A New Graduate

Our daughter-in-law graduated on Saturday!  We are so proud of her. 

She earned her M. Ed. in curriculum and instruction and is hoping to be hired as an elementary teacher.  I think I have only seen her so excited one other time - on her wedding day. 

Doesn't she look excited to shake the university president's hand?

It was really a learning experience for all of us.  There were almost 1700 graduates from Middle Tennessee State University that day.  Over 600 were awarded their degree during the morning ceremony along with Jessica.

Here is a shot from where we were sitting.

Due to the large crowd of graduates, there were no parking spaces anywhere near the venue.  So, we were required to park and walk across campus.  My five-year-old granddaughter, Lillie, informed her mother that it sure was a long walk from where they parked.  Bridgette told her that was sort of the way college works.  She went on to tell Lillie that this was the college where she had attended and walked for long jaunts and it was the college where Grand B had trekked around campus to get her teaching degree.  Finally, Bridgette informed her that someday she would probably go to college and have to walk around campus, too.  Lillie promptly informed her parents that she wasn't going to college.  She was just going to be a cowgirl and live on a mountain and have a horse ranch!  I wonder if Jessica ever had similar aspirations when she was a little girl?

Jessica is seriously listening and watching the entire ceremony.

I really don't know who was prouder of her accomplishment - Bryan or Jessica.  He certainly was puffed up with pride.

Look at those smiles!

I think everybody there was wearing a giddy smile.  We were all so excited for her and proud of her.

Here she is with her parents and even her dad, who rarely smiles in pictures, is almost grinning.

I know that with each threshold we cross there are new horizons.  This new accomplishment of Jessica's will find her stepping into a classroom - soon we hope! 

The speaker at the graduation ceremony focused her talk on leadership.  We are so excited for Jessica and looking forward to her having the opportunity to lead young children and guide them along their educational journey.

Doesn't she look like she is eager and ready to take the next step in her own journey?