attending school for 25 consecutive years? When it started, Andrew was beginning kindergarten and Olivia was beyond excited to begin her first year of preschool at three-and-a-half years old in Mrs. Debby Neubold’s classroom at Little Lamb’s Preschool. Sam was two-and-a-half and got to spend lots of time with me, carrying around his “pack-pack” pretending, like his older brother and sister that he too had important things, like school, to do.
Olivia age 3.5 years.
Today, after 25 years of consecutive schooling, we celebrate Olivia, now, Dr. Kuzio. It makes me shiver to whisper it out loud. From the time she was a tiny, little girl, her determination to take on challenges, to struggle, to learn, and grow from all, was evident. In the 3rd grade she picked the Boston Red Sox to win over the Yankees in the World Series, then cried in my closet on the morning she realized she’d have to go to school and face her teacher (hugeYankees fan) and fellow students, who had all selected the Yankees to win (and they had), in the classroom pool. I told her about lemmings, and asked her why she wanted to think like everyone else anyway?
“Don’t be a lemming!” became a refrain through her school years as the mean girls froze her out in middle school, and competition for the lead in the high school musical found some jealous fellow musicians toilet papering the trees on our front lawn. Through all the ups and downs, the work, the fun, laughter and tears, this girl of ours kept her head up and her work ethic primed. Who wants to be like the other kids anyway?
Today we are absolutely thrilled to celebrate, Dr. Olivia Kuzio, and her PhD in Color Science. We love you more than even one more day, and are so glad you aren’t a lemming. Looking forward to seeing everything you do next.
xo and Happy Valentine’s Day. Best one, ever.
Olivia, you were gracious, welcoming and so poised.
