Week 1 of My 4th Quarter: Graduations and a new Great Grandson

Connie Pearson
May 27
2 min read

If the first week of my fourth quarter of life is any indication of what I have to look forward to, I'm going to want to stick around for awhile. (You can read the summary of my first three quarters here). Last week was filled with celebrations. Two grandsons graduated from high school, and we met our newest great grandson for the first time.

Matt and Katie's son -- Seth Collier Pearson -- graduated from Independence High School in Thompson's Station, Tennessee on May 22. Both sets of grandparents and his immediate family gathered for a delicious lunch of Seth's menu choice -- Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q and a cake from Edgar's Bakery.

Seth has made A's in every one of his classes. He loves golf, fishing, and community league basketball and flag football. He has worked for Chick-Fil-A for several years, earning several promotions and pay raises. He will be a freshman at AUBURN UNIVERSITY in the fall majoring in pre-med. He is one of the most pleasant, even-tempered, genuinely polite young men you could ever meet (says his totally biased grandmother).

Between the lunch and the grad ceremony, Steve and I drove to Pulaski to visit our oldest granddaughter Allie, her husband Zechariah, her almost two-year-old son Teddy, and her newborn son Andy (Andrew Charles Freeborn). Teddy kept us thoroughly entertained with his tricks and rapidly increasing vocabulary. Andy is a beautiful, healthy baby, for which we are deeply grateful. Allie and Zechariah moved into a brand new house on an acre of land last January, and we can readily see that Allie is living her best life (busy, exhausting, but definitely a love-filled, BEST LIFE). I can't imagine anything more gratifying and joyful for grandparents than witnessing such a scene.

On Friday, May 23, we drove to Rome, GA in time to meet for an early supper at Outback, grandson Nathan's choice. Once again, both sets of grandparents and Nathan's immediate family were gathered to express our pride and shower Nathan with attention and gifts.

Nathan was homeschooled by our daughter Laura from kindergarten through 9th grade before requesting to go to public school for his final three years. He enrolled in Model High School in Rome. It was a good move for him. He has excelled.

Nathan David Baggett will attend Mississippi State University in the fall on a full academic scholarship, and his 34 ACT score added a large housing stipend. Nathan has worked for several years at Harvest Moon Cafe on Broad Street. He is a virtual encyclopedia of sports facts and is an amazing kayaker. He was chosen for singing parts in two school musicals

I couldn't help it. When "Pomp and Circumstance" starting playing each night, my tears starting flowing. They were "good tears," of course, but tears nevertheless. Memories overwhelmed me of special times we've had with both grandsons. They were best buds for Cousins Camps and trips to Auburn with their granddaddy. And yet, their individual personalities always bubbled to the surface. Take a look. SO. MUCH. FUN.