Grrrrraduation!

Hi all.

So....I graduated. Well, WE graduated. Technically, I had been done with my schoolwork for about a month, but I am still glad that I walked the walk. It gave me closure, as well as some great pics to show my kids when I tell them it is important to get a college degree! You must know that these aren't my pictures, I just don't do cool snazzy pictures. These belong to Mrs. Cara Kleiner, my new sister-in-law who was so sweet to come to the graduation. My family minus Alisa were able to come, and Ryan's family minus Justin and Hannah were able to come. I really appreciate everyone who made the long drive and basically gave up 6 hours of their Saturday to watch us walk across the stage with tons of other graduates!

Tom Brokaw was the commencement speaker and did a fabulous job. Really, I loved it. I was so proud to watch Ryan walk across the stage. It takes some serious stuff to work full time and get a bachelors degree with a kiddo! Now he is working on his Masters in Accounting and is doing homework everyday after work until late at night. I keep reminding myself that once he is done then we will be FINISHED with homework!!

I am so proud of myself. I really am. There were so many late nights that I wanted to just stop, but I perservered. Five years and five colleges, and here I am with my degree and a baby. I started out loving English Literature...but now, not so much. I'm not passionate about it and will certainly not be pursuing it any further. That being said, I am going to take my sweet time raising my family and figuring out what really makes my pulse quicken and makes me want to dance with excitement. I'll let you know how that goes.

Afterwards I had a little family gathering at our house. That "Congratulations" banner is my first attempt at trendy paper crafts, and I think I enjoyed it. Ryan helped me cut out all of the letters individually and carefully tape them to the pennants. That, my friends, is true love. Though the pictures are edited, that is a little glimpse of my newly painted front rooms. I promise to post a family update soon with pictures galore.

If I have any readers out there who are in the midst of getting a degree or certificate, I encourage you to continue and bust it out! Just think of how awesome it will feel to walk across that stage, and to know that you have started and completed an intensive program that took countless hours. I am SO so so SOSOSO not the academic type, but with family support, I was able to finish. As I was sitting there watching other students get their degrees, I realized that I would not have gotten mine if I did not have such a supportive husband. He cleaned the house too many times to count, was super daddy, always offered a non-judgemental listening ear, and made me feel like I was the most amazing woman in the world. I am so thankful for Ryan. I feel like I am starting to blossom as a woman, and it is all because of him.

I love you boo-boo bear :)