Mommy Graduates

We had another fun and busy weekend! Gramma came to visit from New York and she played with Marino so Evan and I could redo his room. We got him a race car bed and some transportation themed decorations. Gramma got him a train table. When we showed him to room, he was pretty overwhelmed. He also keeps trying to ride his car bed like a ride-on toy and tries pushing it.

While we were putting his room together, Santa came by on a fire truck. Marino was VERY excited about this and is sort of grasping the concept of Santa and the naughty/nice lists.

Saturday evening, Gramma and I took him to see the lights at Great Seneca Park. It was so fun to see him excitedly naming all the things he saw (and the colors). He was pointing things out that my mom and I missed! At the end he started insisting we "go home right now" and passed out before we made it back.

Sunday was my graduation. I am now officially a Master of Community Planning. There are no words to describe how happy I am to be done. It took me 4 and a half part-time years (with 1 semester off) to finish this degree. In the meantime, I worked full-time, changed jobs, moved twice, had a baby, had c.diff 6 times, spent countless nights in the hospital and awake with a cranky baby, celebrated 4 wedding anniversaries, turned 30 (and 31...and 32), made some friends, finished with a 3.7 GPA and learned a lot. This past semester specifically helped renew my passion in true community development and helped remind me that my true interest is in ensuring equity in housing. All in all, it's nice to be done!

A few pictures from my graduation...

Receiving my diploma from the Dean and the Director of the Urban Studies and Planning Program
Celebrating with my friend Dana (and a pumpkin head)

My mom and I

Me and my boy - my motivation for finishing! Hopefully he is proud of me one day! I'm looking forward to lots of leisurely snuggly weekends with him now that school is over!

Watching Mommy graduate. At one point, all was quiet and I heard "Mommy is down there!" and when I got in line to receive my diploma, he was cracking up!

Playing with Gramma and his new train table

Making Buzz fly

That night, my mom took us to dinner, along with Evan's family, and my friend Megan (who graduated from the same program 3 years ago). It was great having them all there to celebrate!
2 Masters of Community Planning

Marino LOVES pho!

He kept saying "this is yummy spaghetti!"

It was a great weekend!