Peter Pan no more

                          It's time. Peter Pan had to grow up. 

For nearly 18 months of his life, Matthew dressed in this costume. In this picture it's new, just out of the box. He picked the costume out of a catalog and when it arrived, two weeks prior to Halloween, he asked daily if today was the day he could finally wear his Peter Pan costume. He didn't like the hat and only wore it on Halloween, but the rest of the costume he wore daily! You read that correctly - DAILY. He wore it to Meijer (for those of you unfamiliar with Meijer, it's a cleaner, friendlier, more 'upscale' version of WalMart), to church, to play dates and preschool ... Heck, he was three and adorable and it worked for him! 

(Yes you read that correctly, he even wore it to church on one or two occasions when it seemed arguing with a three year old about not wearing a costume to church was not a battle worth waging. He once mentioned the priests wore dresses . . . I don't think John was home however, when I acquiesced!)

This weekend, though, Matthew won't be wearing the Peter Pan costume but will instead be wearing a cap and gown as he graduates from DePauw University with a BA in Economics. Peter Pan is all grown up!

Matthew at his high school graduation with Grandma and Mom

While at DePauw, he's co-hosted a weekly radio show (DePauwletics), joined a fraternity (Beta something), studied abroad (really abroad, to Uganda, instead of to Canada as this mom suggested), had two internships (one in Kansas City for four long months and another in Indianapolis for a shorter period of time), been on the debate team (he was really good even before he joined the debate team - as the dressing as Peter Pan daily example shows), experienced all kinds of hi-jinks (a few this mom knows about and a lot more I will likely never know about) and studied hard (when not up to said hi-jinks or studying abroad or interning). He graduates with all kinds of honors but what's more important is that Matthew has 'grown up' (John would say what's most important is that he has a job!).

I will likely weep at some point this weekend as he receives his diploma. I will likely remember Matthew as the little guy in the Peter Pan costume as I see him in his robe. Okay, 'likely' should be changed to 'definitely'.

Anyway, I'm particularly struck by the 'all grown up' phrase because as parents that's what we are supposed to do. Our job is to raise our children to be functioning adults - (and along the way embarrass the heck out of them!)? So far John and I have been successful at our job of parenting, and we should feel like celebrating. But it's a bittersweet celebration because each milestone means just that - a MILE stone or another mile away from the nest we call home.

I was happy when Matthew finished his Peter Pan phase. By the time he was done with it the costume was pretty miserable looking (the tights had been replaced a few times and always had holes), and he moved on to super heroes. This time, he's moving on to be the hero in his own story. 

And I'm in Neverland crying and cheering simultaneously. Fly Matthew. Fly.