It's a Great Day to be Done

It was 5 years ago this fall that Mr. College (last time calling him that) applied and was accepted at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He looked like quite a young kids compared to know – with 4 1/2 years of schooling in him. Still, we remember that fall orientation – not just because he got to meet Pioneer Pete (above) – but because the chancellor (and all speakers) basically echoed the motto: "It's a great day to be a Pioneer!" 

So I had to have some fun with that for his graduation. Yup, it happened, folks.

It was so weird having a virtual graduation ceremony. They basically live-streamed it on YouTube and it included prerecorded speeches by the provost, chancellor, and a student speaker – all reminding the graduates to be Pioneers in life. Then they read off the names and we waited...

And there he is! Or Mr. Dual Degree Boy! If you can't make out the words, it's a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in German. Right now it looks good on paper and hopefully soon it will look good to potential employers. First step is finishing finals this week. Then, since his lease runs through May, he'll stay in Platteville working until then or until he gets a "real life" job, which hopefully is sooner. For this weekend, though, it was just about celebrating this accomplishment! So we watched the ceremony online in the morning and then, since Carter worked until 4 p.m., we headed down to Platteville in the afternoon.

Before presenting him with this decorated box, I had to embarrass him with a little show-and-tell presentation to his friends. So I brought the big folding poster boards I made for his high school graduation party. They got to see little kindergarten cutie to Justin Bieber hair middle school to his super model senior pictures. They got a kick out of it. Carter got over it after opening his gift.

Yup, he finally earned his Austin's Pour House jacket! Jim's aunt and uncle ran this bar for years and years back in day. Jim, the big boys and I all got these jackets for Christmas of 2008. Carter was 10 at the time and we said it wouldn't be appropriate for a grade-schooler to wear jacket from a saloon. He wasn't happy.

Now he is! Since it was a 12-year wait, he was pretty surprised. I was just happy to give it to him. It's been hiding in my closet since summer. I'm not the best at keeping quiet about anything.

For the rest of our graduation "party" fun, we picked up pizzas and hung out at the house for the evening. Here's a picture of Carter with his two favorite girls. Well, to be honest, one's his favorite but they are the two girls who love him the most, I bet!

Since they got 4-6 inches of snow on Friday night and Saturday, we booked a hotel room down there. So this morning – late morning – we took Carter and Mamie our for brunch then hit the road since Carter had to work in the afternoon.

So long, Platteville. Even the M on the hill was covered in snow. Already erasing memories of the place.

Not that we won't be back down there in the spring sometime, but for now it's a great day to be a Pioneer grad and great day for that chapter to be done.

I know you don't read my blog, but congrats kiddo! We love you and are so very proud!

#classof2020 #greatdaytobeapioneer