Friday, April 23, 2010

I've got the button... and a diploma!

After my frustrating search for buttons I decided to head north, stopping at two quilting stores in Draper and finally finding the "perfect buttons" for my pillows at the quilting store a block away from my parents' house. Wahoo!

Slightly more important that buttons, however, is the fact that Bret and I graduated from Brigham Young University today. Yesterday was commencement in the Marriott Center. We "marched" together and enjoyed a bunch of great talks including one by Elder Christofferson. I loved the way he started his remarks: He took a drink of water on his way up and then said, "I had to take a quick drink because this talk is really dry." It wasn't dry at all, but we all got a kick out of that introduction.

Today we spent 5 hrs on campus for our convocation ceremonies. We didn't realize we could walk together, so we each went to the one for our respective college. We both agreed that although there were things we really liked about the Life Sciences ceremony (one of the speakers, the man reading off the names, and the fact that they announced special awards and relationships to graduates they were walking with), we liked the Fine Arts and Communications ceremony better (MUCH MUCH MUCH smaller group, awesome speakers, great musical numbers, and a more comfortable venue - the deJong). I think my favorite part of my ceremony was when the first student speaker got up and started saying exactly what has been on my mind for the past few weeks. "We are the group of students who people ofent ask, 'So what do you expect to DO with you major? Will you be able to support your family with that? Will you be able to get a job with that?' We are the group of students whose major is considered impractical and "fun" but we have continued on, determined that what we were doing was important. And now we are about to graduate and most of us are thinking, 'Uh-oh. What was I thinking!?!'" (That was extremely paraphrased and put in my own words, but you get the point.) He went on to describe how we read through the wanted ads ad suddenly feel very unwanted. That's exactly what I've been thinking! But as he went on to remind us why we made the decision we did I was comforted in remembering that I dance and teach dance because for me dance is a conduit of light and truth. I feel joy and ofent feel the spirit when I am dancing and when I am sharing that love for dance. Although my decision to major in dance education might lead me to a job flipping burgers, I know it was exactly what I was supposed to be doing for the past four years. It meant a lot to me to be able to sit there with the dancers and faculty that have become my family and be recognized together.

I think that graduating has helped Bret and I realize not only what a fabulous opportunity we have had to attend BYU but also what great parents we have. They both came to support us in graduating, but really they've been supporting us all along. We love them so much. It was a fun time to have Bret's parents play games and sleep over at our (one-bedroom) apartment and to go out to eat with my parents and have a great conversation. We are truly blessed.

Armed with our buttons and diplomas, we are excited for all the adventures that lie ahead for us.

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