Tom Sonday

It was a weekend of tears, but happy tears!

First and foremost, I no longer have any children in college, making me and my checkbook very happy!  Becca graduated at The Big House on Saturday with her engineering degree.  You can see her in the picture; she’s the one in black on the field, toward the left. 

There were alot of people at Bec’s graduation, not ALL of them there for her, oddly enough.  One or two others, oops, maybe several thousand more, accompanied by 80,000 friends and relatives, crashed her event.  It was quite a turnout, even for a U of M graduation, because it turns out that Bec and her classmates weren’t the only important people there, who also included …

… daughter Jessica, and my son-in-law-to-be (!!!!!!) Travis Steck, who became engaged only days before.  Congrats you two!  Here’s a picture of them kissing for the first time … in the Big House … during U of M graduation weekend …  while waiting for commencement to begin … when it was cloudy. I had to put all those qualifiers on it because they kissed oh, maybe 1 or 2 times more throughout the weekend (roll eyes.)

There was other kissing going on as well, because Ben and girlfriend Sloan were occasionally smooching as we waited on the oh-so-comfortable spacious bleachers for Bec’s graduation (and Barack’s speech.)

So sorry Mr. President, but you were second fiddle, I mean third — behind Becca’s graduation and Jess’ engagement.  You seemed to handle it OK.  Nice speech, BTW.

While it was a grand weekend, it was bittersweet.  Tom and I are supposed to be starting our golden years together, and I felt awfully alone at times, sitting between the two lovebird couples that my children are wonderfully part of.  Luckily, Gigantor (aka Becca) scampered up the stadium to give me a big hug.

I’m the really tired one on the right …

I did get plenty of hugs; here I am with Jessica, Gigantor and Sloan (I’m the fat, really tired one on the left.)  Son Ben and future son-in-law Travis aren’t in the picture unfortunately because we’d sent them to the concession stand (approximately wait — over one hour, average price per item  — $400. What else are you going to do while you wait 2+ hours for commencement to commence?)

Lots of tears — yes.  Most of them happy tears.  Jess and Travis’ news came at a great time as we start to emerge from 2+ years of darker chapters of our lives.  It is so wonderful to have something fun and positive to which to look forward.  While Bec’s graduation was something we looked forward to, getting a college degree isn’t easy even when your parents are in the best of health.  The past two years have been really hard to march through at times, and I didn’t have exams hanging over my head.  I suspect she felt more of a sense of relief than a sense of elation.

Tommy’s life has made us all more careful not to take anything for granted, so getting together in itself was a cause for celebration … and having things to celebrate?  Just icing on the cake.

And because I haven’t yet included a picture of Ben, and as long as we’re rolling our eyes, here is that U of M alum, wearing (gasp!) Ohio State red in the Big House, and a bagel on his head (a very expensive bagel.)

No slight intended, Mr. President!  And Go Blue!