I Don't Have To Be Me Until Monday...

that could have been the theme song for the weekend...

Friday was capped with hanging out with Momma Pilot and Captain Mike at the District Track meet followed by the weekly family dinner at Pete's.

Saturday started with a beautiful, nature-filled run. Then, it was off to spend a day on the Williams' girls schedule. The last few times I've been up to Cville, I've been on friends' schedule so it was nice to follow the girls.

Saturday night was capped by a 'swimmer party' which was great to see everyone before we graduated.

Sunday began early with a call from Christina on her way in from Richmond. H had a big day at church. G spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to put my pearl bracelet on that Married Kat graced me with as a gift from her wedding. L had to get in on the action, so she got eye shadow duty since makeup isn't my thing.

Then, I felt like a 'soccer child' as we loaded up in the mini-van and headed to 'school' to pick up the 'carpooler' Christina. Then, T stopped at the 'bus stop' to let us off, but preceded to pull a Chinese fire drill and make everyone evacuate the car to get a picture. Then, Christina and I headed off to 'school.'

Rebecca has us over for mimosas and Bodo's. Graduation wouldn't have been complete without the staple of Bodo's. Then, we headed to the Lawn for the ceremony followed by the Curry ceremony at JPJ. I made it back to the Bed and Breakfast around 5 and decided to attempt coming back to real life at 7. 29 was a parking lot and I conveniently forgot my bag at the Bed and Breakfast. So, I aborted mission and returned to Cville before finally making it home at 10ish. When, the alarm blared at 5:30 this morning...it was time to be me...today's job was to administer another SOL...The dream that was dreamt for years is now complete. Where do I go from here? Who knows...but, I sure am excited for the journey.

Moral of the Story:

The Honor Men
by James Hay Jr.*

The University of Virginia writes her highest degree on the souls of her sons. The parchment page of scholarship-the colored ribbon of a society-the jeweled emblem of a fraternity-the orange symbol of athletic prowess-all these, a year hence, will be at the best mementos of happy hours-like the withered flower a woman presses between the pages of a book for sentiment's sake.

But...

If you live a long, long time, and hold honesty of conscience above honesty of purse:

And turn aside without ostentation to aid the weak;

And treasure ideals more than raw ambition;

And track no man to his undeserved hurt;

And pursue no woman to her tears;

And love the beauty of noble music and mist-veiled mountains and blossoming valleys and great monuments-

If you live a long time and, keeping the faith in all these things hour by hour, still see that the sun gilds your path with real gold and that the moon floats in dream silver;

Then...

Remembering the purple shadows of the lawn, the majesty of the colonnades, and the dream of your youth, you may say in reverence and thankfulness:

"I have worn the honors of Honor, I graduated from Virginia"

*Please note that "The Honor Men" is an historic poem whose implied gender connotations are not endorsed by The Honor Committee.