Graduation Day!

So not only did I graduate from bedrest today to what DH and I are thinking of as "modified couchrest" for a few more days, I went to the commencement ceremony to celebrate my Masters! It was a nice ceremony, but not as exciting as that moment of college graduation. I remember being so excited, so nervous, so sentimental when I left my good old alma mater. My life now is a lot different than I would have imagined on that day. In many ways it is better, but I was always the girl thought to be the first who would have kids, and I sure thought I would be teaching Kindergarten, or a stay at home Mom by now! Oh, and living where I do? Not what I pictured.

One of the weirdest things was going through the ceremony not knowing anyone. I ran into a couple girls I knew (one from undergrad actually), but the whole ceremony felt like it was happening to someone else. There was no sitting next to my roommate, pictures with my sorority sisters or last sentimental walks around campus. But in a lot of ways, it sums up my grad school experience. I never really felt like I belonged to that campus, in my heart, I will always be part of my undergrad campus.

Eight years ago I marched for myself, full of hope for the future, full of sadness at leaving the place I called home and the friends I had made there. Today. . .well today, I marched for my family. For my parents and my grandmother, for whom I am the first in the family to get a Masters degree. For my husband who attended there as an undergrad, and was thrilled to see me graduate from HIS alma mater. And for what I hope is growing and dividing and implanting inside of me. I always thought it would be good to finish my Masters before we had kids, so embabies. . .is that good enough for you? You went to graduation with me, I'm done!

I have photos (of course) of my very distinguished look. Why is it that the higher in education you get, the goofier the outfits?

Getting my diploma:

With DH after the ceremony:

The hood that still didn't look right, that we tried for hours to figure out. . .

Like I said: More education = goofier outfits.