The Graduate

Matt graduated from Boise State University on Saturday!  Happy day!  There were more than 2000 graduates....that is a lot of names to read and a lot of people to get their diplomas!  The whole thing took about 3 hours but we wouldn't have missed it!

Matt has worked hard and overcome lots of challenges to make it to graduation.  His Dad and I are so proud of his perseverance and dedication!

Matt's advisor is the professor in the orange.  She was instrumental in his success.  George and I were  happy to meet her and thank her for being a mentor to our son.   She is on sabbatical but came back to see Matt graduate!  All professors should be like her.  The other professor taught Matt and also taught me when I took a Spanish class at BSU.  Can't believe she remembered me!  She is also a excellent teacher.

Matt and Scott have been a great help to each other this semester.  I'm glad to see the way they support and love each other.  They have become close friends.  We all missed Johnny and Mary and wish they could have helped us celebrate!

The BSU class of 2014 is the first to have this giant shiny B to use as a backdrop for graduation photos! 

After the festivities the guys 'enjoyed' a round of golf.  I'm never sure if 'enjoyed' is the right word for golf!  It can be a frustrating sport. 

I enjoyed driving around in the golf cart watching them and being reacquainted with the beauty of Boise!  So different from Portland but beautiful in its own way.

I do love those wide open spaces!

So congratulations Matthew Walter Lewis! The best is yet to be!  To quote Dr. Seuss, "Oh the places you'll go......".  Hopefully one of those places will be back to Barcelona sometime soon!

#12 Parma

Parma is our 12th foster dog for Guide Dogs for the Blind; our 3rd active, working guide.  The lady she guides is in Hawaii for her 50th wedding anniversary.  Parma doesn't know that she missed out on a trip to Hawaii!  She has been a pure delight, as easy as a dog could possibly be.  The only problem is that she has 4 small meals a day and I have a difficult time remembering that mid-day meal.  When it is too long past her perceived meal time, she reminds me with a pitiful, "I might starve" look like this.

When she isn't sleeping right by my feet I find her resting in her little den!  Doesn't she look comfy?  When I leave her home, it is no problem to get her to go in her crate.  She likes it in there, especially with a little treat to keep her occupied.  

I take her back tomorrow and George and I are both going to miss her a lot!

I'm glad I have loved all these foster dogs....thanks to Guide Dogs for the Blind, my heart must be getting very big.

Mother and Father's Day

I was blessed to have been raised by such wonderful parents.  I learned so much from them about kindness and hard work and love and what it means to be in a family.

This picture was made just before we moved to Sicily.  I was in the 1st grade.  For most of my early years Daddy was stationed in the northeastern part of the United States.  I started school in Bainbridge, Maryland.  Momma says that they hoped they would get transferred to Florida or someplace close to home in Arkansas after they left Maryland.  When Daddy's orders came, they were to move to Sigonella, Sicily. I have a very clear memory of asking "Where?" and being told that Sicily was the 'football' that 'boot' shaped Italy kicked.  Certainly not very close to Lonoke, Arkansas.

Sicily was a great experience for me.  I attribute my love of travel to our two and a half year Italian adventure.

Exciting, happy news!!!!

Johnny and Monica are starting their own eternal family on May 30th in the Buenos Aires Temple!  They have been in love for a long time.  Such an exciting time for them and for us!  George and I will make a quick trip so that we can be there for this happy occasion.  Actually we wouldn't miss it!

Spring in Harper's Ferry

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite photos from my morning walks in Harper's Ferry!

Plus a few from Williamsburg...

Whining again....

I'm allowing myself one more WHINE about the destruction of my alma mater, Lonoke High School.  I think it was a beautiful building.  Just kills me to write that it was a beautiful building. It was torn down a couple of years ago and a new school built.  Don't get me wrong, I know they needed a new school.  My mother graduated from this one in 1938 so it was definitely in need of repair.  I just will never understand why they didn't add on behind this historical building.  I think I've just traveled enough to see the value in preserving our history.

Right down the street from Mary's house is another historic school building, also built in the 1930s I think.  They too needed a new school.  What did they do?  Did they tear the old school down?  NO they didn't.

Harper's Ferry Schools remodeled and added on while keeping the look and feel of the original building.

And also adding the additional classrooms and modern conveniences they needed.

Ok, there is my whine for the year about Lonoke High School!  I don't think I'll ever get over this but I am going to TRY not to whine about it anymore!

Bad Girls

I think we must have been bad one day!

And I always thought we were such nice girls!

Another adventure with Mary!

Enjoyed a wonderful visit with my #1 daughter!  Spring in West Virginia is almost as pretty as spring in Oregon!  But nothing can possibly beat spending time with Mary!

We took a short trip to Williamsburg, Virginia. While there we stormed the British Governor's Palace to protest his taking all the gun powder leaving the colonist (and soon to be revolutionists) without weapons.

 The British Governor was not amused.

We stood in the crowd as the Declaration of Independence was read on the steps of the courthouse.  It was entertaining to talk to the 'colonists' in the crowd who were so worried about the coming war with Great Britain.  One lady turned to me and said, "I am so afraid. I have 3 sons and they will want to fight for Independence. Do you have sons?" When I replied that I did, she said, "We don't know that the the French and Spanish will fight with us." I told her I was pretty sure they would welcome any chance to fight the British.

Our favorite speaker was Patrick Henry. The man who portrayed him was just excellent.  I was amazed at the depth of his knowledge.  I feel like I really know the man Patrick Henry.  Also I was impressed with the questions the crowd asked him.  Lots of intelligent, well read people there!

 We watched a slave couple 'jump the broom', which means that they got married.

Plus we had some great food at the taverns in the colonial area.

Our smart phones didn't quite fit the 'Colonial' theme though!

I'm so glad I have a daughter who loves to travel and a son-in-law who approves of our 'Mom-daughter' adventures!!!