Graduation Time

This past Saturday, I traveled to little Belle Plaine, Kansas to watch Matt's cousin (and my future cousin!) Kristin graduate from high school. I was a bit worried at first when I looked at the program and it listed 10 VALEDICTORIAN SPEECHES! 10... that is a large number that correlates to way too many high schoolers dragging on and on about random stories that are only funny to them!

Thankfully, most of the speeches went quickly. Kristin also was a Valedictorian and I must say, out of every speech, hers was the best (yes, I'm biased). She told a story, but told it in a way that everyone understood... and laughed with. My kind of speech!

All graduations remind me of my own (ofcourse!). I believe that my high school graduation will go down as one of the strangest... thanks to Lacy Allen and her wonderful "Get out of Sedan!" salutatorian speech. I remember standing up and applauding her after she was done, which now makes me cringe! I am all for moving back home to Sedan (as long as you leave, experience life out of Small Town first!).

But all graduations make me cry. I'm telling you... I blame it all on the Pomp and Circumstance song -- as soon as those drums start at the beginning of the song, I'm a goner! The worst part is I have found myself crying at graduations that involve students that I could have truly cared less about (I'm mean). I really think I have some kind of disease!

All in all, it was a great weekend. Matt's grandma (who I believe is starting to warm up to me), his uncle John, aunt Janet and cousin Andrew all trekked down from Illinois for the graduation and party. I love graduation parties... but I learned I only really love them when they involve the Barnes' and Hills' because we couldn't start drinking until all of the students and teachers had left the party on Saturday. At a Barnes'/Hills' graduation party, the keg was tapped before graduation was even over! :)

Here is to all the graduates... May your graduation day be a memorable one, but look forward to what is to come.