I Graduated (and even had a robe)!!

Hooray! I've graduated! Finally... it took a while, the process started five years ago in California, and has finally finished in Oxford. Woohoo. The day was slightly stressful. We got there at 7am - because I hadn't booked a robe or an extra ticket. So, we wanted to be there bright and early to make sure we could get them. It all turned out great in the end, and I'm happy to report I made it across the stage and back to my seat without falling over, so all is right in the world.

With my color-coordinated parents. Was lovely that they got to make it.

Having our iconic moment afterwards.

Having lunch afterwards with friends in town.

With my 'glamorous' mom in town afterwards.

We celebrated in the states before we headed back to England, that way Mike and Stephanie could have been there (you guys should have come out, they even had a room with games for people with kids under 7 - Grace would have loved it). We went to a great fondue place and all ate way too much...

It was so good though. My favourite was the chocolate at the end!

The night was so much fun - and even ended with a big surprise! I got the most lovely graduation present that I ever could have asked for: a new MacBook Pro. Oh, it is so beautiful and I love it. Lots of friends and family pitched in to help buy it. I am so thankful to everyone that did. I think it's great - and I'm going to be using it all the time in the fall when I start commuting to London to do my masters at London School of Economics. I can hardly wait!

The only place on the map... Burnsville.

So, we drove 11 hours in the car to Burnsville, North Carolina. 6 adults, two kids, and two dogs... all in one car. It sounds pretty tortuous, but it was actually so much fun. Lisa's house that we stayed in was beautiful and it was great to be right next to the creek. We did some sightseeing, went swimming, got to meet up with old friends, and even got to go on a ride on Thomas the Train. What more could you ask for?

Grace in the car with Juma.

Trying to keep Obie entertained.

The house we stayed in.

Playing in the creek.

Grace and Obie rocking on the front porch.

Mom and Aunt Ninee.

With Shane overlooking the waterfalls.

Walking in the woods.

Matt came to visit from South Carolina.

Grace was a little dare devil. She loved tubeing!

Echo: the dog who thought he lived in the house.

We stopped at Cracker Barrel on the way home.

Obie got hold of the butter.

St Charles

We just got back from Mike & Steph's house in St Charles this past week. We had such a fun time. It was great to see everybody. Grace and Obie had changed so much since we were last there. Here are just a few photos from our trip...

Obie liked playing dress up with my mom's glasses. He would put them on and get so excited and start waving to everybody.

My dad eating his favourite Culver's burger.

Fred and his Culver's burger.

Michael and his little mini-me.

Nana and Obie at the winery.

Stephanie and Dad.

Gracie and her Papa.

Everybody exhausted and asleep in the car.

Grace always has time to try on all the jewellry at the mall.