Hubby and I have attended lots of graduations with our kids. It started with both graduating from high school, then both graduating with bachelor’s degrees. Our son walked again with another bachelor’s degree, then walked with a master’s degree. A few years later, our daughter walked to get her master’s degree and this month, she walked to get her doctorate degree. That makes eight times we’ve gone to graduation ceremonies in support our kids and their dreams and accomplishments. Our attendance at all of the ceremonies was never a question in our minds; we wanted to be there. We’re so very proud of both of them.
Some of those graduations involved travel, including the one earlier this month. College Station TX is a long way from our house, but we made the trip because we wouldn’t miss it for anything. We traveled to our winter home in Amarillo and spent a couple days relaxing and eating at Hubby’s favorite Mexican food restaurant and seeing our church family there. We spent a little more than a day at my parent’s house, seeing about them. Dad is okay but getting more frail every time I see him. He’s lost a lot of weight and is weaker than I’ve ever seen him. Mom is fine, other than not remembering what questions she asked in the previous minute. We made it to College Station after turning a four-hour drive into an eight-hour one due to geocaching.
On Saturday, graduation wasn’t until 2 pm which gave us a leisurely morning to get ready. Daughter’s mentor reserved us seats in the VIP section so we had a good view of her walking the stage, her getting the pseudo diploma, getting her hood, and walking off. About one thousand other students walked, most young, but a surprising number of nontraditional students walked as well, proving you’re never too old to chase a dream.
We took a new route home which provided new scenery and new highways. We made one detour to get close to Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock in the North Platte River valley where the Oregon-California trail, the Mormon trail, the Pony Express, and the Sidney-Deadwood Stage routes had passed. History always piques our interest, and the short drive to the rocks was well worth the short delay in getting home.
I dreaded the heat we would run into down south, but the temperatures weren’t bad until we hit the heat and humidity in College Station. My lesson in that is you never know what to expect when you travel. Pack for everything, and you won’t be sorry. However, after Hubby lifts my suitcase, he has a different idea about it.
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4
