Firsts and Lasts

I remember the fall of 1998. 

We took a 4 year old little boy to his first day of Pre-K at Rock Creek Elementary School in Blue, Oklahoma. He was enrolled in the headstart program at the beginning, but when we found out our picky eater was not going to be able to bring his own lunch from home, we knew THAT would not work out, so he was moved over to the regular pre-K class where his selective palate would not be subjected to lunchroom cuisine.

Kindergarten started a new and exciting 4 year adventure in Whitewright, TX, where we have fond memories of Kindergarten Rodeo, school friends ( forever remembered as his "posse" ), church musicals, learning to play the drums,  seemingly never-ending fights with big sister, AND becoming a big brother! 

After Texas, this ministry family headed to the big city of New York where we soon learned that home school was where our school memories would be made. Our desk was the kitchen table and our playground was the Big Apple and surrounding area, where we took many unforgettable field trips to the beach, our first tour of a lighthouse, Wall Street, Broadway, and even the legendary Sleepy Hollow up the Hudson River.

Our next move was south...The OLD South to be exact. We were located just a few miles down the Savannah River from historic Savannah Georgia. Public school was again part of our lives, which aren't Jarrett's fondest memories of Georgia. But the friends we made there and the adventures we had are the basis of many happy memories made, including friends and family coming to visit us and getting to show them the sights. We had Independence Day fireworks at the beach, fresh-made candy on River Street, and one of our favorite memories was getting to go watch the dolphins on Captain Mike's Dolphin Tour! 

 

The next stop on our journey is where we once called home, and now we call it home again: Oklahoma. Back with family and friends and familiar roads where we don't need maps or the GPS. It is where Jarrett has spent his last 6 years of school days at Cottonwood Elementary and Coalgate High School. SO many friends and memories have been made here. This was where a boy became a man, traveling overseas twice doing mission work, enduring the hardships of losing cherished childhood friends, and working hard and earning the money to buy his first car. 

What prompts me to write this blog post today is that this morning that picky-eating little boy who had to take his own lunch to pre-k walked out the door to his last day of High School. His days of school plays, Friday night football games with friends, and meeting at the flag pole every Wednesday to pray, along with the mosaic of all his school experiences are now behind him. Friday night he will walk across a stage with an honors sash around his neck and a diploma in his hand, ready to move on to more adventures and to make more memories. The time has seemingly evaporated into this day. I know living the life of a preacher's kid has not always been easy, but I also know it has not been boring or ordinary.  And he, also, is neither boring nor ordinary. This life has prepared him to be able to take on what comes next. I am confident that he is ready. Soon will be his own apartment and his college days, and showing others Christ along the way.

And I'm sure there will be care packages full of Doritos and Spaghettios on the way! I love you Jarrett Skyler Self! Have the life you have!! ;) I will be nearby with a camera, as always!

Jarrett Self

Coalgate High School

Class of 2013