Pomp and Circumstance

A lot has happened in the past 14 days.

I graduated.

Jennifer graduated.

Jacob, Jennifer's beloved graduated from Police Academy.

Osama bin Laden graduated from mortal life.

May he rest unhappily ever after.

But, let's dwell on happier events.

Jennifer and I GRADUATED! I know you want pictures--To PROVE that I actually graduated.

Here you go (with some slight commentary from me, of course.)

Before Thursday's Commencement, BYU had a lovely luncheon for the BGS graduates and their families. We enjoyed tasty sandwiches, yummy salads, raw vegetables with the obligatory ranch dip, various types of chips (which I finally ate when I returned home 12 days later. I'm a slow eater--but this was ridiculous!) and TASTY chocolate mint brownies. BYU is FAMOUS for their tasty chocolate mint brownies. I think this might be the first time I ate one and now I am a BYU chocolate mint brownie fan for life.

On a side note--do you notice the cute shoes I'm wearing? Please notice them because they caused me excruciating pain and a few blisters. They didn't even have that high of a heel. But after walking and walking and walking and standing and standing and standing, my feet paid the price for several days.

Never in my WILDEST dreams did I EVER think I would get a picture taken with Cosmo. Cosmo never said a word during our photo shoot, but I think that secretly he was DELIGHTED to take this photo with Jennifer, Emily, Ron, and I. I mean, who wouldn't? We were the ONLY mother-daughter duo that day.

After the luncheon, Jennifer and I took the opportunity to take some pictures. I won't bore you with all of them. Don't we look adorable? Note our white collars. These collars were SUPPOSED to be attached with adhesive tape. The tape didn't work--except getting stuck in our hair. Heather and Dustin went to the rescue and walked and walked and walked to find some safety pins. Jennifer, Emily, and I could simply NOT take another unnecessary step because our feet hurt.

How did the Pioneers do it?

Do you remember those Where's Waldo books? Well, can you spot Jennifer and I? We are SOMEWHERE in this section of the Marriott Center. I can't even find us. Over 6,000 students graduated this day. Elder Richard G. Scott was the keynote speaker. I LOVED his talk. When Commencement was over, Jennifer and I hobbled out of the Marriott Center and once we were reunited with our family, spent the next 45 minutes trying to get out of the parking lot.

That evening, we had a pizza party at Heather and Dustin's house. We enjoyed huddling together on their "Love Sack" nicknamed by Emily as "The Cream Puff." Ron, Emily, and I spent the night with Heather and Dustin. Emily spent the night on the Cream Puff which she said was one of the best night's sleep she EVER enjoyed!

The next morning, Ron and I showed up at the Smith Fieldhouse before 7:00 am to get ready for the next event of the day--Convocation! Convocation is where Jennifer and I would actually hear our names spoken out loud! It was very exciting.

Jennifer and I waiting patiently for our turn to cross the stage. We were in the second to last row to graduate. We were very patient.

Jennifer and I right after receiving our lovely diploma covers. Don't we look happy? Jennifer walked the stage first. The speaker announced her name and mentioned that she was graduating Cum Laud. Way to go Jennifer! We will NOT repeat what her delightful husband shouted when she crossed the stage, but I can tell you that Jennifer blushed.

Then, it was MY turn! I prayed that I would not trip crossing the stage and cause a memorable moment for everyone. Do you notice the sensible shoes I am wearing in this photo? I learned my lesson on Thursday and wore Grandma type shoes (even though I am NOT a grandma) and so there was no tripping. They said my name and then announced, "Loralee is the mother of Jennifer and she is graduating with her Bachelor of General Studies Degree."

There was great shouting and whooping and cheering from our fan club. Christie told me that several people said, "Oh how sweet--a mother and daughter graduating together." Yes! Yes, it was!

After convocation, the education department (which Jennifer graduated from) had light refreshments. I was very excited to discover that they were serving BYU's famous chocolate mint brownies. I partook again. I was very, very happy!

Barbara (one of my Utah sisters) supported me by being one of our photographers as well as attending two very long graduation ceremonies. Barbara--you are a GREAT sport!

The entire family minus Dustin who was valiantly attending his last day of college classes before finals began for him. We missed you Dustin--but you were where you were supposed to be! I can't wait to attend YOUR college graduation in a couple more years.

So, there you go. Photographic proof that it wasn't a dream.

I truly am a college graduate!

Goal Accomplished!

Have you missed me?

I've missed you.

I have spent the past five weeks intently working on my last BYU class. I have spent the past five weeks reviewing textbooks and notes of all the courses I have taken. I have spent the last five weeks doing research for my capstone class. I have spent the last five weeks writing many papers. This has left little free time for blogging. Or cleaning my house. Or making nutritious meals.

It has left little free time to read books. Or talk on the phone. Or do fun things with my family.

But, it's been worth it. I've taken 14 classes the past five years. Finally, I'm done.

A few minutes ago, I submitted a 12 page research paper, a 6 page paper, a 24 page paper, and two one page papers, along with assorted other necessary documents to prove that I have learned something the past five years.

