSU Mom's Weekend 2012

Mom's Weekend with Powell was so much fun!

I rode over on Friday with my friend Candy, and met up with Powell after his last class.

He showed me around his fraternity ( I hadn't been there since the day I dropped him off), we walked around campus, had dinner with friends, and then we stopped for coffee in a fun place with a live band right on campus.

I loved being on campus.  I never experienced college life, and I am always encouraging Powell to enjoy this time in his life.

Saturday the boys at the fraternity cooked a delicious breakfast for their Mom's, we visited the craft fair, watched a little girls soccer and spring football practice.  

In the afternoon there was a basket auction back at the house which was alot of fun...we took a hike with Erin and Brendan :) and then BBQ'd with friends!

The boys sang a sweet song and presented each Mom with a flower

Sunday another breakfast at the house, and then time to say Good-bye to my boy...but only for 2 weeks, as he is DONE with his first year May 4th!  How can that be??  I vividly remember all the tears the day I dropped him off :)

I love you Powell...you make this Mama very proud!!

 

Powell Weekending!!!

Friday night there was a knock at the door...Blake made Lucy go answer it with him....and there was POWELL!!

Blake, Bennett and Toby knew he was coming home for the weekend, but Lucy and I were SO surprised!  I had been really missing him this last week (well...every week!!), but I really just needed to hug him...so for almost 48 hours, I did just that!!  

Powell seemed "different"...he has always been mature, responsible, funny...but coming home this weekend he REALLY seemed so "grown up" , a kind, funny, smart, engaging, handsome MAN!!

ahhh...I "filled up" as much as I could, but it was hard to see him go :( , but I love that he is having the time of his life and doing great in school!

That's my Boy Guy!!!!

We did it!

I really did not think I would survive this day, but I did

It's not to say that it didn't come with ALOT of tears, it did

As much as it hurts to let him go, he is ready to fly

Powell summer signed with a fraternity, so that means he gets to move into the house instead of a residence hall

Have you ever been inside of a frat??  I had not :)

(front)

(back)

(the main living area) 

There are not pictures to show Powell's room...he doesn't really have one

All the freshman and sophmore guys sleep on what is called the "sleeping porch"...this is a room with 20+ bunk beds and is a dedicated "quiet zone".

Each guy then shares a "room" with 2-3 other guys where they each have a desk and armoire for clothes and personal items.

(Powell and Brendan in their "room")

It was such chaos inside the house and so many boys were moving in and changing "rooms"...so we unloaded Powell and decided it would be best to let him get settled on his own and we would walk around campus.

It is pretty exciting to be able to go to a Pac10 school and get to actually walk on their football field! 

We headed back to the house and visited with Powell for a little while, and then I knew it was time...I tried really hard to keep it together, and made it through these pictures :)

but, wow, the minute I hugged this sweet boy of mine the tears just flowed...and they wouldn't stop....he was so sweet and said, "you can text me as much as you want Mom, and I will always text you back" :)

I know this is how it is supposed to be...give them wings so they can fly

Yes, he is our first baby, but we truly are going to miss his "adult" self :) here in our house.  Powell is so fun to be around, Toby and I enjoy his company and not having him here in our home everyday is going to be a big void.

I know as the days go on it will get easier not hearing his car pull into the driveway, knowing he will walk through the door any minute...but right now it hurts.

Congratulations Powell!!! Class of 2011!

Graduation Day 

June 18th, 2011

Powell and Kahlen before they headed to the school!  These two met in 5th grade and have been the best of friends ever since.  They will be heading to WSU together!!

Toby and Powell

My first baby...I was trying to keep it together :)

Kahlen, Powell and Austin

Austin came by to pick up the boys and take them up to the high school, so they could board the bus to head to the ceremony

The weather was typical for early summer in Seattle :(...grey rainy and cool...so we made sure to take some of our family pics before we left!

Pop and the Kids :)

Grammy and Lucy

Papa and Lucy

Me and my Girl!

Aunt Deanna

It is tradition in our city for the grads to arrive at their ceremony in school buses.  They are given a police escort :) and it is the only time they are ever allowed to hang out the windows.  As they headed down the hill, cars pull over to the side of the road, and honk and wave as the buses go by...

The minute the buses arrived the crowd erupted in cheers and the kids were waving their caps out the windows...that is when the tears started for most of us!

There he is!!

Looks like he found us :)

Congratulations AMHS Class of 2011!!!

What a wonderful day...Powell was so genuinely happy, it just showed in his smile!!

Three generations!

This pretty much sums up how Lucy feels about this Guy!

Aunt Deanna wouldn't have missed this day for anything!

Grandma and Dennis with their first graduating Grandchild

The moment Powell and I saw each other, the tears flowed!!

I am so proud of you Powell!!

Blake and Bennett were so excited for Powell...they cheered for him and couldn't wait to see him after the ceremony!

WOW...these are some cute kids!!!

The beaming Parents!!

Powell's principal Mrs. Herren, hugged every.single.student. after they received their diploma...it was so obvious how much she loved this class...and they loved her!!

Heading off to do some celebrating!

I really wanted to be "in the moment" at our Grad Party, that I put my camera away...so I have ZERO pics of the party...and all the decorating I did...but that's ok, I enjoyed every minute!!