When I graduated from high school, the year was 1973 and the future – even with war, inflation, and changing social values – looked bright.  For many of us it was. Fast-forward almost 40 years.  The world is a very different place.  But to Andrew and Claire, who graduated from high school this weekend, this is their rite of passage to a new world full of equal parts promise and challenges.  I can’t imagine even 1% of what their world will be.  Seriously, as recently as 10 years ago did you figure you’d be sending kids pictures to your family via Facebook or watching movies on smart phones?  Could we have conceived of the rise – and possible fall – of suburbia, at the same time that some cities are booming and others are losing population at an alarming rate?  How many of my generation – in 1973 – would have seen China as the biggest economic superpower in parts of the world?  Would we have imagined that the Boston Red Sox would ever win …

If Thursday was all about Claire, then yesterday was Andrew’s turn. (Editor’s Warning:  I treat my blog like the 21st century version of letter writing, in that I can write one item and it can go out to family and friends everywhere.  This weekend’s blog posts are all about family.  If you don’t want to read about how wonderful my children are – then stop reading.  Note…you’ve been warned!) We’re lucky with twins in different high schools that the schedule has worked so that the multiple events around graduation are held on different days.  Andrew’s day started early yesterday morning with the service of Holy Communion in The Little Sanctuary for members of the graduating class and their parents.  The service began with the beautiful Kyrie Eleison from Missa Secunda by Hans Leo Hassler.  The acoustics of The Little Sanctuary were perfect for the Madrigal singers to blend the voices as well as I’ve heard them over the past three years.  A little later in the service Andrew sang a wonderful solo in the Brazeal …

I am crazy about my daughter. That observation will not surprise regular readers.  But after focusing on Claire as we celebrate the end of her high school days, I was reminded time and time again how wonderful she is. Candice likes to say that Claire is the wisest person she knows.  I agree.  Case in point:  I’ve seen how everything she has done over the past few days has been done with a great deal of thought and purpose. Frankly, I’m amazed. Last evening we joined Claire at the Senior Dinner – three families and a faculty member at each table, surrounded by the Senior Art Show with six of Claire’s photographs.  Claire had chosen her two table-mates – both talented friends where she feels comfortable and challenged – with a great deal of thought.  The faculty member was one of two-or-three teachers who have literally changed Claire’s life – in this case through his leadership of last summer’s six-week marine biology field school at Sanibel Island. This morning we were back for the closing …

Well, we’re in the highly anticipated and/or dreaded final week.  (Pick your own point of view.)  It is countdown time. Our twins, Andrew and Claire, will graduate from high school this weekend.  Since they attend different schools, Andrew goes first on Saturday then Claire follows on Monday.  I’m not sure I’m ready for this, but I don’t think either child plans to slow down and wait for me to catch up. Truth be told, I’ve been having a great deal of fun over the past few weeks…so I expect it to only get better over the next 7 days. Sunday was Andrew’s Senior Voice Recital.  We had about 75 friends and family there, and he did a great job.  Andrew’s piano teacher from 5th through 11th grade, Rosanne Conway, was the accomplished and sensitive accompanist, while his long-time friend and fellow chorister Sarah joined him for a beautiful encore.   For the benefit of the music lovers among the readership, here’s the song list: Music for a while (Oedipus) – Purcell Danza, danza, fanciulla gentile – …

Today began a new era.  Today was the first day after Andrew and Claire’s 18th birthday. The twins were born mid-day on a Sunday.  At the moment of their birth I happened to be singing There Is No Rose in the church choir for the last Sunday in Advent in 1992.  Because we adopted Andrew and Claire, we didn’t know they had been born until the next day after receiving a call from the adoption agency.  Eighteen short years later, Andrew, Candice and I were spending December 20th sitting in the Strathmore Music Center listening to Claire and her high school choir join the Cathedral Choral Society in a wonderful Joy of Christmas concert (blackberry photo at the top…don’t expect to see great detail).  It seemed a fitting bookend:  they came in to song, and they entered “adulthood” singing. When friends ask how it feels to be the father of 18-year-olds, I don’t offer any profound insights.  I usually say, “It seems like only yesterday…”  or “Time flies….”  The years and the associated memories have …