School's Out For The Summer

My 14 year old twins' school year which began back in August is now officially over. No more eighth grade, next stop High School.

Griffin, me, Miles

I remember when they went to first grade.  It  seems like it was yesterday to this Dad. Notebooks, pencils, Elmer's glue, and on and on. Remember buying all the stuff they didn't need in kindergarten?

I do.

An upside of having a stroke, yes kids there is one, was the chance to take them to school. To watch them go from children to these 'guys.' To watch them grow. To hear their pearls of wisdom get sharper as they got older.

People think twins are exactly alike.

They're not. Oh sure there are things that together they do and don't like but they're different as night and day. At least that's my take on it. Ask parents of twins, they'll tell you.

Memories...playing Shake Your Booty by KC and The Sunshine Band and one of my twins, Griffin, laughing because he thought it was so naughty that they actually sang what to him was a bad word-- "booty." Miles loved Earth Wind and Fire's September because he could sing along to the "ba-di-yas."

Driving them to school in the car and passing a, shall we say, hefty guy and hearing them giggling in the back seat as they saw him.

Eating with my guys at school and bringing them gold from McDonald's. Having lunch outside at the picnic tables with them.

Elementary School memories.

Miles, Griffin

In Middle School they began to be concerned with what other kids thought. With me still driving them to school they loved when the other students saw our Lola in the car as they were dropped off. The kids pointed and said, "Doggie!"

New rules though.

Miles and Griffin

No kissing them goodbye. No being a goofy Daddy during sleep overs. And I was a substitute teacher this year which brought this new rule. Definitely no subbing at their school.

The end of the year Eighth Grade Dance was really something.

First, they got dressed up.

Second, the line for dropping them off for that was long. There were even a few stretch limos in that line. Since we're talking I thought at one time only movie stars and rock stars rode in them. I was flabbergasted when I found out that anyone could ride if they rented them.

But that's just me.

They all went to Steak and Shake afterwards and that scene was right out of the movies. Orchestrated chaos. Girls in gowns, some of them in wobbly high heels. Some had taken those shoes off and were barefoot which prompted Miles to declare, "That's nasty."

The boys were dressed to the nines and trying to appeal to the girls. Some of their lines worked and some did not. And some kids were just as happy ignoring the other sex.

When they're real young your children are lumps of clay. As they grow and get older they become  these people. These wonderful people.

Griffin makes videos. He has over 2200 subscribers on youtube. He wants to have his own cartoon series one day. Miles says he wants to tell stories, be a screen writer or an author. He's shot up and now basketball is on the horizon.

It'll be fun to see them evolve even more.

One thing my father knew and I've learned is that being a parent is a whole lot different than being a kid. For one thing you're constantly amazed by them. For another you're always worried for them. And no matter how old they get they're always your kid.

High School here we come.

#MarkMcEwen
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