Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Celebrating With Family...

It's raining buckets today, and I can't mow...and can't get my flowers beds ready for mulch (only a few weeks late!!)...so I'll take some time to fill you in on something fun we did this past weekend.

The kids and I took a quick trip to Virginia to attend my niece Maria's graduation from Eastern Mennonite University.  It's always good to be together with family, and this was a good "excuse" to head south. We left after Saturday morning's milking and made the trip in under four hours...just in time for lunch.  Eric helped with the driving, and that was nice!  I get sleepy driving even in the daytime.

The weather couldn't have been any more perfect.  You'll be able to see from the pictures just how beautiful it was.  EMU's campus is beautiful, and the lawn was a great place for graduation.  We staked out our spot in the back, on comfy chairs so we could easily move around to take pictures...


Here she comes...all smiles.  She graduated Summa Cum Laude, with a major in Spanish and minors in Bible and Religion...


The beautiful Shenandoah mountains in the background...


We were honored to hear 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee give the commencement address.  She is from Liberia and received a masters degree from EMU a few years ago.  She was a great speaker, and I could have listened to her for a while longer...


Maria with her family...


The "girl cousins"...


With my parents...Grandpa and Grandma...


Shortly after graduation was over, we packed up and headed for home again. It was a short trip, but filled with family and fun.  Thanks Jim, for holding down the fort at home so we could go!

Congratulations Maria!  We're proud of you!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post...I got some great pictures of Virginia fences!

13 comments:

  1. How super when the weather cooperates! Love the smiles and the familyness! Hooray! Now if it will just stay sunny and dry long enough to get the seeds in the ground.

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  2. I saw your pictures and I wondered who the people were. What a lovely place.
    It looks like you had fun. Enjoy that rain. :) I can't wait to see the fences.

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  3. So fun to see some pics of beautiful EMU!

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  4. Great accomplishment Maria, Congratulations. I'm glad the weather was perfect for the occasion.
    Great photos of happy people.
    Hugs,
    JB

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  5. (love your last note...) :)

    congrats to her and the best of life ahead for her!

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  6. Congratulations, and where's the picture of you with the grad?

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  7. Congratulations Maria. Always worth a long trip to celebrate with family. Tex is funny. Hug B

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  8. So glad you could join us.

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  9. I so clearly remember when Maria was born, as I'm sure you do too! How is it that she can be graduating from college already?! Congratulations, Maria!

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  10. Congratulations Maria! You got some great pictures. I used to have a friend that worked at EMU in the admissions office.

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  11. Beautiful, beautiful pictures of such a happy family! Your niece looks all ready to start her new life!

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  12. Congratulations to your niece! Congratulations!

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