...And we're back!

Wow!  I can't believe four months has passed since I last posted - well, I suppose I can because a lot has changed since then.  In December, I graduated from Penn State and two days later we hopped in the car to start the drive to Texas.

The quintessential PSU graduation photo.

Graduation was exciting - if for no other reason than this is probably the most fabric I've ever had on my body at once.  Geoff calls these my Tycho Brahe robes, but they don't include a silver nose.  My friend Julia and I were able to walk together at the ceremony, five and a half years after we started together in the department.

The Doctors.

The actual hooding took place while we were at our seats in the auditorium so Mark and I staged some photos ahead of time.  This is right before he taught me the secret handshake.

Pomp and Circumstance indeed.

My family all flew out for the ceremony and my friend Sarah drove up from DC.

Trying not to look bored

It made me feel all warm and fuzzy that they all sat there for two hours just so they could see this:

That's me on the left after shaking President Spanier's hand.

My best supporter!

It was wonderful to have Geoff and my family there to share in my graduation because I couldn't have done it without them.

Proud parents of TWO graduates in one year.

After graduation, we had a lot of people over for a party - a lot!  It was freezing cold outside but the house was so full people were on the porch.  It was really touching that so many people came out to say goodbye!  Geoff's band played and we stayed up way too late with about 50 of our bestest friends.  

The trouble with graduate school is that there is a built in end date - almost everyone has, is, or soon will be moving on to somewhere else.  For me, my time at Penn State wasn't just about earning a degree, it was the time when I grew most as a person, met the love of my life, and made some of the best friends I have ever had.