It's been a while since my last post, and much has happened, so without further ado... (WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POST. YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO TAKE A RESTROOM BREAK OR GET A SNACK OR SOMETHING BEFORE YOU BEGIN. CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED)
First of all, we had a WONDERFUL time visiting the Aultman family in Savannah for Spring Break. Like the absolutely crazy person I am I decided that it was completely sensible for me to take a 5 year old and a 2 year old on a 5 hour road trip all by myself... Blessedly, my children were FANTASTIC! I couldn't have ask for more from them for the entire trip and I was just reminded again of my many many blessings. It was absolutely fantastic to get to spend some time with Suzanne who has been my "bestie" for almost (gasp) 18 years! God has blessed me with one of those amazing and rare friendships with Suzanne where despite the distance and time I know that I can pick up the phone or visit and the conversation will pick up just where it left off the last time one of our kids were going crazy or we had to go to another meeting or bathe some child...
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| Ye olde high school days... |
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| Berry College Graduation Day - May 2002 |
Then it was it was back to Gainesville for "testing season" and not much time for anything else... Until the month of May, which seems to be action packed for my family. First up was Avarie's birthday. We had a great swimming party with her church friends and a good time was reported to be had by all. I haven't dealt with the fact that she has turned six years old yet - which would go along with me accepting that she is growing up. As I am on the edge of a nervous breakdown facing her Kindergarten graduation later this week... I'll leave that for another day and another blog...
Then it was time for Mother's Day weekend and Graduation weekend for me. Mother's Day is always a very bittersweet holiday for me. Without a doubt the two greatest blessings in my life are my children. I'm not sure that I really lived before they came into my life. I love being a mother and my children with every fiber of my being, and I'm blessed that my family shows their love and appreciation of me every day and not just on a Hallmark holiday.
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| Photo by Suzanne Aultman Photography (Yes... she IS that talented...) |
At the same time, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my own mother. There's no words to describe what it's like to want to pick up the phone and tell your mother about all the good things and the bad things and the in-between things that happen during the day and to know that just isn't possible. Your mother is the one that you celebrate victories with and who picks you up when you stumble and fall and that comes to your defense when the world picks on you, and I miss that. Terribly and finally and awfully every day. Even after 16 years.
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| My beautiful and kind spirited Mama |
This Mother's Day weekend was spent in Lynchburg, VA celebrating with my family one of the greatest accomplishments of my life - graduating with a doctorate degree in education. It's been a while since I've finished my work, so I seriously considered not going, but thankfully my husband wasn't having any of that. So we loaded up on a Friday afternoon and drove to Virginia. Saturday morning I was up earlier than any person should be and on my way the last hour to Lynchburg with my dear, dear friend Kelly Whitaker and by 8 am we were reunited with the best Yankee I know, Craig, and ready to commence.
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| Time for commencement! |
Mitt Romney was our commencement speaker, and although I have to say that he wouldn't be my first choice for Presidential nominee, I thought he delivered a nice commencement speech. Truett Cathey also was recognized and I couldn't help but think about how full circle my life seemed as I was graduating in Liberty with Truett and the link that he has with my undergrad school Berry. I, of course, immediately began texting Suzanne in the middle of my commencement - not than anyone noticed since there were about 6,000 or so graduates in the audience.
The greatest moment for me was when I was able to stand up on a chair and look back behind me and see my family there with me. I was so incredibly glad to be able to share this day with them, and I pray that the memory will stick with Avarie and remind her that she can achieve anything at any time. It felt really good to stand there in my graduation robes, with my hood hanging down my back, my velvet stripes on my sleeve, and my gold tassel holding my two year old and knowing that I did this. I decided to do it, and I did. Not to say that my husband was integral because he was SO vital to my finishing. I may live my whole life and never meet anyone so selfless as him, but on just this day the victory was mine. I was 31 years old and had a 5 year old and a 1 year old when I got my doctorate. Not many people can say that, but I can. I don't revel in that very much - in fact, truth be told, I don't even really think about it all that much - but this weekend I did just that. And it was wonderful.
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| With these two clowns, this is honestly the best option for a picture of all of us |
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| Pre-hooding, post-commencement. And yes. I did wear my TOMS for the whole day, and I was glad of it! |
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| Me and the hubs. I love this man! |
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| A small portion of the assembled education graduates. |
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| The "hooding." That's me sitting down in the chair and Dr. Spaulding preparing the hood. |
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| Post hooding (and looking for an exit) |
Anyway... that's my story - or at least a small portion of it - but the rest of the story will keep for another day. Now it's on to celebrate the end of Avarie's kindergarten year (breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth... we can do this... we can do this...) and then to celebrate 11 years of marriage with my hubby!
God bless and good night.
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