The Last of Minnesota Stuff: GRADUATION

FYI, this post is long.  Very, very long.  Lots and lots of pictures.  Nobody from either my or Dave's family were able to make it out to his graduation and I know his parents (and others, but especially his parents) would have really loved to be there.  So, I'm just trying to make them feel like they were.

Before graduation there was a luncheon at the football stadium club level something or other.  It was tubular.

Dave's class picture on the jumbo-tron.

 Miles and I hung out in the chairs overlooking the stadium while they did more adult-ish type things like a couple speeches and handing out some awards, etc.  I was really glad they were there to give him something to do.

The word on the street was that parking would be hard to come by so we decided to take the free University bus that went from where we lived to the school.  That meant we were going to have to fill up a couple to a few hours between the luncheon and graduation, but we went for it.   We walked around campus a little bit and went to the bookstore.  It was super.

Miles looks pretty stoked to be hanging out with that Minnesota golden gopher.

GRADUATION

Since we were on foot, I got to walk with Dave to the spot he had to report and button his buttons and wipe his nose and hang out before he went in.  'Twas also super.

The Before:

 No experience is complete without one...

 Miles wasn't all that into smiling at first...

 There we go.

After we parted ways I went into the arena and got settled.  That also means I took Miles in the stroller up the escalator, had the wheels get caught at the top dumping Miles forward, smashing my shins like nobody's business into the back of the stroller, having the person behind help me get unstuck and wheeling away with no tears or injuries aside from my smashed shins and the time I grabbed at Miles' face when I was trying to get a grip on something to lift the front of the stroller.  Needless to say, I was sweating.  Anyway, we parked the stroller, I loaded up with my big camera bag, my purse, Dave's suit coat and Miles in tow and we went allllll the way down alllllll the stairs.  I unloaded and sat down hoping to stop sweating SOON.  Ten seconds later, Miles told me he had to pee.  So I loaded everything back up and up, up, up the stairs we went!  Luckily a friend of mine was near the bathroom so I didn't have to take all my stuff in.  Whew!

They had this quartet playing until the commencement started.  It was quite lovely to have some entertainment while we waited for it to start.

Filing in:

 Located us.

 Getting in line for his turn.

 Up next.

The walk:

So the grads are supposed to file back out and meet their families at a different location, but Dave decide to break the rules.  It went something like this:

Saying hi to Miles...

Breaking out of the walk...

 Waiting for Miles to go ever so clumsily down the 5 or so stairs...

Getting his boy:

 Miles was really excited to see Dave and I'm sure he felt so special that he got to go down and see him.  It was a cute/special/memorable little moment.  I like Dave.  And Miles.

The After:

 HALLELUJAH.

Pretty sky.

 Look at those grubby, dirty little fingers from all the walking around Dinkytown/touching everything in sight.  Also loving the blue mouth form the sucker he ate during graduation.  So very well kept looking.

This is where and when Dave talked to his parents in Argentina, and where we waited for a bus that never came.  Since it never came, we had to walk all back through Dinkytown and catch a city bus.  We didn't get home until 9pm or something, so there was no celebratory dinner, but it was still a great and memorable day.  Dave has mentioned many a time in his first two weeks of work how GREAT it feels to just have to think about work and not work AND school.

Dave, you sexy Master of Healthcare Administration-- so proud of you for your accomplishment.  Especially proud of you for working the whole time and supporting us and balancing all those aspects of your life.  You da bomb.

SAYONARA SCHOOL!

Some Minnesota Stuff Before She Leaves Forever Part: 5

These pictures are from Mother's Day.

After church Miles and I snuggled up on the couch and watched a movie.

Just sayin'.  And sharin'.  This was me when I was a 26 year old mom.

Some Minnesota Stuff Before She Leaves Forever: Part 4

Our last weekend in MN, we went on a real live date.  Those dates are way too few and far between.  But we decided to squeeze it in no matter how much packing and stuff we had to do.  So glad we did.  We didn't really know what to do and I honestly can't remember if we ate.  We must have.  But I can't remember.

Oh no, I remember.  Punch.  Pizza.

Anyway, we went to the St. Paul Cathedral.  We'd been once before, but we had Miles and there was a wedding going on that moment, so we didn't stay too long or check out too much.  This time, they were getting ready for a wedding, but it hadn't started so we got to walk around and check everything out.

This might seem like a bizarre thing to do on a date (?) but it was actually really nice.  It was nice to get out of the hectic atmosphere of packing, packing, packing and finishing school and work to a real quiet, calm place.  And I took some pictures which I so enjoy.

