Our Graduate!

Trent graduated from Samuel Merritt University with a second bachelor's degree in nursing! It was an exciting day for our family to go downtown to the Crest Theatre for the ceremony and watch dad cross the stage.

Every new nurse gets "pinned" by another R.N. and Trent chose a favorite professor of his, Dr. Grace Cox.

We were happy to have Grandma D come down from Canada to be here for his special day. It meant a lot to Trent for him to have his mom there with him to see him get his degree.

My dad came too, so here's the whole gang right after the ceremonies.

Rather than get the man a bouquet of flowers, we made a bouquet of gift cards, lollipops, and chocolate bars! We stuck long lollipop sticks into the different candy bars and wrapped the bouquet in cellophane. A much more man-friendly bouquet if you ask me.

I wasn't quite prepared for the enormity of the ceremony to come crashing down upon me.

As the various speakers spoke of the intense studies endured this year, time away from families, and hard work that was involved in the 12 month accelerated bachelor's program-- I cried.

When his name was read off-- I cried.

When the slideshow played of pictures from the year of all students performing nursely duties in scrubs-- I cried.

When they played a Taylor Hick's song in the background of that slideshow and the words said:
My heart is full
Of endless gratitude
You were the one
The one to guide me through
Now I can see
And I believe
It's only just beginning

[Chorus:]
This is what we dream about
But the only question with me now
Is do I make you proud
Stronger than I've ever been now
Never been afraid of standing out
Do I make you proud

I guess I’ve learned
To question is to grow,
That you still have faith,
Is all I need to know,
I’ve learned to love,
Myself in spite of me,
And I’ve learned to
Walk on the road I believe.

-- I cried. And yes, honey. You make me proud. Very, very proud.

It was a long year. To say the least. Dad had a lot of school, a lot of homework, a lot of clinicals, a lot of work, a lot of church responsibilities, a lot of daddy responsibilities. And he did it all. After 8 years of marriage and 3 beautiful daughters, we are ready for the next chapter of our life.

So from me and the girls, "Congratulations! You did it! And we couldn't be more proud of you!"

We celebrated with a trip to our favorite ice cream store, Tops Yogurt.

And then back home where Trent got a pretty super-neat present from my parents: a Wii! We are all having lots of fun with Daddy's gift!