I am sitting at my computer weeping tears of joy that the journey is over. I am happy the finals are over. I am SO glad I don't have to write any more research papers. I am relieved that I don't have to figure out exactly what my instructor wants sitting at my computer 800 miles from their office.

I am sitting at my computer weeping tears of sadness that the journey is over. I have LOVED going back to school and learning new things. I have LOVED having my mind and imagination opened to new concepts. I will miss being a BYU student. It has been a joyous journey.

I want to shout to the world that almost 30 years after I left college to raise a family...

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Reflections of a New Year

Today after I taught early-morning seminary, I went for a long walk. The rain had finally stopped, the sun was trying to break through the clouds, and I wanted to think and ponder.

As I climbed up and down the hills in my neighborhood, I silently prayed, "Heavenly Father, what do you want me to do?"

Sometimes, my life feels like a jigsaw puzzle. There are missing pieces and yet, if I can just find the right combination of patterns, colors, and pieces, everything will fall into place. I love the New Year because it feels fresh with a whole world of possibilities. Some of my friends tease me because I LOVE to set goals. I also love to work on them. I don't always succeed in every goal--but I am making the effort and hopefully by the end of the year I can look back and see some progress.

So this morning, as I walked, I asked, "Heavenly Father, what do you want me to do?"

I had already written down some goals I wanted to accomplish for the coming year. I want to study the life of the Savior as I re-read the New Testament. I want to continue to read the Book of Mormon. I want to attend the temple at least once a month.

I had some physical goals as well--exercising 250 times this year, organizing my recipes, filing my magazines. And I had some intellectual goals as well--completing a couple more BYU classes and reading at least 24 books. But, I felt like something was lacking.

As I walked up and down the streets of my neighborhood, silently praying, this is the thought that came to me:

"Don't just study the life of the Savior, but become more like Him."

It made me think of one of my favorite Primary Hymns.

I'm trying to be like Jesus,
I'm following in His ways,
I'm trying to love as He did,
In all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still, small voice whispers,
"Love one another as Jesus loved you,
Try to show kindness in all that you do,
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."

--I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus from the Children's Songbook.

This coming year I will try a little harder to be kinder. I will try a little harder to be more loving. I will try a little harder to be more patient. I will try a little harder to be a little more like my Savior.

I may not be able to measure this goal in numbers--I won't be able to wake up one morning saying, "Good job--you did it!" But, hopefully at the end of 2011 I will feel a difference in my spirit.

It's That Time of the Year

If there is one thing the Young Women program taught me growing up it is the value of setting and achieving goals. I love this time of year when I have a chance to reflect upon my life and decide which areas I would like to work on in the coming year.

My blueprint for setting goals is found in Luke 2:52 where it reads,

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

One simple sentence that described Jesus' life from the age of 12 until he started his formal ministry at age 30. He increased in wisdom--he increased intellectually. He increased in stature--he increased physically. He increased in favor with God--he grew spiritually. And last, but not least, he grew in favor with man--he developed socially.

I try to follow this pattern as I set my goals each year. I choose some goals that hopefully strengthen my intellect and other goals that strengthen me physically. I choose goals where my testimony can grow and be strengthened and I choose other goals that help me be a more social person. I would like to share a few of this year's goals with you.

Intellectually, I'm hoping to complete two more BYU classes and actually graduate. Yes, after all these years, I'm hoping to don a black robe and an ugly mortarboard hat and hear my name called at a BYU graduation exercise. This is a goal that I've been working on for a long time. I put college graduation on the back burner--so far back I almost forgot it existed. When my oldest daughter graduated from college almost five years ago, I suddenly knew that I wanted to go back to college and I've been working on this now for over four years--one class at a time. Some of the classes have been extremely enjoyable and others have been very difficult--not necessarily because the coarse work was extremely hard, but because it did not engage me as much or the course expectations weren't as clear.

Spiritually, I want to re-read the Book of Mormon again this year. My mother has inspired me to really study the footnotes and look up the cross-references and then record my thoughts and feelings in my journal. I know that my understanding of the scriptures will increase as I do this. But even more important, my testimony will increase as well.

Physically, I want to exercise at least 250 times this year. My sister Karen was my example with this goal when several years ago she told me that she kept an exercise log and recorded not only when she exercised, but logged the type of workout. I don't think I'll be that extreme, (in fact, I know I won't) but last year I exercised 225 times and I would like to increase the amount. I'm off to a great start! I've exercised three days so far this year. Of course, it's only January 5.

Finally, socially I would like to become more charitable. Many years ago I read an Ensign article that really impressed me. It was about a woman who was challenged to give an act of service every day for six weeks. It was such a wonderful experience that she decided to extend the challenge for an entire year. She shared some of the service she rendered. Most of it was simple, but it trained her to look for ways she could help others. By the end of the year, she had developed greater charity and empathy for others. I, too know that this is an area I would like to focus on. So, I've committed to performing at least one act of service each day this year and recording it in my planner. It will be fun to look back and see what I've accomplished. More importantly, I'm hoping that my experience will render me a more loving and kind person.

I'm excited about the upcoming year. I'm looking forward to accomplishing good things and becoming a more well-rounded person.