Congratulations? Yes!

How can it be that my youngest sister just graduated from college?  It seems like only last summer we were celebrating her high school graduation, and even that came so quickly!  I doesn't seem possible!  Perhaps some of my disbelief is rooted in selfishness.  I would prefer to deny the fact that she has graduated, since I can no longer claim youthfulness by telling others I have a sister in college.  That always made me feel young.  I feel like I've aged ten years in the last week.

But enough about me...

Congratulations to the graduate!  Last week we risked life and limb, driving out to Chicago in what was surely a freak, landlocked hurricane!  But it was worth it.

The weekend passed in a blur!  Friday morning, part of the family went to the first graduation ceremony, while the other part stayed back at the house.  The library down the street from my family's house was hosting the acrobatic troop, The Chicago Boyz.  They were semi-finalists on America's Got Talent last summer.

The kids really enjoyed the show! Ashlyn said it was the best show she'd ever seen!  High praise from a six year old.

She even got her picture taken with them after the show.

The group at the graduation ceremony got home mid-afternoon, and then we got ready for family photos, with a photographer coming over to the house.  That was followed by a late dinner showers, and bed.  Then we woke up again the next day and did it all again.

Saturday morning, Dakota and the kids spent time at Pirate's Cove.

While they were there, the rest of us were at the second graduation ceremony.  (Friday's was for the whole graduating class.  Saturday's was for the school of engineering.) 

After the graduation ceremony, there were more pictures.

And then we took a trip to my sister's apartment to do a rush packing job.  When the cars were full and couldn't hold anymore, we headed back to my family's house.  But there was no time to rest!  We had a late lunch, and then started to get things ready for the afternoon's graduation party.  Soon aunts, uncles, cousins and LOTS of kids filled the backyard.  And when the storms hit, they filled the house!

The aunts and uncles had one room, the cousins had another, and the kids had the big room (and a movie).

At the end of the evening, the party broke up, and we worked on cleaning up, putting kids to bed, and packing.  And just as soon as the weekend trip had started, it was over.  Sunday morning, with the van packed, we hit the road.  We made a quick stop to visit my grandma, and braved more harrowing storms before arriving home safely that evening. 

So congratulations to my sister for all her hard work!  And congratulations to Dakota for getting us there and back, despite the storms that tried their best to wash us off the road.  I'm definitely feeling my age after last weekend!