Always a duck!

Remember this:

This weekend was the culmination of all the work, and stress, and late nights, and cranky days of homework.

Mr. Wiedz has three more classes to take (1 on campus, 1 independent study, and 1 on-line) but walked in the graduation ceremonies on Saturday.

We had a nice day celebrating and taking in all the moments that this meant to our family. The Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) program ceremony started at 10AM. It was a simple time with a few comments from the professors that run that department and all the graduates stood to be recognized in their program. The rain threatened to make the ceremony very quick but it held off. It made the air feel even more special, the grass and the moss a little greener and the trees drip.

After that ceremony we walked to a campus pizza place that Mr. Wiedz had wanted to get back to. We were the first ones there which was AWESOME and the kids could run around and play video games and we didn't have to worry about other people. Lunch was wonderful too. Mr. Wiedz remembered Pegasus Pizza from when we were in college in the early 90's and it was as delicious as he remembered. I had wanted to have a picnic on the campus somewhere but this was so much better.

After lunch we started walking back toward where the next ceremony was to take place. We first walked to the Knight Library and showed the older kids what a beautiful college library looked like. I even showed the boys the card catalog because I think it is so cool they still have them set up. The smell of a card catalog is undeniable.

The School of Architecture and Allied Arts held their ceremony and the sun had come out! #4 took his nap after we got our seats and were waiting for the ceremony (an hour!). I held him across my legs and held a scarf up to shade his face from the bright sun. It was a short nap but any amount of sleep I figured was a gift! Mr. Wiedz and all the graduates marched in a were seated by program. There was a couple speeches then they called each graduate across the stage and gave them their diploma cover and shook hands. After all the graduates were announced they moved their tassels and were graduated!

It was all so fabulous to witness. Such a big deal to be a part of. Finishing his degree has been a life-goal for Mr. Wiedz and he got to participate in the ceremonies which really brought the whole thing together. I'm proud of him for sticking with it (this last term almost got the best of him and us) and excited about what he can and will do in the future. He can do anything that he puts his mind to.