Grad-u-A-tion

This weekend was a very busy and exciting one for our family. It started with Devin's graduation, then Easter celebrations, and culminated in the blessing of our sweet Jace. More on the latter two later, but let's start at the beginning.

Friday was a big day in the life of Devin. He graduated from BYU with his degree in Landscape Management. I am so proud of him. It seems like this was a long time coming to me, but in reality, he completed his degree in the normal four years. We are the same age and got married a short 6 months after his mission (yeah, what were we thinking?! Just kidding...it has all been wonderful).

I am usually not one to talk constantly about how amazing my husband is, but I am going to this time. Let's face it- he is amazing. Devin's typical schedule for the past four years was to get up at 7 am or so, go to school until noon, come home and be with the kid(s) while doing home work until 4 pm , then go to work from 4-12. Wake up the next day, repeat. Weekends were not a break, but typically consisted of more work. Devin has always been a very hard worker and he is also a very committed family man, so he had to walk a fine line to balance all the roles he needed to play. It was never a question that his priority was at home with me and the children, but he also managed to work full time while going to school full time. He was quickly promoted to a management position in his job, which allowed us to get through school debt free.

While we decided at first that we wanted to wait about two years to have children, we soon knew that we were supposed to have children quicker than that and knew that everything would work out. We had Hallie after we had been married about a year and a half and we have been so blessed. I look back and I am just amazed at how well we have been taken care of. My job has also been such a huge blessing, which I have talked about before- but one that I am so grateful for because it allows me the flexibility to always rearrange my schedule around Devin's so that he can be home when I am not.

Last weekend we had stake conference and I just sat and reflected the whole time on how blessed we have been in these last four years. I had my journal with me and felt like I should write down how grateful I am for all that we have been given. (Sorry to those who spoke for not paying attention as well as I should have...)

It is interesting to sit on the threshold of a new era of our lives now, since all we have known is being students and going to school. I guess we will see how life changes as Devin looks for jobs, etc. On that end, we will be staying in Utah for at least another year or so because we need to stay in our house for three years total (we bought it with the tax credit) and because moving would jeopardize the adoption process. After that, we will see where life takes us!

Okay, enough of my ramblings. Please enjoy some pictures of the long and boring event (but one that I so loved anyway because it truly meant the end of one era and the beginning of another!). We were grateful to have my mom, Dave, my sister Jennifer and her husband Steve and daughter Sadie, and Devin's two sisters Shawna and Alisa come to the ceremony. Sitting next to Shawna and Alisa was great because it kept me entertained throughout some of the more dull parts (like the reading of a thousand names, of which Devin's was within the last 10. Lovely.) Hallie and Sadie were also entertaining. They were shushing their babies and rocking them. Love Sadie's face here...
Alisa and Shawna. Devin's sisters are beautiful. I want to be like them someday.
Nice face, Steve. I am sure they were not bored at this point or anything.
Sadie wanted a chance to hold "baby Jace" as she calls him. I think she needs a sibling, eh?
Dave is a good egg and ran down to the floor to take pictures of Devin appearing out of the tunnel.
Walking across the stage. Luckily he is easy to spot since he is so tall.
Three of the Perry children.
Our little family. Hmm, does it appear that I am not supporting Jace's head very well? Please ignore that. I try to be a good mother and that generally includes supporting my children's heads when they need it.
My family who came: Sadie, Jen, Steve, Hallie, Dev, me, Jace, Mom, Dave
This just makes me proud. and happy.
Hallie was supposed to be in this picture but was throwing a fit instead.

Ahh, okay, there we go. That's the best we could do.

Now onto the next adventure. Which is????

(PS, thanks to my sister for all the pictures from the entire weekend. Her camera is much better than mine, so she graciously agreed to capture all photographic evidence of our weekend)