Graduation...Finally

It's finally over! It took me more than a week to be able to post about graduation, because I'm still not entirely caught up to the fact that I'm done. I've spent the last week and a half kinda puttering and accomplishing very little. I'm waiting for the panicked "I only have XX weeks until I have to go back to school!" thoughts to hit, and it's not happening. I guess it will finally be real in August when I'm still at home. :-)

I'm really glad I decided to participate in the graduation commencement. I knew it would be long, irritating, boring, etc etc. But I also knew that when it was over I would be glad to have the closure. Nearly five years has passed since I had no homework, no class schedule to plan, and no babysitters/daycare to arrange. Part of me still feels like I'll be going back soon, and I think about the people who are still there and preparing for fall semester. I know this is all just rambling, but that's pretty much how my thoughts are trending about graduation...weird.

Anyway, long story short, here are some pics of the end of my career as an undergrad...yay! (They are also quite possibly the first photos of me to be published in at least a year. :) It was great to be able to celebrate with all the family who came, both to the graduation and to the BBQ later that afternoon. Everyone had fun with my camera, so there are some pretty fun shots here.

It really was fun to be graduating at the same time as my sister. It turned it into quite the party for our family. And as we are the first of our siblings to earn a bachelor's degree and all the jazz that comes with (commencement) it was kinda exciting for our parents. And after her post about it here, I guess I'll stop feeling silly to be graduating 10 years after high school at the same time as my 4-years-younger sister, and start thinking maybe it was meant to be that way. :-)

Amy and I (along with our husbands) decided to give our "stole of gratitude" to our parents, to thank them for all they did to help us reach this point. We both know that our husbands were the ones who dealt with the daily stress and financial burden of getting us through school. But our parents have also raised us in a way that taught us the value of an education, and they always made sure we knew that we could do anything we wanted.

 

Since I never watch the news, I was super surprised when my friend Jolene sent this link on Facebook (and so glad she did! It was kinda goofy to see myself on video!). So along with the first photos of me in over a year...I made the news! :-) I don't know how long the article/video will be available, but I wanted to include it anyway. 

And, we finally figured out why they make us sit through the hooding of the doctorate candidates. Both Amy and I came away feeling like we want to continue our education. Um...dumb? Maybe, but we'll see. We're both taking a couple years off first. :-) 

Thanks to everyone who supported me and listened to me whine through this crazy journey! I have had so many friends and family to give me the boost of encouragement needed just at the right time, I never would have made it without the help! Now, to find something else to talk about... :-)