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?

Remember when...

I had a blog. Probably the only person that it has bothered not to read my every thought is my husband who often complains that he still checks my blog every day to find no new post. But not to worry I'm happy to fill him in in person. I've been a bit busy writing and kicking ass on a Master's thesis. I will eventually post part of it here because I'm so dang proud of it but that's a ways off.


I'm in the home stretch of student teaching. One more week. I've got applications in all over Southwestern Virginia and maybe a random one in North Carolina and Colorado. Just for shits and giggles. Graduation is in 2 weeks and then you can officially call me Master Meghan. I get to be "hooded" and everything.

Other highlights of the last several months:
Drew got inked. It is lovely and if possible he is even sexier now than he was before. Next time you see him ask him the story behind it, it is even more lovely than the tattoo itself.

I'm on the 5th Harry Potter book in our book challenge. (Drew hasn't even finished the 3rd book I've suggested to him for the year).

Ike and Drew spent most of their time hiking and hanging out in the woods while I sat in front of a computer screen finishing papers, projects, lesson plans, job applications, e-mails, etc.

Our favorite niece turned 1.

All of our Blacksburg friends are either in the process of moving or expecting babies. Or both.

My brother can officially destroy beat me at 1 on 1 (it was a sad day, friends).

Someone in this house is writing a book but I'm not giving away any names.

We gave up sweets for lent, then foundered on Reese's eggs on Easter.

Drew's had a few guy trips and I had one lovely gal weekend getaway to the lake which was much needed (a return couple's trip has already been scheduled for summer).

One of my friends found man on Farmer's Only, I'm totes serious.

And I got a parking ticket and accidentally drank spoiled milk.

Those are the highlights. I will be back into the blogosphere soon, promise. I have lots of opinions to catch you up on. P.S. This is the view from our roof. Not too shabby.