Pomp and Circumstances

This past weekend, DsD graduated from high school, with honors. We're very proud of her!

Being graduation weekend, things were very busy on the social front! Both family friend M (who is also DD and DsD's godfather), and my inlaws came into town.

Things seemed to start off less than stellar on Friday evening. M called from his airport up north with news that he'd not be able to arrive here until the next morning due to weather in Atlanta. Atlanta is the only hub that services our regional airport - the old joke goes that if you die down here you don't go directly to Heaven, you have a layover in Atlanta first. (Which I suppose means Atlanta must be Purgatory.) Another joke goes that Delta stands for "Doesn't Everything Layover Through Atlanta?". Ah, but I digress. The good folks up at SBN should have thought of this, but I suggested to M that perhaps he could fly into Orlando, which is only about an hour or so drive from here. He called back shortly thereafter with the happy news that - he would be arriving there around midnight. DsD and I drove out to O-town to retrieve him, and our visit was underway!

Due to the size of the venue and size of the graduating class (over 500!), students were limited in the number of guests they could bring. DsD brought DH and I, DD, DsS, M, dBF, and her mom and stepdad. Graduation went rather well...my heart was bursting with pride. (Or perhaps that was age...). Afterward, the nine of us convened at our house and chatted for a bit while waiting for the inlaws to arrive for dinner.

Dinner was at a local Japanese restaurant/sushi bar. We were joined by my MIL, FIL, and MIL's mom, along with gaming buddy J, and one of the deacons and his wife. Afterward, everyone except the deacon and his wife went back to our house and had some good wine and good company. Some really good wine - the first bottle was an Orvieto Classico Dulce that we'd picked up in Italy last year. We must go back there to acquire more someday since the wine is not exported.

We had thirteen people...who says 13 is an unlucky number? It worked well for us!

Other than DH being hoarse and under the weather all weekend, I think the weekend was a success. M got the much-anticipated task of giving dBF the Godfatherly Third Degree, which dBF apparently did well enough at that M gave his approval. M flew back yesterday, and this time the flight was uneventful.

Thrown into the mix is DD's birthday. My baby is six now, and she is rather proud of that fact. We bought donuts on the way to school this morning for her to share with her classmates. And *she* has kindergarten graduation coming up this week as well! My girls are growing up so quickly.

I confess I'm still not quite used to the school year here. Growing up in the DC 'burbs, we always went back the day after Labor Day and went until mid-June. Here, they go back the second week of August, and get out in late May. Though I suppose it does work out in that the first school semester is over before Christmas vacation. It was always a bummer having to worry about exams over the holidays!

Anyway, all in all it was a lovely weekend, if rather busy. Next weekend I have 4 days off work, and I am rather looking forward to something a little more sedate. Maybe I'll have another progress picture of Last Supper by this time next week.