Okay, I've been putting this blog off. I have been tired, exhausted really, and yesterday I started feeling sick, kind of an all over achy feeling. I think I am a bit depressed really. Having school behind me makes me sad. I am excited that I am finally done, and excited to have been through graduation, but feel a little lost as to what I can do to progress from this point forward. During the past two semesters I felt like I was moving towards a goal, a worthy, wonderful goal. Now I don't know what I am headed for. I know that there are a multitude of projects to do, things in my house that have been neglected for quite some time, but there isn't that same end goal in the day to day living of being a wife and mother. Does any of this make sense? I know that enduring to the end is a huge deal, and I plan on doing that, but I believe that enduring means that you are moving towards something, exercising your spiritual, emotional, and educational muscles.
Instead of going on and on about that, here is the promised post about graduation.
Thursday's commencement was really good. Elder Bednar spoke about learning to love learning and I really appreciated his comments. As I was lining up in the processional I ran into old classmates, old mission buddies, old ward members. It was pretty fun to see so many people that I know. I have spent so much time on campus feeling like I only knew 3 people or so, so to finally have a day where I felt like I had a network of friends was great. I wanted my family at the convocation on Friday so the bigger crowd gathered at 5 p.m. on Friday at the Marriott Center.
As I waited to get into my assigned seat I talked with some girls from my Nonfiction class who were also graduating. We took a picture together and promised to send it to our professor. As I got into my seat I asked the boy next to me what his plans were. He was leaving the next day for Uganda, for two months, on a research trip to prelude his master's program in Education. Sweet, dude! That pretty much trumps my Disneyland adventure!
As we marched in I looked up to where I knew my family was sitting and there they were. The crowd was much smaller this time in the Marriott Center so it was pretty easy to see everyone. I felt so loved and so blessed to have so many people there who have supported me through the years, not just in my education, but in my life. Count your many blessings and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
This was the first (and probably last) time I ever sat on the floor (on a chair) of the Marriott Center. It was pretty cool. Our speakers were decent, but lets be honest, the end game to convocation is to get to march across the stage, and the speakers didn't quite understand that. When we were asked to start filing towards the stage the crowd was asked to withold applause until everyone had made it across the stage. The guy (Uganda boy) who I was sitting next to commented to me that it must be pretty embarassing for the graduate whose family and friends disobey the admonition to keep quiet. At this point I knew he was going to see me differently, because I was SURE my family would holler. And they did. I don't care if I am a college graduate, there are some rules that are meant to be broken. Thanks everyone, I heard you loud and clear.
When we met up after the ceremony, I was so happy, and when I finally got my arms around Harold I cried and cried. 21 years is a long time to take to graduate, he has been there for about 14 of them. I know, you are all getting sick of me going on and on about my great husband, but the reason I can't stop the praise is because he really is an amazing man.
On Saturday the party was stinkin' sweet. I had so much fun with everyone. The food was yummy, the company was perfect, and having no kids there really made it fun for everyone. I felt a little guilty about not including kids, but I had some guests tell me how great it was that they could have fun with other adults, without the noise of children. The one party glitch was that there was one critical piece of the chocolate fountain missing, but lets face it, who cares if the chocolate is flowing from a fountain or you just dip like a fondue pot, as long as its chocolate...
7 comments:
Thanks for letting us be a part of the graduation celebration. It meant alot to us to have you march with our kids since you have done so much for them. Thank you Thank you Thank you. I'll miss hearing about Sunday dinners at Harold and Jeanna's. I hope you can get past that empty feeling of what is missing from the last two semesters. Dale made the comment to someone who asked if he was glad to be done - - -not really. I loved my time there. He will move on and so will you. Enjoy the process figuring out what's ahead for you.
Wa-hoo! Congrats. It sounds like you had a good time and I can't wait to hear to what your next "life goal" is. If you need help figuring out what that is...I hear Madonna has some good ideas.
i had a great time! it was super fun to see you and i am sad that i couldn't spend a little more one on one action. and i agree - chocolate is chocolate. i enjoyed the food and the company thoroughly!
the recipe you have for your bundt cake pan sounds yummy. who cares if it's not good for you...it can be your next goal.
i actually was thinking that you can run the half marathon harold and i are going to run at the end of the summer. that's a good goal to look forward to!
i'm very proud of you. not in a parent kind of way - but in the way that i know how tough school is and you did it! well done!
Jeanna, its not uncommon for recent grads to go through a sort of mourning period after they graduate. In fact here at Elon our graduates have to attend a seminar titled "Now What?" I think that is why Elder Bednars topic for his speech is so poignant. Just because school is "finished" doesn't mean the learning stops. I think that out of all the things you got out of going back to school is that you got back in touch with that love of learning. So my suggestion is to put the habits of self-discipline that you cultivated to work and decide what your next learning experience is going to be. I was thinking with your H's chronic car trouble that you might consider auto mechanic school :-) Seriously, you have proven to yourself that there is nothing that can hold you back when you are focused. You can achieve and you will achieve great things. I think really addressing the possibility of publishing your Non-Fiction paper might be a great place to start. I love you and I am so proud and thrilled for you. You have a whole new set of possibilities in front of you.
i was wondering if you'd mention the chocolate fountain!! Funny that you didn't mention that it was your LAME sister that didn't bring all the parts. :) Leave it to me to mess things up on your big day! But your right, chocolate is chocolate and it was YUMMY! Again, CONGRATS and we're all very proud of you!
If you need more trip than Disneyland, I would like to invite you to the exotic desert lands of Reno, NV, where you could spend time riding the V & T train, pan for gold in Virginia City, laze about on the shores of Lake Tahoe, or even sit in an air conditioned family room and watch a fun movie. We have room and we could show you a fun time!!
Congratulations Jeanna on your awesome accomplishment. You ROCK!
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