Graduation

Tossing my cap!

I should have known that Brady would be right. That donning the customary cap and gown, striding across the stage in barely broken-in heels, and squirming about - all too anxious to share my BYU blue diploma cover with the family - in my collapsable chair in the Marriott Center would all be worth the Expedia reservation. As Department Head George Handley took my hand, smiling, welcoming me onto the stage, I no longer felt like a liminal figure, a member of academic purgatory, if you will, simply awaiting the good natures of administration and advisement to approve my application to graduate. No, Dr. Handley - along with the other thirty or so decorated faculty members seated on stage - welcomed me into scholastic accomplishment. I was no longer a stranger or foreigner, but fellowcitizen with the lovers of wisdom, and of the household of knowledge.

Heading to the join the processional

Ringing the Y Bell

Enjoying the moment

Following Elder L. Tom Perry's terrific commencement address, Brady and I - along with his mother and grandmother, and my brother - headed over to the Hinckley Center for the alumni dinner and dance. Brady and I weren't really planning on taking center stage, but then the DJ turned on "A Thousand Years" - yes, the Breaking Dawn track, don't judge us - and I couldn't resist accepting his offer to be wrapped in his arms for a few moments.

At the end of the song, Gangham Style exploded onto the dance floor. And, shamelessly, so did we :) 

We passed on the layer cake to dance, but felt it would be inconceivable to end the evening without dessert. Some moments are so special they don't need ice cream. Other times, you realize you are a three-minute drive from the BYU Creamery.

  

The following day was convocation, where I had the opportunity to receive my diploma!

President's reception (Left to right: Sarah (Nick's girlfriend), Nick, Sister Samuelson, President Samuelson, Me, Brady, Lori, Kay)

Celebratory lunch at Kneaders!

Outside the MOA

Salt Lake City Temple

And...so I might be an entire foot shy of the Duchess of Cambridge (besides just lacking her elegance and poise) but I can't help but adore her sense of style. And while Whistles and Alexander McQueen just aren't going to make the budget this month - or this life - I still tried to take a little royal inspiration for commencement and convocation:

I think that she stands with her shoulders more upright, less hunched. Sigh. I need some princess posture practice :)

Dear Army...

I hope that you've enjoyed training my husband these past five days. I expect that he has enjoyed it as well. That's great and all, but I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind...promptly returning him. I have found that I am missing someone who can...

kiss me good morning

write me love notes before going to work

tell me that I look beautiful

work in the temple on Saturdays with me

laugh at my jokes

give me wise advice

hold me really close when I cry

go on sunset walks with me in the park

ask intently about my day

always notice my haircuts and pedicures

send me cute texts throughout the day

thank me for making "excellent" PB&Js

insist on taking out the garbage, because that's a "man's job"

read the scriptures with me

compliment my cooking, even when dinner is burned

map out our future with me

encourage me to be a better woman

pray with me, and for me

snuggle with me on the couch

hold my hand in church

and always, always, kiss me good night?

I am certain that I will not find a more perfect husband, not in the next five weeks, and not in the eternities.

But because you are training him to do good things, and because I know that these exercises make him a better soldier, I suppose that I will let you keep him for the previously-allotted time.

But just in case you change your mind, I will keep a box of Honey Bunches of Oats waiting for him in the pantry.

You can tell him that I really like carnations this time of year :)



April Showers...

...bring May babies!

Well Maya's baby, at least :)

baby aminals!!!

I guess that Microsoft Word course at BYU paid off after all

Because Maya has been having contractions (and not the Braxton-Hicks kind) since the beginning of last week, and she's already beginning to dilate, we didn't even know if this shower would actually go on. I almost texted her that morning to ask if I should go ahead and frost the cupcakes.

There were cupcakes...

Thank you Am for your fabulous recipe!!!

...and pink-iced elephant sugar cookies...

and this pink ombre swirl cake!

It was a lot of fun to make, and had a pastry-quality taste! Best vanilla cake recipe. Ever. Find it here

We also had each guest make a letter for a felt alphabet book for the baby.

I made two :)

And then they filled out wishes for Maya's baby girl:

 We ended with playing a game, where Maya tried to guess Branton's responses to questions I had asked him the day before. I think my favorite was his response to how he'll respond during the birth - "I think I'll be alright. I handle pressure really well." Maya's guess was spot on: "Oh, I know that he thinks that he will be fine. I think that he's in for a big surprise though!" Then we opened presents. There are so many cute things for babies! I was definitely not dressed that cute when I was a little one. Oh, the joys of being a child in the '90s.

Easter Traditions

Although Brady usually kindly vetoes my ideas for family traditions (i.e. Tres Leche Cake apparently is not a significant enough reference to Jesus' three days in the grave, and so it got cut from our Easter menu...although I do admit to stretching its symbolic worth just to have an excuse to eat it), he did approve the idea of decorating Peeps for a festive FHE (no religious symbolism here, by the way)...