I thought it was cool how the studs were worn like that.

It's a really pretty and grand cathedral.  

We also went to Mass in the basement.  I'd never been to Mass.  It was interesting.  Somebody ripped a "poop sound," as Miles would call it, that was quite loud and rumble-y and I think Dave and I had to exert all the maturity in our bodies not to laugh.  We're just immature like that, what can I say?  It was a good date.  I like my husband.

LOVE

I loved our ward in St. Paul.  I'm more over it now, but after last Sunday, I was so very, very homesick for my St. Paul ward.  

When I came out of Relief Society, I saw Miles up against the wall outside his classroom, teacher talking to him, Miles doing the hyperventilating crying breathing thing.  FYI, Miles doesn't misbehave at church.  Ever.  We don't even take him out of sacrament meeting because he knows how he needs to act and I don't think he'd have the guts to act bad enough in Primary to be taken out.  So I was like, "WOAH.  What happened?"  Anyway, his teacher took him out because Miles wasn't answering questions. 

If you ask me, that sucks.  

First of all, Miles is the new kid.  That was our second Sunday in our new ward.  Still really new.

Second of all, Miles is MILES.  Mister extremely shy, introverted, quiet, comfort zone, observe-you-and-everything-in-sight for six months before he's absolutely sure he's comfortable and can trust you.  And even after those six months, there's a pretty good chance he still won't participate or talk to you or give you five when you ask for it.  He listens.  He pays attention.  But for whatever reason, he doesn't feel comfortable participating and isn't going to do something he doesn't feel like doing.  Miles is a unique little kid.  I know that.  And I love him for it. 

Though the teacher only had good intentions to talk to him or whatever, the poor kid was probably so confused and scared thinking he did something wrong and was in trouble.... after all, he did just get removed, isolated and singled out.  That's a lot for a 3 year old, but especially a lot for MY 3 year old.  I realize that group participation is a life skill Miles is going to have to learn.  But age 3 and primary at church aren't the time and place I think he needs to be pressured into it.  Bad experience.

So, I knew I was so grateful for Miles' wonderful primary teachers in MN, but now I love them more than anything in the world.  I could never thank them enough for loving my little boy just the way he is and making primary such a good experience for him.

Miles loves his teachers.  Especially Sister Pickering (left, pictured below).  Every Sunday in MN, he'd locate her in sacrament meeting.  Make sure she was there.  He loves her.

And in true Miles fashion, for whatever reason (it would be insanely interesting to know his thoughts) he wouldn't really say goodbye to her or give her a hug.  She scooped him up for this picture and you can see his first reaction:

Followed by his Miles self:

Those two pictures alone are such a true representation of Miles' personality.  He's a happy, loving, sweet kid who likes to do things when he feels darn good and ready for it and he doesn't like to be the center of attention.

Anyway, thanks a million times over Sister Pickering and Sister Felt for being the bomb.  We love you.  We miss you.

Some Minnesota Stuff Before She Leaves Forever: Part 3

 Afton, MN.  It's a pretty cute little town on the St. Croix River.  I like that part of MN.  We took a drive out there for a family home evening once upon a time, long ago.  And we played at a park.  It was nice to get out together.

 By way of information, Miles hates bugs.  He's scared of them.  He won't even touch a roly poly or a lady bug.

We went all out and played wiffle ball, frisbee AND soccer.  When Miles sets up his goal cones, he always puts them right next to each other... silly boy.

Anyway, good times had in Afton, MN.

Some Minnesota Stuff Before She Leaves Forever: Part 2

Lake Calhoun.  We only went once, but we went.  I feel like there is a ton of stuff we didn't do and/or see in MN since we were gone the one summer of Dave's school.  Oh well.  What's done is done.

When we got to this lake Miles walked right into the water, shoes, socks, sweats and all.  We were like, "WHAT THE?"  I don't know what he was thinking.  Apparently he was real excited to see that water and wanted to go right in.  Which he did.

That is one adorable face, if you ask me.

Nature.  Such a beaut:

Must have been early Spring...

It was a lovely one and only visit to Lake Calhoun.

Some Minnesota Stuff Before She Leaves Forever: Part 1

We finally made it to a Twins game (a while ago).  It was on the MN to do list.  Glad we got it done!  It was a great game-- there was an inside-the-park homer, we ate peanuts and the Twins won.  Miles dug it.  When we asked him what his favorite part was he said, "the end."  So there you have it.