Ark Valley News - In the kitchen

In the kitchen
By Lisa Strunk
Last Updated: April 23, 2015

Too many pictures, too many memories

I'm not sure how this happened. I know graduation happens every May, I just didn't think it would ever effect me. I tried to bury my head in the sand and pretend my kids weren't going to grow up and leave the nest.

Denial finally caught up with me. Ray's graduating. I managed to type those two words without crying. I was only a bit choked up, so I think I'm doing better.

Graduating requires looking back and looking forward at the same time, and that's hard for a mom. We had to come up with a childhood photo and a senior photo for the graduation slideshow. We were also able to turn in up to 10 photos, including a senior picture, for the church slideshow. Finally, we're having Jer make a video of photos for the graduation party.

No mom facing her baby's graduation should have to dig through baby pictures. That's just asking for a serious emotional breakdown. I went through several of our old albums. I didn't even make it through the two large tubs full of pictures in the storage room. It was too hard.

When Ray was a year old, we had a Wichita photographer take pictures of him. He was an active kid, so we were pleased when they got him to sit and stand still for several photos. He did great until he looked into the next room at the photography studio and saw a stuffed humpty dumpty, way bigger than him, sitting in the middle of the room. He yelled "Hump Dumpny" and ran into the other room and hugged the giant toy. The photographer was thinking fast and followed him into the room and took several pictures.

I wanted to dig the "Hump Dumpny" pictures out of the storage tub, but I was having so much trouble getting through the albums of non-professional pictures that I knew it would be too hard.

I even picked out several pictures for Jer's and Marci's graduations in a few years. Now that's really hard to think about.

Now if I can make it through August and the move to the dorms, an hour and a half away, surely things will get better after that.

I've promised myself that I'm going to slow down the next four years before Jer graduates. The next four years aren't going by as quickly as the last four years have gone.

For the anniversary at Anne's Attic, Anne made Wind and Willow potato salad. It was so good. I'm hoping I can get motivated to make enough for the graduation party.

Wind and Willow potato salad

1 Wind and Willow Cheesy Bacon Dip Mix

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

8 cups potatoes, cooked and diced

Combine dip mix with mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in potatoes, coating them evenly. Can be topped with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese for extra flavor.

Lisa Strunk is co-owner of The Ark Valley News. Reach her at lisa@arkvalleynews.com.