Mike's MPA

Life has been hugely busy the last two years for Mike. He has been working on his Masters of Public Administration from Villanova University every waking hour that he wasn't watching the kids. I don't think anyone will ever really appreciate how hard he worked and the sacrifices he made to do well in his classes. He made a goal to get at least a 3.8 GPA so that he could qualify for an invitation to Pi Alpha Alpha, a global honor society for individuals in Public Administration.

This week, Mike not only graduated from Villanova, but also accomplished his academic goal, graduating with a 3.89 GPA. This represents literally hundreds of nights of burning the candle at both ends He missed out on or cut short family activities. He had the self-discipline and determination to excel in his studies and also wrote and published articles in the field of Public Administration on the side. I'm beyond proud of him!

Kevin had come in earlier to visit and see DC, then my parents flew in on Thursday just to see Mike graduate. We really appreciate that they would come out and celebrate with us. They were wonderful and babysat so that Mike and I could spend an evening alone on a date. They also watched both kids during the graduation ceremonies. There's no way I would have been able to sit through the events if they hadn't.

Friday was especially chaotic. There was a torrential downpour that day. We spent the morning at Valley Forge, then drove to Villanova over 3 hours before commencement started so that our kids could nap in the car and then we could get something to eat. Ryan and Sophia napped for awhile, but then we woke them up a little prematurely so that we could get something to eat then change our clothes.

We only had one umbrella and we left our two-person stroller at home because of space limitations in our car. We hurried and changed our kids' diapers in the backseat, standing in the pouring rain, then carried them to the building with the cafeteria…only to find out that the cafeteria had barely closed. To top it off, the smell of Eau de Poopy Diaper filled the air and I had no idea which child was the culprit.

At that point, both kids were crying and I felt like joining them. Despite our best efforts, everyone was wet, tired, dirty, and hungry. I trudged off to the bathroom to change Ryan's diaper, in no mood to go back out in the rain and attend a 90-minute ceremony with kids who just needed snuggles and bedtime.  When I got to the bathroom, a flyer on one of the stalls caught my eye. On it was written a quote by Vivian Greene: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

It was a simple thing, but it helped me to smile and take the whole situation in stride. 

We enjoyed Commencement. We survived the rain, the fatigue, and the whiney kids. I even laughed when my favorite leather strap shoes broke because they never, ever should have been anywhere near that rainstorm. 

We made it to Saturday, which had beautiful weather; Mike walked across the stage to receive his diploma. 

 Congratulations, Mike! Thanks for your hard work and dedication. I am so proud of you and feel incredibly blessed to be your wife!