Tuesday Tell All: Graduation

SPANISH FORK HIGH SCHOOL: May 1995

I LOVED high school. It was a wonderful time to learn about amazing subjects like trigonometry, physiology, seminary, drivers education and chemistry: the kind with beakers and with boys. I loved getting involved, meeting new people and sharing it all with a wonderful group of friends. They were carefree years when I matured as a person and learned what I wanted out of life. But by the time graduation rolled around, I was pretty much ready to move on. Actually, I kind of had moved on. When I applied for BYU my senior year, I decided to apply for the spring semester since I had already been accepted into BYU-Hawaii for the following fall. Provo said yes, so soon I found myself taking classes at at BYU in the afternoon while I was still in high school. It was a bit crazy since I had AP History in the morning and seminary and had I dropped out of A Capella a month early. I also nixed a few other classes I didn't need to graduate. It was strange to rush over for our senior picture outside the school with my BYU homework in my backpack, but it was the right thing for me to do.
I took a Book of Mormon class, child development and some other general class that spring. I went straight from lecture to the Wilkinson Center for graduation rehearsal. After the big ceremony I went straight home and wrote a paper that was due the next day. It was a bit crazy, but I was excited to start the next chapter in my life. I never regretted pursuing my college degree even while I was still in high school. Thanks to those extra classes I was able to graduate from BYU in 3 1/2 years.

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Bachelor of Science Elementary Education: December 1998

If you thought my high school graduation seemed a bit anticlimactic, my final hours of being a college student had even less flair . You see, I completed my degree in December where there is no graduation ceremony. I simply took my last final and closed the book on my college education. It was weird walking out of the testing center know I was done, but yet there was no celebration. I simply had a peaceful feeling of relief wash over me knowing I was a college graduate.I chose to walk in April 1999 mainly because I wanted a photo of me in my cap and gown. Vain, I know, but I worked hard and wanted a picture to prove it. Since I had really been done with school for four months and the ceremony fell on spring break, my family was at Disneyland, but Grandma Nance came to support me as well at Rich's family. I was the first grandchild on either side to graduate from college. When I walked I was four months pregnant with Trey. It was very special to know that the next chapter of my life was coming: motherhood.

But don't feel sorry for me. I have had some very exciting graduation day in my life. Like Rich's crazy non-stop Stanford party. His parents, younger siblings, grandparents and my parents all flew out to Palo Alto.

Stanford University MAY 1997

It was INSANE! There were beach balls, graduates grilling during the talks, kites, fire blowers and endless paper airplanes and random signs. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. It was hands down the strangest and best graduation I've ever been to. It also didn't hurt that Stephen G. Breyer a supreme court justice was the commencement speaker.

University of Louisville College of Medicine: April 2005

And I LOVED Rich's medical school graduation. His parents and a few siblings and my parents all flew to Louisville to be with us. It was a day our entire family had worked towards. Rich's dad hooded him. I was and am very proud of my sweet, dear husband.

*PS While I'm on the subject of graduation, I felt it was appropriate to say a huge SORRY to my mother who spent nearly all of my own father's medical school graduation out in the hallway with her wild, loud and rowdy two year old daughter. I really wish I could back and hire a baby sitter for Greg and me so you could have enjoyed the moment instead of wrestling me! I love you!

Fort Boonesborough

Trey's school class had gone to visit Fort Boonesborough in the fall and I had wondered where had went and what he got to see. When our ward's play group sent out an email saying they were planning a trip to see the fort, I was all for it. It is only about a 30 minute drive south on I-75 and the fort is located in Fort Boonesboro State Park.Kaitlyn and Brynn were ready too.When Daniel Boone and his men reached the Kentucky River on April 1, 1775, they quickly moved to establish Kentucky's second settlement--the site still known as Fort Boonesborough.Fort Boonesborough has been reconstructed as a working fort complete with cabins, blockhouses and furnishings. Resident artisans perform craft demonstrations and give modern-day visitors a true sense of what life was like for pioneers in Kentucky. Outside wallsInside the fort there are shops and cabins and they have a small farm in the middle.The fire pit for cooking.This fellow showed us how he made nails. He is dressed like 1780's blacksmith.This woman spins wool while this one makes rugs on a loom from the 1800's.The town folk cooked up some biscuits and gravy for lunch (the girls and I just hit Wendy's on the way home.)There was a house where candles were made.
The top candles have been dipped 50 times. There also was a small museum, movie and other cabins that contained pottery, wood carvings, furnishings and beds and a small store.

Walking through the fort, made me appreciate even more to be living today. I couldn't imagine a world where working to provide for your basic necessities would take up every waking moment and bit of energy you possessed. What a blessing it is that we are now the recipients of technology and inventions that came about from the past way and discoveries these pioneers.

Cincinnati Zoo

I would consider myself a zoo lover. I have been to a few different ones over the years and I seem to love each one. Of course nearly all of my zoo trips have either been to Hogel Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah or the Louisville Zoo here in Kentucky, but last week my friend Jonni had a brillant idea to take the kids to the Cincinnati Zoo on Tuesday, May 20 because the kids in Kentucky were out of school for the election. I said PERFECT! I had always wanted to go, but needed an excuse.

It's just under a two hour drive and my Louisville Zoo pass got us in for half price. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is consistently ranked as one of the top zoos in the country. It opened in 1875, it is the nation’s second oldest zoo and a national historic landmark. The Zoo’s 75 acres house 510 animal species and 3,000 plant varieties. Over 1.2 million people visit the Zoo annually. The only bad part was that Josh and Matt had a baseball game at 5:45 PM and needed to be at the ball park at 5 PM. We got up to zoo at 1 PM, so that meant we had exactly 2 hours to see the place. Jonni and another family from our ward the Powell's came up a bit later, but we didn't get to spend much time with them because I was determined to see it all. I could have been more social, but my kids were ready to run here and there and check off every building on the map, so thanks Jonni and Nancy for being so understanding of our hurried visit!The girls were angel babies and stayed happily in their stroller the WHOLE time. Such sweeties!

We checked out the Jungle Trails.

The polar bears

The cat house

I loved this gorgeous bright orange bird from Brazil.Looks like the boys got a bit too friendly with this little creature and became his lunch!Checkin' out the penguins.Sumatran Rhinos- mother and baby.
Kaitlyn didn't appreciate that this goat shared the same love for her blanket!Josh and Trey checking out the elephants.
The gorilla enclosure was amazing!A baby gorilla
Siegfried & Roy's White Lions of TimbavatiThankfully Matt thought taking pictures of all the cool things in the gift shop would be almost as fun as buying them. Good idea!

Poor Trey just got a bit too close!

So if you are ever in or around Cincinnati, check out their zoo. It will be well worth your time!