Graduation!

Last week was a great week.  James graduated and Charlie had his first birthday.  More on Charlie's birthday later.  For now, here are pictures for all of the graduation festivities.

Every year the Institute holds a Graduation Ball.  It's in a beautiful reception hall at the Franciscan Monastery Gardens.  The master's students who have just completed their first year of studies host it (set up, cook, MC, etc) for the students who are graduating (and everyone else who comes).  I will forever remember my first Institute Ball as the time I thought, "Uh oh, this baby is coming early!"  I was 8 months pregnant with Charlie and having contractions after having just baked 6 apple tarts and 3 large cheesecakes.  Lesson learned: ask for help!

Anyway, that meant this year, all I had to do was show up and look nice.  And make sure the rest of people in my care looked nice too.  This is actually no small feat.

Disclaimer: I had a lot of help with the photos in this post.  Our friend Carly and the professional photographer at graduation filled in where my camera was lacking.

 Here is a series of Lucy on the dance floor.  There was a live swing band.  Music, a dance floor, and low tables with food on them.  That's all Lucy really needs.

Then something great happened.  Charlie fell asleep on someone else's shoulder and she was willing to continue holding him.  Lucy was not crying, whining or otherwise in need.  James and I got to dance to two whole songs!

It was great.  After the second song, I just had a feeling that somewhere someone was getting into mischief.  And sure enough, we found Lucy just outside the hall near a water fountain.  She had found a cup and was repeatedly filling it up at the water fountain and throwing it in the air.  Half of her dress was completely soaked.  Fortunately, it had multiple layers so she couldn't even feel it.  We laughed pretty hard.

We headed to the Basilica, or the BIIIIIIG church as Lucy calls it, the next day for the official graduation.

Here is James after he was hooded, shaking the Archbishop's hand.  It was quite a coordinated dance: walk across to the Archbishop, bend down and get hood shaken over your head, stand up, shake his hand...

... and then both look at the camera and smile!

Hey, did I mention he graduated Magna Cum Laude??  We're pretty proud.

And here they all are!

As they were up there while everyone was taking pictures, Lucy, Charlie and I (who had just sat through a long mass and ceremony during nap time) and came up too.  Lucy got very excited and started jumping around and laughing hysterically.  All of the graduates couldn't help but laugh at her too.

A pretty nice picture, considering the lack of nap!

That evening there was a party to continue the celebration.  It was so nice to meet lots of classmate's parents (or see them again).  There was, of course, a bonfire in the back with people playing instruments.  Lucy again enjoyed the low tables containing lots of chocolate and other goodies.

Because James is going on to the PhD, his graduation from the Master's sometimes seemed like just a pit-stop, not a big deal considering the work ahead of u.  But then we started thinking about all of the things that have changed in the past two years-- all the things both of us have learned, Lucy has grown so much, and even a whole person--and not just any person, but our sweet Charlie-- joined our family during that time.  And then we celebrated for all we were worth!