My brother, Phil, graduated from EMU!!!!

Hi everyone!  

This blog post is dedicated to my little bro, Phil!  My whole family was together the weekend of April 26th to celebrate EMU grad!  Phil will honestly tell you that there were some times throughout the last 4 years that he didn't want to finish college.  He thought maybe there were more important things in life than spending a zillion dollars on a degree, or that the work was a little stressful.  I believe we all have these hard times in life, however, Phil overcame these obstacles and graduated!!  He got a Bachelor of Science in Business Admin. and a Minor in Spanish.  His plans for the fall are to begin Seminary at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Hburg, VA.  He received a great scholarship to make this opportunity even more appealing!

It was a bit rainy on the Saturday before grad so they decided to hold Commencement inside the Yoder arena.  We were all smashed in like sardines on the bleachers, but it was totally worth it!  4 unnamed men that I was sitting with were playing Spades during the long list of graduates crossing the stage.  We all cheered real loud when Phil crossed the stage though!

See Phil looking towards us as he walked in?!

I want to also extend a congratulations to a family friend, Heather Codding, for completing a Nursing degree!!  Yay Heather!  You did it!

Below you will see my sister in law, Maggie, my mom, and Maggie's parents sitting behind us.  Maggie's brother, Jesse Parker, also graduated!!  So Nate and Maggie both had brothers graduating the same day!  How exciting!

Mom and Dad are so proud of Phil!

Rewinding to Saturday evening, before Commencement, we attended Baccalaureate.  (okay that word is ridiculous to spell!)  Phil had the opportunity to help a friend lead some hymns during this event.  He is the one standing on the left side of the stage with the guitar. 

After Bach. we went to the President's reception and had refreshments!  This was a nice time to meet some of Phil's friends and professors.  He looks so nice in a suit and tie! :)

Phil got a sweet grad present from my parents - Mennonite hymn books!  The "red one", the "green one", and the "purple one".  He used them all weekend because he loves to sing hymns.

My bro, Nate, made Phil a grad gift - If you can GRADUATE, OBSTACLES are NOTHING.  

So sweet!

As I mentioned before, Maggie's brother graduated as well.  

In the picture from left to right, Ben (married to Maggie's sister Grace), Maggie, Jesse, Grace (Maggie's sister), and Nate.

After grad, my parents hosted a grad party for Phil and some other graduates!  Aaron grilled the meat, and I kept things running - filling empty bowls, putting out trash bags, holding my cousins babies!!!, and assisting the grill master!

At the end of the day Phil opened his grad cards/gifts!  He was so thankful!

Aaron and I took off work on Monday and Tuesday after grad so that we could visit friends and spend a little extra time with family!  We loved our trip!!  We are so thankful for flexible schedules that allow us to be apart of family things, even though we live many states apart.  

I will finish this post with a sweet picture my mom took of her grown-up children!

Love, Maria