That young lady in the picture there is my Granddaughter Hailey. And if she's a proud High School graduate, well I'm one proud Grandpa.

We attended her high school graduation in Nebraska this past weekend and to be honest, it was bittersweet.

I've discovered that Grandparents want those Grandkids to stay little. Don't be growing up and graduating anything.

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I want Hailey to stay that little girl, the one who would build forts with her brother out of couch pillows on our sofa. The one who would be absolutely amazed when Gramps would do some little card trick. The little girl who would compete with Grandpa to see who could make the funniest face for a picture.

The little girl who would be sure to be first on the couch sitting next to ol' Gramps. I want that little girl back, to never grow up.

But of course, I don't, not really. That little girl has grown up to be a young lady. A spectacular young lady. She's moving on, moving up, and growing up to boot. I can't wait to see what's next, what the next door is that will open for her, and what the next step will be.

So while I want Hailey to be that little girl who wanted me to push her just a little bit higher on the playground swing, I also want her to continue to grow and become the best Hailey she can be.

I have three other grandchildren that will be graduating high school in the years ahead. And with each, I'll be happy for them, proud of them, and will look forward to seeing what their journey entails.

But yeah, I wish they'd all stay little, too.

Randy's Minnesota Memories

Randy McDaniel grew up on a small farm near Leota, Minnesota during the classic baby-boomer years of the 1960s and 1970s. These are his stories of growing up in the idyllic world of southwest Minnesota.

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