Graduation Weekend

We have been counting down the days until May 10th, 2014 for many, many years at our home. It seemed at time as if it would never come, but the closer we got, time seemed to speed up and before we knew it graduation weekend was here!

The first part of the week leading up to graduation weekend I sent Charlotte to my parents so that I could run all the last minute errands quicker and she could have much more fun than she would have had at home that week. It was also Teacher Apprec week at the big kids school and I'd volunteered on Friday to help with lunch for the teachers that day. After lunch, I met up with my parents and Charlotte and we picked up Matt's cake and the food for lunch the next day.

Matt's parents got into town around dinner time and we all went out to eat at our favorite mexican place -- yummy! Everyone turned in early that night -- we had to be up bright and early the next morning. Graduation started at 8:30 and Matt had to be there at 7:30.

We got the kids up and all went on with him. It was a little surreal walking up to the arena that morning. We beat most of the crowd -- but all the Ph.D. students were there with their families. Haha! I guess when you've worked this hard for something you want to enjoy every minute of the day. After waiting 5 years to see this -- having to wait an hour for it to start and being there early to get a good seat was nothing! 

I snapped this picture as we walked in. Love it! 

Matt texted me this picture as we were waiting.

Miss Charlotte in her Razorback dress. :)

I opted for video of the graduation so I don't have any pictures of that. But, it was a great! And, the kids were soooo good sitting through all of it. After we took tons of pictures. It was well documented. ;) We sported all Razorback colors that day.

Instead of going out to eat to celebrate we came home and had BBQ (of course!). I did appetizers and we had such a nice time sitting and talking and just living it up that day!

And Matt showed off his dissertation. He'd written the dedication and acknowledgments a long time ago, but wouldn't let anyone see them. They are beautifully written. He dedicated it to me. I bet not too many wives can say they have had a book dedicated to them (on mothers day weekend, no less). His acknowledgments included his advisor, our dear friends The Walkers, his mentor at HU and our families as well as a few other collegues that have helped him along the way. He wrote such sweet words to each of them.

The title is: The Effects of Combining Looping, Cognitively Guided Instruction, and Ethnicity: How They Can Collectively Improve Academic Achievement. Whew!

It was the most perfect weekend! After lunch we headed out to the ballfields where Charlotte and Madeleine had their first games of the season! They had quite the cheering crew here for them. :) Sunday was Mother's Day and Matt's parents stayed to celebrate with us. It was such a treat to have our family here for Mother's Day!

Matt still is not quite fully finished -- but almost. He is finished with revisions and is in the process of setting a defense date. Hopefully sooner, not later so we can enjoy a little bit of "real" summer. Matt's been working and going to school nonstop since August of last year and he's been in grad school (with summers off) since Harrison was born. We are ready for a break!