This past weekend, girl child #2 graduated from High School. We also found out that her 4 year average was 92.4%. They gave her a print out of each year and her GPA each year. What an eye opener for her mother it was. The kids lived with their mother during #2's Freshman year, where she barely pulled off a 66.9% for the year. After gaining custody, and hammering into her how important grades were, she really turned it on the 2nd semester of her Sophomore year.

My daughter had also decided to accept the $80,000 scholarship to Wittenberg University, and will begin classes in the Fall. She will by studying Finance and PoliSci. Her total graduation class size was 178 students, and they collected $2.8 million in scholarship monies. What a shock that amount was!

Her boyfriend graduated as well, and will be coming with us to Ohio as soon as the house sells. I gave him a promise of shelter until he can move out on his own, and that I'd call a few people I know and get him an interview at a few places. He knows that obtaining that job is on him, and that paying for any additional education he may desire is also on him. He's a good young man, and I'm sure he will thrive there.

In addition to #2 graduating, my mother was able to come up for a visit. This in itself was a bit nerve wracking for us, as she's not been inside my home since I moved from Ohio in 2008. She was very happy with the house, and what we've been able to do with it. I've always sent her pictures of the work that's being done, and showing her what we have had to deal with, and she was expecting the worst...but was quite surprised at how it has all turned out. She said it felt like home as soon as she walked in the front door. I jokingly told her that she better like it, because her and dad had us living in a barn in the early 1980's for four and a half years.

All in all, it was a very wonderful weekend, that ended too soon

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

Oh, and the rest of the monies needed for her college education has been rather easy for her to come by. $20k from one place, $10k from another, plus grant money and other scholarships...she's only going to be in debt about $10k. Not too shabby. She's also able to take a job with her current employer with a store local to the college and she's stepping into a management trainee program, which gives her more money.

I'm so damned proud of her...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

How nice.

Outstanding JP! Your'e a good parent.

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I have to agree.

Outstanding, JP!

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

X2
You have every reason to be proud !
& its good to see that you are providing some guidance to her BF. Maybe in time he will see that you mean the best for him. Getting to know & meet regularly with other good men will help him on his journey through life.

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

True dat.

Sounds like a good job of parenting. You should be proud!

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

It always feels nice when any or hopefully all our offspring pretty much stay on the rails. As I get older and older or younger and younger depending on ones viewpoint.

I cannot take credit. Or only a small amount for two of our childrens high function. As I have developed too much reliance on genetic mixing. Those two in other words where just lucky. Roll of the dice.

Two out of four are high achievers but more important they also have well balanced lives at this time. The well balanced lives are what I think to be the most important component. The other two are not high achievers but one has a fairly balanced life.

I expect her to be happier than the other three over the years ahead. One of of the higher achievers will eventually run into problems I expect. The one that has some issues is a genetic copy of one of the grandmothers. Or the traits that are not desirable are similar to her grandmothers. This could only occur from genetics.

Sure we parents provide hopefully good healthy environments and guidance. I feel though at the same time. If there are genetic issues or traits of certain types present. They determine more what the future of the child may be.

I for example was born with genetic traits I cannot really change. Hopefully mostly good. Not all in my case though. Nobody is perfect and in my opinion a good part of this is a result of the genetic factor.

It took me a long time to really absorb this. More importantly to personally believe it. Us parents can help our children in many ways to stay on the rails.

The genes more or less will determine how it really goes. Especially long term. I have also come to the conclusion a little adversity in life can be a healthy learning tool for a child.

We were taught in my time to attempt to modify bad behavior and support good behavior. The logic being that once you decide it is genetic in nature. You are pretty much beat. So it is more appealing to call it behavours as then they are thought changeable. Rather than fixed traits.

So in summation you are and should be proud of your daughter. A good portion of it was pre ordained though as well. I still work with kids that do not have a hope in hell. It is their genetics that limit them. They are in general very bright but technically damaged.

It is a sad thing to deal with. Some will disagree with this and that is fine. It hurts me to watch it all play out over the years with a lot of children I have dealt with as they grew up. Nature never gave some of them a fighting chance in my opinion.

I had an anyurisim repaired reciently. A good simple analogy is the surgeon said the other members of my family should be notified and checked. It tends to be a genetic trait.

Or it was rumoured one of my grandfathers really got into the bottle. He was dead before I was born. Genetically I might have a pre disposition so have always respected alcohol. For example I never got a hangover when a kid. It may or not be genetically there but I pretty much abstain from the stuff just in case. Personally I do not think it is there but dare not chance it. In other words a potential genetic issue that is dealable with. So some are but the majority probably are not. They are just a part of our being.

All of the above is probably where you are at now in some ways. I am so old I have had time to really reflect on these things pertaining to our own four children. Three are in there mid forties and one is thirty five.

The one that is the happiest in life is more like me. Limited intellect but usually happy with life in general. I also think that when a child of ours does well. It somehow makes us feel we did not waste our time.

Great job, and studying finance and polisci. I wish a few of the ones now in control had done the same.

Now in control of what?

That's excellent. $10k can easily be paid in the first year out.

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

Thanks for the compliments everyone. It wasn't easy getting her to the point she is now...lots and lots of late night talks, trials by fire, and groundings had to happen before everything finally kicked in. Her Senior year grad average really helped bring the overall average up. She started the year strong and gained even more strength as she went. 6 or her 8 classes ended up being 100% through the year.



I had a long talk with him the day prior to graduation, and asked him how he saw his future. He looked me in the eyes and said that he saw him working as an EMT with the fire department in a city local to us, with my daughter as his wife. Since they've been dating for 2 years, I have a feeling that he'll eventually become a member of our family.

He and my daughter, as well as my son, have been involved in Young Life here in our area. He has borrowed my Bible when they go to Bible study, since he didn't have one of his own. For his graduation gift, we presented him with one, with the same inscription my grandfather put in mine..."Son, This book will keep you from sin. Sin will keep you from this Book" He teared up and gave me a huge hug, and called me Dad. His own father has been out of his live since he was 12...and I've been the only one that was willing to take him in and teach him what it takes to be a man. He's really a good young man.

Layback40, after his next birthday, I plan on taking him to meet some of the good men I know, so that we can help him become an even better man. He will truly benefit from the experience and the fellowship.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

JP,

Looks to me that you are doing a wonderful job as a fine parent.

That to me says "conservative family values" at their finest.

If others followed that lead I personally believe it would solve a PLETHORA of troubles plaguing our great country,

You are a fine man and I hope you hold fast to your values. You are doing a fine job, and should not be surprised things are turning out so well for your family.

It must feel wonderful and make you feel very proud to enjoy the fruits of your steadfast values faith and effort to see your daughter launched towards a happy successful future.

Best of luck and my good wishes to you, your daughter and family!

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)