Finals. Graduation. Mother's Day.

All the activity of the last few months built up to a final accumulation of what is called finals week.

As it turned out, my finals were scheduled 10 minutes apart.  On two different campuses.

Luckily my Spanish teacher let me join another of his classes on a different day to give me some slack, so I took my Spanish final a day early.  Which was good because as it was, after taking my math final I would have had exactly enough time to then drive to my Spanish final, but the stress of standing up from finishing one final just to sit down and take another would have been intense.  Also, there wouldn't have been time for one last glance at notes and flashcards.

Thankfully it all went well and I was able to pass both classes with A's and graduate.

Spanish final on Tuesday.  Check.
Tayler's orchestra concert on Tuesday.  Check. (More on that tomorrow).

Math final on Wednesday.  Check.
Graduation on Thursday.  Check.
Casidee's orthodontist appointment on Friday... well, four out of five isn't bad.  Though I did manage to make my appointment to donate platelets at Red Cross on Friday.  For the first time ever.

Saturday had Tayler's soccer game and was full of errands.  Grocery shopping, Barnes and Noble, Target, and Hobby Lobby.  One of our new friends that we've taken to riding with in Moab has been diagnosed with cancer.  The only thing I can think of to do for someone when I hear they have cancer is to make them a really soft, warm blanket.  I heard somewhere that you get really cold when going through chemo. Unfortunately this isn't the first blanket I've made for such an occasion.  Hopefully the gesture is enough to let them know they're not alone while facing it.  "It" being either cancer or chemo.  I think they both sound miserable.

I enjoyed hanging out with my crew for the week while The Man was away for the week, attending a training in Colorado for work.

Though we sure did miss him.

Sunday dawned on a very rainy Mother's Day but we got to have all six kids at home, and The Man was finally home, so we made good food, including strawberry shortcake, and watched a lot of TV.  I was determined to do as little as possible, enjoying my last day of "nothingness" until school resumed on Monday.  But this time at the U of U, which makes me smile a great a deal.

I want to express how thankful I am for the support and love that was shown to me on my graduation day.  And though receiving my associate's degree is not the final destination, it was a milestone that represents no more general classes and I was excited to celebrate that.

The support the surrounded me filled my soul with love and appreciation for the family and friends that surround my life.  Though The Man was in Colorado with work and wasn't able to be there, I certainly wasn't alone in my day.

The kids and I made a trip to Hobby Lobby (how did I survive before that store?) and found some sparkly letters for the top of my hat.  We wanted to make sure they'd be able to find me in the sea of black hats.

Turns out, it worked better than I could have hoped for.  The Circus spotted me the instant I walked in and had no problems keeping track of me in the crowd.

 

My dad, Brent.

My dad, Dick, West's dad, Mike, my mom, KC.

My brother, Bill.

 

I could not have asked for a better support system than my husband and our kids.  They have never complained once about my schedule or my need to do homework.  They've been excited for me the entire time.  And they've calmed my self-doubt with words like, "You can do it.  You always do."  Even though those words might have been accompanied with an eye roll as it was said.

Casidee, Jayme, and Brynn surprised me with some awesome glasses.

I sent a text to the man at one point while I was waiting to enter in the procession, telling him there was a guy that looked just like Big Hoss from that pawn show.

Some time passed, as The Man was busy in classes, but he eventually replied with, "Is your ceremony today?"

He was answered with this picture.  "You could say that.  Like, right this minute."

He then expressed some very kind words about how proud he was and how much he loved me.

Like I said, I couldn't have asked for a better support group.

Jayme and Brynn Graduate NOVA

 NOVA is a pretty big deal to the kids.

It ranks up there with concert choir and field day.

I'm graduating from NOVA today, you're going to be there, right Mom?

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

So I sit through a two hour ceremony type deal and listen to the police officer (this year it was Officer Martin) talk about how our kids are the funnest and the best and his favorite of all the kids he does NOVA with.  I watch a slide show of the kids making faces at the camera.  I listen to kids read their constitutions for life, about how they won't do drugs and they'll go to college and be good people.  I listen about to the stories of when they made and flew their rockets, and how well the "no TV for a week" challenge went.

Brynn conveniently chose the week when we had no TV hooked up because we were doing the family room floor.

Smart girl.

And then I sit and watch as each and every child is called up for their certificate.

Usually this is a 6th grade thing, but since our school district is changing and putting 6th grade into the Middle School (and subsequently 9th grade into High School) next year, this meant that this year they also included the 5th graders, since they won't be in elementary next year to do it.

What this means for our Circus is that we had not one, but two kids in the NOVA program this year.

6th grader Jayme, and 5th grader Brynn.

Just for the record, they still brag about knowing a police officer.  He's like, their best friend.

They're like this.

I appreciate anyone who makes my kids feel that way.

And I'm proud of these girls for putting in the effort to learn about how drugs and alcohol, and even media can have ill effects on their lives.  And how education can have a significant effect on it as well.

Kids, alcohol will eat your brain.

But college, now there's a way to build it.

Oh, and since there are six of you within five years of each other... get good grades and get really good at sports.  We're going to need all the scholarships we can get our hands on.

Thanks.