University Graduate

We celebrated a big day for Joseph today, and made the kids all come with us - we went down to celebrate Joseph graduating from BYU! Congratulations Joseph!

High school graduation was a big deal, but this one is bigger. A little bit more sweat and tears are put into the college diploma, so we thought we'd make all the kids come to support him and congratulate him on his accomplishment. The commencement exercises were this morning. I tuned in over tv for some of it, after my mom texted that she was listening to it (doh!) I had thought maybe one of us might go down for that, but then we became a car short yesterday - Corey's car went in for an oil change and registration, and ended up needing the timing belt and water pump blah blah two thousand dollars... so it is in the shop until  tomorrow. That made things a little trickier. So I didn't end up going down, and missed watching it. but later tonight Joseph said he didn't go, cause they had to be in line 90 minutes before, and he wanted to maximize his sleep, so J wasn't even there, I guess it's ok I didn't show. I caught enough over tv that I felt I fulfilled my parental duty. My bigger contribution getting all the kids there for the college convocation at 5. That was tricky without Corey's car. And THEN he had some meetings, so he had to take my car... so I was texting and calling my parents and Wayne and Joseph and Corey trying to figure out logistics. I ended up biking to the school with Peter and Katharine in the trailer, in a light rain, and checking out Natalie Owen Daniel around 2. They all rode their bikes to school, so we biked home. Hyrum, Owen and Daniel were ready at 2:45 for when my parents came by to get them. Joseph came up from BYU for something, so he went to Wayne's to give Corey his smaller car and traded for the van. Corey was able to go to his 3 and 4 pm meetings, Joseph drove home to pick up Me, Abi, Lily Sophi Natalie Peter and Katharine. And then we were off. Corey drove down after his meetings were done. Wayne had saved us a row of seats - portal C row 22. My parents and HOD were there saving the row for us. Mel got there right when we did. Eliza was there soon too, and Ethan and Bella another 10 min after. There were a lot of graduates in the college of Life Sciences, so their convocation was held in the Marriott Center. It took us a minute talking on the phone to figure out where he was in the mass of people, and for him to see where we were. He found us first, but soon we spotted him - Joseph was in the 5th row back like the 6th seat over, so he was pretty close to us! Well, maybe not close, but atleast he was on our side of the room. And right as we were talking to him, he was put up on the jumbo screen! He turned and waved to the camera so that was fun, but I missed taking a photo of it - I was talking to him and trying to take a photo and my phone wasn't fast enough for the switch and then he was looking up at the screen to see himself. We guessed when he was walking up, and followed him as his name was read. "One by one" takes a long time. I liked how that part of graduation is similar to the temple. It would be a lot faster to just graduate a group as a mass rather than one by one pronouncing each name. But one by one it is. That is how it is done in the LDS temples, and I'm glad that's how they do it in the "black robes of a false priesthood" temple of learning too. Joseph coming back to his seat -walking a third from the left in his white sash and white diploma in hand.

His name was read close to the beginning. His section is about half done, and there were 3 more sections after that. Yeah, we were there for a while. I took K outside to play after half way through the presentation of the graduates. Playing on a bike rack - 

When the convocation was over, we gathered outside with Joseph. 

The weather turned windy and there was a light rain, so K and I hid inside for a few minutes while the kids tried to tell us we should take them all out to eat, and it could even be "our treat". Corey commented "Our kids are united on one thing - turning any event into an opportunity for us to give them food." 

Well, as tempting as that sounds to blow money on y'all, Corey and I decided against it. The little boys were already happy cause I had told them "and then we'll come back and have HOT DOGS for dinner!!" before we left home (good thinking me!). So that was a no from me, a no from dad, and we are the only ones that get to vote on what we spend money on. Corey thought maybe donuts... Ethan said "I can buy my own donut" he wanted bigger food. Corey also joked "I get it if it comes from the little boys, but I would have thought E had moved beyond this..." Still, maybe we swing by Krispy Kreme? I was ok with donuts, when E knew there wasn't any goods coming for them, they headed out. Mel headed back to her regularly scheduled life as well. We had to figure out cars home... as we talked about that, the plan was made - my parents were ok to head home without anyone, Wayne took Lily and Owen with him, JElizaHASN walked to the van, which I had parked far away per Joseph's suggestion. When we were coming, time was getting close that J had to be there in line (4:45) and it was very crowded, so I dropped him off west of Helaman Halls and he took off running up the hill, I parked close by there on North Canyon road and ALSNPK and I walked up in the direction J went. So they had to walk back to where I parked. Corey, DPK and I went to Joseph's car, where Corey had parked it, and were in gridlock traffic trying to leave the Marriott Center. Joseph and his crew beat us to their vehicle, and they went by Smiths for ice cream, and then we crashed J's apartment. Wayne met us there, they happily ate bowls of ice cream, Joseph, Eliza and I did the dishes, and then Joseph and Eliza got ready to go to St. George with friends, and we went to Ethan's apartment to give him his shoes that he had left at home last Sunday. Good thing about that was we got to see their cute home sweet home! Corey had already been by and seen it, but it was the first time for me and the girls. Super cute little newlywed apartment. I remember living in a little place like that! Back when life was simple. Ethan was a little bit anxious telling kids to not touch this and don't do that (slide down the part of the couch that is missing the cushion). Corey tried to help Eth with his computer, the kids ate their pineapple. Peter sat on my lap and was looking around at all of their wedding photos on the wall, then asked me "Mom? How do you get married by finding a friend that's a girl?" which I thought was the cutest question ever. Bella overheard us talking and was smiling as I talked to Peter a little about growing up, dating, then trying to find someone that you want to be your best friend. Cute little kid trying to put things together. Then we headed home and the kids tastebuds were finally paid in full when they were eating their hot dogs at 9:30. Now it's late, Lily is a little stressed that she didn't get any of her homework done... sorry Lil. AP tests are coming up soon for her and Abi. It was a good milestone day for Joseph, and we were glad to drag all the kids along for this important event. I told them they don't have to go to any high school graduations, but we'll probably make them do college ones. I reserve the right to change my mind in the future.