I still can’t believe this day actually came.

I mean, honestly, I felt more sure about the due dates of my babies than I did about graduation. You can’t be pregnant forever. But you sure can be a student forever!

Graduation Day was warm, humid, and rainy and honestly there is no better way to revisit my former home in Buena Vista.

We gathered in the Knights Arena, where we began with a moment of silence for our classmate Derek Fermin who tragically died only a week before graduation.

In an unnerving twist of fate, my high school graduation also mourned the loss of our classmate. I wrote a song for Lindy and the lyrics still ring true for me today. It’s never fair when the youth die young.

Rest in peace and love Lindy and Derek.

For our commencement speakers, we heard from silicon valley success stories:

And then heard a gorgeous performance of Shenandoah by the SVU choir. (We didn’t have Peter Hollens, unfortunately, but he does a beautiful rendition of it as well.)

Finally, it was time to perform the graduation walk.

Where we received one of this fancy pantsy degree tubes:

Once seated, tassels were flipped , and the caps tossed. We were graduated!!!

I think I have a bachelor’s degree now? Possibly in business marketing with honors. But I’m still waiting on the dean to come bursting though my house like the koolaid man bearing a reaper crane to drag my sorry dumptruck back to class.

Much love and gratitude to this man, who not only was my biggest supporter in school, but can also channel an impressive high school musical at any given moment.

Onward, into the quiet unknown!