College Grads

Aunt Robin, Mom, Emily, Aunt Ruth, Cousin Jenny

Whew! Erin and I are still trying to catch our breath from our graduation weekend. Both my brother (in-law) and sister graduated from college this weekend. Way to go you two!

Thursday Erin and I took off almost directly from work to make the trek to Moorhead for Emily's graduation. When we got to my parents place, we were greeted by my dad's new toy...a sound system from Bose. My parents have a 5o-some inch widescreen tv and dad had to make me jealous by displaying the power of his new surround sound with Star Wars Episode I.

It was funny getting scolded by Mom and Erin for it being too loud. The volume was at zero. Yea, zero! I don't know how Bose has their volume measured but we had to watch the rest of the movie at negative ten. (Quite the opposite of Spinal Tap's "11" amp.) ;)

Friday I got to hang out with my dad as I waited to get my hair cut at Fargo's mall. We walked over to Best Buy where we got to add to our "it will never happen wish list". Later on that day my Mom's sister's Ruth and Robin came up. Jenny, Ruth's daughter also tagged along for the ride from Hastings, MN.

That night, we all packed up in the minivan and headed out to the Fargodome to see Emily's graduation. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a major in History at North Dakota State University (NDSU).

Saturday Morning, Erin, Bella, and I packed up and headed back to Shakopee. We arrived back to our townhome and were greeted by Erin's parents. Kevin and De had arrived the day before to see their son's graduation.

After we said our "hello's", took off in their minivan to Baby's R' Us. Erin and I had picked out a crib and changing table/dresser the weekend before. The highlight of the trip had to have been Kevin's quote:

"I have never seen so many pregnant women in one place at the same time."

...nuff said.

After heading over the Dick's Sporting Goods trying to regain whatever manhood we had left, we headed home to tackle the "easy assembly" of the changing table/dresser. (Actually I need to be honest, everyone else did the work. I took a much needed nap. Thanks everyone!)

After church and a grilled cheese sandwich lunch the next day, we headed out to the campus of the U of M to see J-Bone graduate. He was graduating with a major in Communication Studies and may go back to get a degree so that he can become a basketball coach. (Look out Tubby Smith!)

The temps read 90+ but thankfully there was a strong breeze so everyone who wasn't pregnant was fairly comfortable. While the hundreds of grads were getting their pictures taken, Goldy even made an appearance. (If you click on the picture, you can see our college graduate holding his diploma upside down. That's my boy!) :)

Being that everyone was now graduated out, we grabbed J-Bone's best friend and fellow graduate Snake and headed out to Chili's to celebrate. It was really relaxing sitting and talking while the Chili's staff quickly scrambled to replace the two plates of ours they had dropped on the floor.

Congratulations Emily and Josh on your accomplishment! You two earned it.

• More photos of Emily's graduation can be found here.
  
• More photos of J-Bone's graduation can be found here.

Last but not least, a happy birthday goes out to my brother Leif. (He's the big kid on the right.) He turned 27 on Mother's Day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY COCHESE!