Grads and New Beginnings

Poor Meri.  It hurt for her to smile.  We got to campus just after 8am and loaded up the van with all Maddy's things.  Well, MOST of them.  A few things stayed behind for her roommate who needed them for a bit longer.  

Probably a good thing too, because the van was JAM packed.  

Last pic in the room.

Then we headed to the gym where the graduation was going to be.  Had lots of time to get to the balcony seats that Maddy and Matthew had scoped out and reserved for us the previous day.  We sat next to his family and talked until things got going.

Got some zoom-in action going!

We couldn't get Matthew to turn around, so here is his neck.

Maddy found us and just in time!

I got their backsides as they received their diplomas.

And then caught up with them out on the grounds.  There was some confusion, but we all ended up at the restaurant for lunch, so all was good.

Sisters forEVER!  Even with a hurt smile.

The call service was that afternoon and guess where these two lovebirds will be going??

OSHKOSH!  

I am SO relieved!  It could have been California, Arizona, Georgia and other places way far from us...  It's only a bit more than five hours now.  And it's a permanent position so they're set.  Matthew isn't too far from a grad school that has the program he wants to study and they're already housing shopping.

They plan to maybe go next week to settle on a place and meet Maddy's new co-workers and boss.  

And bonus!!!  THIS ugly duckling has already worked at this same school for a year already and can't WAIT for Maddy to get there too!  Built in friends!

Wouldn't it be cool to have everything click into place perfectly and start fresh like this?

I want to now too...