Tux Time

The senior prom is next month. The senior year is the busiest year, and the most expensive. I'm beginning to wonder how my parents were able to do it. I never, until now, appreciated all they did for me my senior year. There are the senior pictures, the announcements, the college application fee's, the proms (I went to two my senior year, and somehow I must've talked them into two dresses because I've still got the pictures), senior day, graduation and the graduation party.

Casey had his senior pictures taken this past summer before school started. That could've been the day from hell, only I was there with Casey and he kept me laughing. He kept everyone there laughing. When the photographers couldn't get a student to smile, Casey would be in the sidelines posing like Zoolander, and he'd get the students to smile easily.

The announcements were ordered a few months ago, along with the cap and gown. I'm very excited to get these, they should be getting here soon. I'll post them...yeah, like that wasn't a given.

A couple of Saturdays ago, we were at Men's Warehouse getting Casey fitted for his tux. Kasey, the girl he is taking to the prom (yeah, I know), came with Casey and met Charlie and I there. I had told Casey that he and Kasey could go do it on their own, but he asked for me to meet them there. How many guys Casey's age would want their mom there, but Casey knows how much I love him and he tries so hard to include me. I hope he knows how much I appreciate it. Anyway, watching them measure Casey, and Casey trying on the clothes...well, it made me realize that the only other time I'll probably be around for this to happen again is when he gets married. All the other men in there getting measured were much older and were probably there for just that reason. Casey asked me a couple of times if everything was okay when I was looking at him, he had no idea what was going through my mind.

Kasey brought me a picture of her dress and I'm going to post it. She's such a sweet girl. She's also a good friend of the girl, Betsy, that he took to the football banquet. The dress is beautiful. Here's the picture, it's the pink one;





















I was hoping Casey would pick out one of the tux with long tails or the guru type collars, and I may have tried to influence...a little, but no, he wanted traditional. He's so tall, I think he'd look great in the long coat, but he's a traditional and conservative kind of guy. The vest is a dark pink with black design over it. Can't wait to see them.
They've got the limo booked to pick them up, take them to dinner and then to the prom. They are going with another couple. We didn't do limos when I was a kid, I guarantee you I'd had too much fun in a limo. Casey doesn't take after me. Thank God.

As much fun, and it IS fun, going through all of this with him, it is so bittersweet. Every event brings him that much closer to walking out the front door into manhood. I know Casey will always come home, he'll always be one of my two best friends and he'll always make me laugh as he gives me one of those big ole' hugs telling me he loves me more than I love him (family joke), but still...trust me, it's all bittersweet.