Special Things

I was thinking this morning about the really special things that happened this week.

1. Megan's graduation from High School, of course.
2. Megan's Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Ruth came all the way from Rhode Island for the occasion. Special for Megan, special for me as I had not been with my son and daughter-in-law in person for so very long, and special for Anne Marie to have her brother home. Special for the whole family!
3. Megan's Great Aunt and Uncle, Jeannie and Lyle, came from southwestern Colorado. We all love them dearly, and add them to Jeremy and Ruth and it was a lovely family reunion.
4. Megan's paternal grandparents, Chuck and Judy, and her Aunt Misty arrived in time for the after-party, despite flooded roads and a torrential rainstorm between Sheridan, Buffalo, and Gillette. The family reunion broadened. More joy.
5. Megan's beloved first grade teacher, Bev Sinclair, who became a good friend to Anne Marie, also came. This was remarkable because she now lives in Arizona. What a treat that she was both at the graduation ceremony and came to the house for the dinner and visiting. Amazing!
6. Megan's Great Aunt Grace, dear friend Gwen, and most excellent neighbor Sheila rounded out the evening gathering. A special time with special people.
7. Dinner was catered from Qdoba, so we didn't have to cook.
8. Chad, that most efficient and organized of men, arranged my home so that the food line worked and everyone had a place to sit in the living room. And he cleaned up and restored the rooms to their original configuration after the party. What a blessing he is.
9. With a large circle of people, it is hard to have one general conversation. It was interesting to pause for a moment and pick up on how many two, three, or four persons conversations were going on at one time. Then, from time to time, everyone would suddenly home in on one remark or story. It was such a congenial atmosphere.
10. There were presents!
11. And, finally, Megan's friend Austin arrived to pick her up for the school's post-graduation lock-in party. It was to last until 3 a.m., so it will be later in the day before I get a report on that.

That is Megan in the center of the stage, heading for her diploma. My little camera did not have enough oomph for a better picture.

Time for presents!