Okay, so...not exactly Pinterest-worthy, but they DID make incredible s'mores.

 Like, incredible. If there is still leftover Easter candy at your local Target, you should buy them out.

Brady enjoyed this creativity so much, that we decided to make a wreath for our front door:

...and he even accompanied me to Hobby Lobby, to pick out the materials! "There is so much to look at," he commented as we were leaving. "Someone could spend forever in there!"

It was a moment of empathetic connection. I think that he now understands where his wife goes some Saturday afternoons.

We came home and made Good Friday dinner (no Tres Leche...) before breaking out our crafting supplies. Then Brady and I watched Skyfall and fashioned our spring wreath.

18 and up only, please (months, that is)

I love Sandra Rast, and I love this painting in our dining room :)

After I was released from Relief Society two weeks ago, I joked with Brady that if I was called to the nursery I would spend the first two weeks disinfecting the toys with Lysol.

...ahem...

Haha, ok so today was my second Sunday in my new calling (as Assistant Nursery Leader) and I have politely tucked away my germophobia to wholeheartedly love thirteen adorable 18-month to 3 year olds.

Ok, so I won't lie. The first Sunday I was there, I sat down and was eye to eye with uncovered coughing fits and toddlers who so generously spit their gum out to me for proper disposal. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous. But I smiled through the cloud of coughy germs and told the little ones to hold onto their masticated Juicyfruit until I returned with a Kleenex. And...sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven, I suppose. Little Zoe Fay strutted (and I do mean strutted, I love this little girl's style and confidence!) over to me, pulled open her Disney Princess purse, and handed me some berry-scented hand sanitizer.

"Want some?" she asked with a huge grin on her face.
"Why yes, Zoe Fay. I don't mind if I do," was my reply.

We are besties. This little girl is a dead ringer for Hermione, from the Sorcerer's Stone, and her answer to every question is either "Jesus" or "Food."

I love all of these little ones, and I have this incredible peace that this is where Heavenly Father wants me to be right now. Life is good, and is even better with goldfish at snacktime :)

London Calling

Coming up at the end of this year, Brady will be deployed. No standard nine month-er, his unit is planning for a year plus. Selfless and caring as my husband is, he's been relentless with planning for me during that time. Through pondering, discussions, and prayer, we've both felt that it was right for me to pursue graduate studies during this time.

But where? It would need to be completed within a year, so that I wouldn't have a half degree when he came home and we moved (and no thank you for this online thing again). The UK's standard for graduate studies is one year, right? But those schools are good, there's no way I'd get in.

Or...maybe sometimes we are better than we think we are?

Maybe so (drumroll please)...as of last Tuesday (well, actually last Monday, but Brady had a late-night flight and so I didn't open it until we were together Tuesday evening) I am the newest student to the University of London! This means that afterwards I can officially curate, or teach at a smaller university, or prep for furthur studies to one day teach with the really bright people at universities with captial U's :)

So happy :) Brady and I are soon to be twinsie London grads.



And...I won't lie. I really want to meet Kate :)

Lectures and Lemonade

Brady and I found out some good news last Tuesday (post to follow!), and so we wanted to celebrate it that weekend. Upon becoming a wife, I assumed the roles of not only personal chef and laundress (the former I love, the latter...eh, I do it because I love my husband and don't want him to smell bad in front of the other officers) but event planner extraordinaire as well. Accordingly, I kept both our interests in mind for our Saturday date :)

The weather was perfect, and so after a crisp morning run, both of us slipped on some shorts and flip flops and headed on to Nashville.

Umm...and sorry I look obese in this picture. I really have not gained 30 pounds since my last photo, nor miraculously lost it since this photo was taken. Baggy bermudas and a striped tee apparently do not photograph well :)

We both really like the Frist, a privately-owned gallery in Nashville, and last weekend they were running not one but two really great exhibits. We were already excited enough about a double feature of the ancient American and Rembrandt shows, but then I found out about a lecture for the ancient American exhibit that morning (I love my husband for attending these nerdy dates with me, by the way, and looking for ways to enjoy them). I was in heaven. One of my senior seminars was on the art and culture of ancient Mexico, and so Brady let me give him a guided tour of the Mexico rooms before we headed off  to learn about Peru and Guatemala - together :)


c. kingofages.com

Good art makes us smile. Exceptional art speaks to our souls. Rembrandt was phenomenal, and we both left feeling that our spirits were filled. Am I going to their free student admission Thursday and Friday nights? Yes, please.

We had been inside for a while, and needed to head back to take care of a few things for school and work. Because the weather was so beautiful, however, we took a stroll, basking in the abundance of Vitamin D, before driving back to Clarksville (and keeping the windows down as long as my hair and the loose papers in the back seat could stand it). 

And...because art critiquing expends some serious energy, we stopped off at Chick-fil-a for some spicy chicken and green lemonade.



Could life get any better? With both of our joyful presents and promising futures, I submit that it can :)