Monday, August 12, 2013

Mastered It!

It's Monday, right?  How about a recap of our very full weekend?
Is there any other kind on this side of the pond?

Let's start with trying to get out of town. What a nightmare! Okay, maybe more of a first world problem than a nightmare, but still it was aggravating. We were supposed to fly out at 3 PM on Thursday afternoon, and when I checked the flight status en route to the airport everything was a go.  As hubs was checking the bags we happened to see the word Cleveland on the screen.

Cleveland? As in Ohio? We're not going to Cleveland.

In fact we were going the polar opposite of Cleveland.  Not precisely, but roughly because Cleveland is north and we were traveling south.  Trying to travel south.

I could go on and on (and on and on) about all the rigmarole we encountered, but suffice it to say we did not get out on Thursday night.  Boo. We did get on an early morning flight for Friday, and when they told us that was our only option hubs and I looked at each other and said, "Let's not drive the hour back home only to get up in the middle of the night to come right back."

We checked into a hotel near the airport and headed over to the Ironbound area for dinner. Newark NJ is not a city I'd put on my 'must-see' list...in fact I'd probably tell you to take a wide berth around it, but there is a section of the city known for great eating, called the Ironbound. It's chock a block full of Spanish and Portuguese dining and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Fornos of Spain.  If there's one thing we know how to do around here it's how to make lemonade out of lemons.


Sangria and Spanish omelet anyone?

Daughter2 picked us up on Friday morning, and after breakfast drove us out to the school where she'll be teaching. We got to meet the principal who is fabulous, and daughter2 showed us around the school and inside her classroom. Seeing my baby girl sitting in her official teacher's desk made my heart happy. There's nothing quite so special as seeing your child's dreams come true.


Friday night we met up with family downtown for a pre-graduation celebratory dinner, and then met up with more family who had come to town on Saturday for a pre-graduation celebratory lunch.

Our family likes to do everything in a pack...there's a lot of us.
Just ask the boyfriend.

Downtown Greenville South Carolina is one of my favorite places to be. Hubs and I went for a run both mornings we were there, and enjoyed strolling through their fabulous Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.


Falls Park is so pretty....almost makes me like running.


Almost.


Of course we took pictures on this gorgeous campus which never looks lovelier than with all it's many fountains flowing.


Look at that smile!  


Is it because she's finally finished with grad school? Has a brand new job? Or is it because her favorite boy came to town to celebrate all of the above?  I'm going with C.


Since this was a summertime ceremony, it was much smaller aka shorter,  than the springtime graduations we've attended.  


Not complaining. 
At all.  

This ceremony was held indoors in comfortable seats and air conditioning. There is definitely something to be said for an indoor summertime graduation in the south.


Daughter2 was beaming as she received her Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has always enjoyed school, but she is so ready to get on with the business of teaching.


I think a good teacher is full of passion, full of heart, full of ideas, and full of resolve.  So proud of her accomplishments, and so excited for my girl and the year ahead...


"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined."  
Henry David Thoreau

21 comments:

  1. Absolutely lovely. I smiled at all the photos!!

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  2. Congrats on the graduation! Looks like it WAS a lovely celebration - and weekend (once you got there...)

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  3. This brought tears to my eyes. I love these big moments in life when we gather to celebrate our children. ((HUGS))

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  4. I know that special feeling of seeing little girl grown up, sitting in her own Teacher Chair, her dreams coming true :) I'm sure your daughter appreciates all the good modeling of passion, heart, resolve, and other good stuff you instilled. Great photo of the three of you!

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  5. What a wonderful weekend you had, and your photos are great!

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  6. Congratulations to your daughter - what a wonderful achievement.

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  7. I know you are a proud mama! Congrats! Your hubs gets a "10" for his bow tie!

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  8. Congratulations Joyce! What a great time in the life of your daughters. I wish them much success in their professions!

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  9. What an amazing accomplishment! Congrats to Daughter2! And the whole bunch of family too!

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  10. The picture of you, your hubby and your daughter is just bursting with pride. Congratulations! She will be a wonderful teacher.

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  11. Your daughter is so pretty. Congratulations all around. You can be a proud mother. You deserve it. I wish her the best.

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  12. Congratulations to your daughter! How exciting! She will be a wonderful teacher, you can see it in her eyes and her smile!
    until next time...nel

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  13. Congratulations to Daughter2! She's going to do GREAT!

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  14. Congratulations to ALL of you. I know it must have been a team effort. :)

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  15. Congratulations Daughter2! She looks positively beaming. Congratulations Mom! :)

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  16. What a wonderful celebration of Daughter2's accomplishment!!!
    What a PRETTY place!

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  17. Great pictures. Congratulations to Daughter 2! When I saw that picture of her at the desk, I could just see the kinds of things she will do to bring that room to life. : )

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  18. Congratulations to your beautiful daughter!!!

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  19. What a hiccup in your traveling but I see you made the best of it AND you got there in plenty of time (thank goodness) to enjoy everything. Congratulations and your daughter was beaming along with her two very proud parents. How exciting for her to be starting her first teaching job. The first year, always rough but a good rough :)

    Lucy from Lucy's Reality

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