Graduation

So, I did it!!! I graduated with a Master's of Science in Education with a focus on Curriculum and Instruction. Sound like a mouthful? What if I told you I was overall outstanding graduate student in my graduate program? Yeah, they don't give awards for humbleness in grad school and if they did, I'd get zero. But I'm proud of myself I worked my ass off and made straight A's in all of my graduate classes. But the thing of it is, I probably wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been surrounded by such amazing people, some of whom are pictured below. This is the Social Studies cohort aka my current job competition :) I'm just kidding. They are lovely and they challenge me to be a better teacher.

Friday at the hooding ceremony I warned my friend Matt that I was about to scream loudly for Audrey whose name was about to be called . He asked me who she was and I responded "she's my soul-sister." I don't know how else to describe her but she is one of the best people I have ever been lucky enough to call a friend and one of a handful of people whom I call soulmates because God intended our souls to meet. She will make an amazing counselor one day, after she returns from being Jesus' hands and feet in Kenya for the next few years. She is an amazing gal, I tell ya.

 

 

And these two lovely ladies are "the Marys." We were the three girls in our cohort grad program so I, too, have answered to Mary for the last year or so just to make it easier for everyone. These are two of the smartest most driven women I have met and they have become 2 of my closest friends. They are cheering me on through Harry Potter and I can already tell you our summer book club is going to be epic!

My brother and sister were, likely, bored out of their minds through the graduate awards ceremony and then the hooding ceremony. They were also quite disappointed that the hooding ceremony didn't actually mean that I wore my hood on my head so they fixed that for me.

 

 

I've already bragged on the bearded man on facebook but I'll do it again here, what the hell. His birthday is tomorrow after all so I'll throw him a bone. :) Drew organized the best eva' grad weekend on the river and invited all of my family and friends there to celebrate. He has cheered louder and harder than anyone for me these last two years. The thing about me being done is, as our history suggests we take turns going back to school so the ball is in your court, dear.

 

Deno and Big Mommy as they are affectionately called by Ike. They got all sappy on me this weekend. The thing about being 3 hours away is they had no clue what I'd been doing all this time. (I think mostly they thought I'd just been backsliding). But I was so glad that they got a glimpse into all of the hard work I've put in over the last 2 years. They are my best ole' goody thangs and always will be.

These two gals came to my grad party on Saturday and dragged their loved ones along with them. When I say I've never had a choice in whether or not to be friends with them, I mean it. I was born with these 2 friends and they have never left my side. I am lucky to still have them be such a big part of my life 25 years later. (I have other lifelong friends too but they're busy doing thing like grad school at Columbia and chasing adorable little blue-eyed toddlers around).

 

This was the lovely view from our porch.

And this is Deno getting frustrated teaching me to fly fish...in the yard....with no fly. I so desperately wanted to be a natural at fly-fishing but that was not the case. I've been talking for months about learning to fly fish after graduation but I think it's safe to say I won't be winning any awards for my fly-fishing abilities.

 

These 2 were little angels all weekend but after the party we were all pooped.

 

I was so grateful to all of my family and friends who travelled to celebrate with me unfortunately the rain kept us from getting as many pictures as I would have liked with everyone but tt was an awesome weekend and I couldn't have asked for better! Now onto much more time spent doing this..... Cute, huh?

Married, Graduated, and Moved

Well clearly I have been lax in my blogging but I have had a very busy month. I graduated from college on May 14, got married May 21 and moved three hours away yesterday. And the hecticness still isn't over, we are moving again next Friday. Oy with the poodles already! (credit gilmore girls).

Graduation

My college graduation went better than I expected, I did not have a typical college experience but overall it was good. I loved my history professors and learned so much, I do not know how to act not being in a classroom but so far I'm not too fond. I want to be a lifelong learner and do not want to float. I hope to take my GRE soon and enroll in graduate school next fall. I can't get enough history, I'm not a history buff by any means but I love to learn it.

The Wedding

The week before the wedding was nasty, it rained everyday and was cold and since my wedding was outdoors it was the one thing I was stressed about. However as my mother said "one of us must have been living right" because on Friday the sun came out and it was beautiful for both rehearsal and wedding day. It was the best day of my life. I loved having all of my dearest friends and family in one place to celebrate. Our decor was different than anything most people had seen before and I pride myself on that. I don't like to do things like everyone else. And I don't want to sound conceited but it was the most beautiful wedding I have ever attended. I can say that because I had very little to do with it. I had some of the ideas but my mom, her dear friends, my friends, my dad, my uncle and my granny did everything. They worked themselves to death and I was so grateful, I don't know how I will ever re-pay them. It was the perfect day for Drew and I, no major issues and we danced the night away. I cried before I left, I was sad to leave all of my friends and family who had worked so hard on everything and I didn't want the day to end!

Life After

Drew and I went to Myrtle Beach, SC on our honeymoon and had a great time. We ate very well and sun-bathed everyday. It was easy to get used to and we were sad to leave but excited to come home to see our family. We went to Pound for the Heritage Days festivities for Memorial weekend. We came "home" to our boxed up apartment yesterday and Drew has gone back to work. I have been trying to get ready for the move next week but I'm a bit overwhelmed.

We have had some big changes but they are exciting and so far married life is pretty freakin' sweet I gotta say.

General Opinions

I have had this thought lately...what if people were forced to communicate in person rather than on facebook? I don't think some people are capable. And I don't just mean facebook, I mean texting, telephone, etc.  I have been face to face with people who have not said a word to me but when I get home to facebook they just eat me up...I don't understand. I love facebook as much as the next person but it is crippling some people's abilities to interact socially. Maybe it's all just for show so that it seems to everyone else that they are nice but let me tell ya they ain't. I call it fake.

This is a picture from my bridal portrait session with Suzanne Deaton Photography. I don't have the pics from the wedding yet but I will post some when I get them. And the video is the song Drew and I had our first dance to.

Jesus Never Fails.