{Congratulations, Graduate!}

This weekend, we attended two graduation ceremonies for Ryan.  As I was starting to grumble during the second ceremony on Saturday, I realized that these events were a significant part to this wonderful accomplishment. 

We had sitters for our boys for both ceremonies, and in hindsight, wish we would have brought them to at least one...so they could see their daddy walk...but then again, it was really nice to not have to worry about them being too loud our antsy...I somehow think nobody would have survived either experience.  *chuckle*

Friday, May 7th:  Ryan was hooded as a Master in Training and Development in Idaho State University's College of Technology with the Degree of Human Resource Training and Development.  A mouthful, I know. The ceremony was relatively short, and considerably comfortable at the Stephen's Performing Art's Center...they had padded seats, and I had Ryan's iTouch to keep me busy.  :)  Really though, it was a nice one and a half hour ceremony. 

I was even a good wife and brought a towel and my iron to press his gown, given to him an hour before the ceremony....can you tell I like things neat and orderly?  He was the only one there who didn't have creases in his gown and hood.  He was also with the few who wore suits.  He looked very handsome and professional!

pictured above:  Dr. Tom Jackson, Graduate School Dean, Ryan, Dr. Robert Croker, department chair, Dr. Rita Kalody, who pretty much spent all of April spending time with Ryan to perfect his Research Project paper and Defense.  She's a saint in my book. 

Those who came to support me and my sweet husband included: 

My brother Reed (poor kid was sick, though), my mom (my dad was in charge of and in attendance at the 2010 Scout Jamboral in Blackfoot...don't know what is worse:  freezing with a bunch of scouts or sweating in a room full of graduates) and myself.  Sorry for the gomer picture dear - Your mom only took one, and this was it.  :)

Ryan's parents, Ken & Edytha, his brother Mitch (who inspired Ryan to obtain his Master's...Ryan and Mitch are they only two in their family to earn Master's degrees) and his two daughters Rylee and Savannah, and his brother Gary.  Not pictured is Gary's wife, Valerie, who came later with her son Seth. 

(Now that I see myself in these pictures, I see why that woman at work a few days ago thought I was going to have a baby right then and there...I have put on SO much baby weight!  *sigh*)

Significance behind the hooding:  In the 13th century, one who became a master in his discipline was presented before a council to have his head shaved, then hooded to keep warm.  This particular costuming, the hood and robe, are representative of this age old tradition, of distinguishing between students, teachers, and so on...you'll notice his professors in the previous hooding picture have velvet stripes on their sleeves...this is because they have their doctorate degrees, and are qualified to teach the teacher.  

Thank heavens they didn't have the cosmetology graduates (or anyone, for that matter) shave all the Master Students' heads!  Each college is represented by a different color, so on Saturday it was fun to see all the many colored hoods and tassels.

Saturday, May 8th:  Ryan was given his diploma (okay, just the cover) during the university-wide commencement exercises at ISU's Holt Arena.  Sitting in hard chairs for three hours is not a good idea for a pregnant woman who will deliver her baby in 9 weeks.  (Especially when the individuals from other graduates' families were climbing over and around her for those three hours...I counted two teenage girls climbing out of their seats seven times.  sheesh!) 

We were there early to get seats and for Ryan to get in respective line...we took the opportunity to get pictures BEFORE the event...

My mother-in-law was surprised that they didn't have an opening prayer...I just chuckled and told her we weren't at BYU-Idaho any more.  :)  They did sing the national anthem, though, and it was pretty neat to hear all the graduates and their families singing in honor of our country, and our freedom. 

Ryan was presented with his diploma within the first hour...then we patiently and respectfully sat through the next hour and a half, visiting quietly and clapping for those we knew (Tanner's Primary Teacher, another sister in our ward, and two cousins of Ryan's also graduated with various degrees). 

I sent the following message via text to Ryan shortly after he walked (10:30 am), "Baby's coming.  Let's go eat."  We debated on using that excuse for the next hour, but thought better of it, and stayed...and sat...and got climbed over...and watched mindlessly as 2,232 (no kidding) graduates walked across the stage...I have no pictures of Ryan actually walking, unless you can count blurs of black and orange...we were so far back in the stadium, that I couldn't see his face even. 

As it neared lunch time, and as I got antsy and my mom and mother- and father-in-law grew antsy, we debated on leaving early.  A series of texts back and forth between Ryan and I confirmed that we were just as awful as those leaving early...we made a break for it.   

We enjoyed a very un-crowded dinner at Texas Roadhouse with our parents, and as we were leaving around 1:30 pm, we saw quite a few families of graduates walking in to get their lunch.  Poor souls...had to endure a full three hours of commencement exercises.  Mwahahah!

All in all, it was a fabulous two days worth of celebrations...and a long discussion on the way home about how long Ryan had to wait to start on his Doctorate Degree.  And if I would like to or want to earn my Masters...and what was next...and how the job market is...and what our future holds...I could go on and on...

Thank you, mom and dad, and to Ryan's parents, to siblings, to baby sitters, to friends, to family, to teachers, and to our loving Heavenly Father for support and encouraging words.  :)  We couldn't have done it without you all.

Congratulations, Graduate.  

You Did It!!!  

And we couldn't be more proud of you.  

♥ XOXO ♥