It’s A Grand Life – Summer is Here!

I love the month of June. Our youngest daughter celebrates her birthday (she wouldn’t speak to me if I put in her age), and my husband celebrates his (not putting in his age either as it’s too close to mine) eight days later. Then comes Father’s Day. I look forward to these days, although finding the perfect gifts can be a bit stressful as they both deserve so much more.

As much as those dates mean to me, June means that the grandkids are out of school, which means more time I can spend with them. They will still go to camp, have swim team practice and meets, and other activities to keep them busy, but there will be days for fishing off the boat, going to the zoo, spending time at the pool and beach, and a day trip here and there.

All these wonderful things aside, the biggest event this June will be our, incredible in every way, granddaughter’s high school graduation. On what planet is this amazing child old enough to be graduating and going off to college?

I have been looking back at photos, and coming across family pictures always touches my heart. How very blessed we are to have such a wonderful family. I like to believe we raised our daughters well, so it is wonderful to see how they are raising their children. Our grandchildren are brought up with patience, understanding, compassion, faith, kindness, praise, knowing right from wrong, forgiveness but, most of all, with love. Of course, the young ones will, on occasion, still find themselves losing screen time, which is already limited.

The photos also remind me how fast the years are flying by. In looking through pictures, I rejoice in seeing pictures of my graduating granddaughter from birth to where she is now. The latest picture was of her going to prom. So, instead of feeling like it should be 2016 instead of 2026, I love remembering what a birthday was like. Or, how adorable the Halloween costumes were. The fun that we all have on the trips to Disney World. Watching all the cousins happy to be together despite the age differences.

This past year has seen our new graduate visiting a number of colleges. After each one, she made a pro/con list to refresh her memory and be able to eliminate some early on in the decision process. As her college acceptances started coming in with offers of honors college and scholarships, she looked over her pro/con list and decided that UNC-Chapel Hill was the right choice. She will be majoring in pre-med. I have no doubt she will continue to do well in all her endeavors. Throughout her school years – nothing but straight As, AP and IB classes, student government official, captain of the field hockey team, soloist in the chamber choir, student board member of the Appalachian Service Project and too many other things to mention.

So, this June is very special to me, and maybe the years will feel like they fly by, but my memories will slow that feeling down as I relive all the wonderful times with my fabulous family.

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Susan Woodall

Forsyth Magazines writer since 2011. Originally from Washington, DC, Susan now calls Winston-Salem home. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in journalism and spent a term at Christ Church College, Oxford University. Susan and her husband, JC, have three daughters, Erin, Britton, and Meghan (who is Forsyth Magazines’ senior staff writer.) She loves working with her daughter, Meghan, as well as the Forsyth Magazines’ staff. Susan relishes her role of grandmother and caring for her two rescue pups – Duncan and Matilda. She loves to travel and on a recent trip visited China and climbed the Great Wall. “It is a privilege to work on these wonderful publications and to write such a variety of articles,” said Susan.

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