Graduating...again

Although I finished my work (classes and a capstone portfolio project) when Eli was just a little ball of cells that didn't even look like a living being yet- I just officially got hooded with my Masters of Science in Career and Technical Education Leadership. 

The weather was AWEFUL the Friday of the ceremony. In fact, they canceled school in the MIDDLE of the DAY (I hope that never happens again- it was insane)

I hadn't planned to walk, but my parents seemed pretty excited about it, so I filled out the paperwork and ordered the stuff. They weren't able to make it, and we told my in-laws not to come (because the weather was so bad), but that afternoon Rico got a call at work from his mom that he says went something like this:

Mom: "How's the weather"

Rico: "It doesn't look good. I think the roads are pretty bad"

Mom: "Oh, no they aren't"

Rico: "Maybe not where you are- but in KC they are"

Mom: "No- they're not"

Rico: "No! No mom. You're not here."

To say we were caught off guard would be an understatement. I immediatly had a flash of our house and swore. I chose a big swear word- not some little baby one. 

It CERTAINLY wasn't that we didn't want them here. I am one of those lucky people who lucked into awesome in laws. 

 You see, when we talked the night before and told them not to come we hung up and high fived at the positive of this nasty weather- "Sweet- we don't have to clean the house!" 

When I say that we needed to clean the house, I want to explain to you how messy our house was. Not normal day-to-day disorder, this was full on MESS.

-Dishes in the sink. Not 1 or 2- a stack of nasty dishes.

-Tools/ paint/ caulk/ vacuums etc. in the dining room from Rico's mid-week handyman work

-blocks, a tiny grocery cart, and foldable shelves that I was bringing back home now that preschool was over....SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE KITCHEN

-textbooks and teacher's guides I had brought home to write a final and final review

-Christmas cards/ bills/ random registry paperwork/ random insurance enrollment information strewn over the counters

-fake Christmas tree "pines" all over the living room carpet

- The guest bedroom didn't have sheets or pillowcases- we left them in the drier when we thought we had all the time in the world to make the bed

-Something in the guest bedroom shower (I still don't know what it was- just that Rico yelled, "Don't open the shower curtain- I have something in your shower!")

-A box of "pre-pregnancy" pants and some jeans left in the guest bedroom (I didn't even know this until AFTER they left. oops)

We also didn't have 1 of our cars. We've been having car drama for the last few weeks.

First my car had a broken waterpump. That's not cheap.

Then, Rico's car needed new brakes...and pads...and an axel. Also, not cheap.

Then, to complete the trifecta, the garage broke. 

We also hadn't done ANY of our Christmas shopping.

I had also banked on Sunday for lesson planning for the upcoming week (as the previous week was filled with 12 and 13 hour days EVERY day that week)

Maybe now my reaction makes more sense. 

I (pretty quickly) decided that I was just going to have to laugh about the mess and to do lists and proposed schedules for the night and just let myself be excited to have family there to cheer me on. 

It's good to know that I can surrender control that easily.

I think that will come in handy.

The announcement of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake being delivered by my in-laws made that mental shift MUCH easier.

They drove us (hallelujah for big giant trucks and calm father-in-law drivers) the hour away to campus. We ate at a fun bar and went over (REALLY early...sorry, I was born a Fogle and we over-estimate everything) for the ceremony. Rico wore his "Ted Mosby" jacket- and I wore a dress I scammed off my mom.

For the most part, it was what all graduation ceremonies are: anti-climactic. I can't lie, there were MULTIPLE times that I thought "Just stick through it, there's cheesecake waiting at home"

The actual moment I was hooded was pretty awesome though. Rico and fam' were so close (due to our SUPER early arrival) that I could look up at them whenever something entertaining happened. This included me staring up at Erik when they asked the families of the graduates to stand for their patience and support of us- I used my "teacher look" to ensure that Rico stood. That was the only time I really got emotional. 

So...check that off Eli's "Before even seeing the world" bucket list.

I got lots of generous gifts for graduation. First- NEW TIRES. Oh, yes.

And then there were the generous cash contributions that Rico told me to "use for something YOU want"
You know what I want?
More classes.
This time: Bradley Method  birthing classes.

YES.

We start next week!