I'm All Graduated and Growing Up! (Well, I don't know about the "growing up" part)

Happy Monday! I am officially an alumnus of Franciscan University of Steubenville!!!!! Graduation was wonderful!!!!! And the best part?

I got to do it all with my best friend, my husband!!!

Look at us, we're all graduated and adorable! 

Being married college students was amazing, and it was so awesome to end my college career with Jacob (however, since he was Bachelor of Science, and I was Bachelor of Arts, we had to sit in different sections, which was lame. But it was still awesome to graduate with him!).

On Saturday, we went to morning Mass, got ready, and then joined our classmates in the upstairs of Finnegan Fieldhouse, as we waited for the ceremony to begin. Finally, we marched into the gymnasium; we listened to a hilarious talk by Louis Holtz and then walked across the stage to receive our diploma covers (the diplomas were available after the ceremony). I loved watching so many classmates and friends bring this closure and recognition to the end of their undergraduate career. And I loved scurrying around outside afterwards, hugging and speaking with my family (who drove out from Kansas for the occasion!) and these amazing people I have grown to know and love over the past four years.

In the days leading up to graduation, I really grew in appreciation for my classmates. During “Graduation Week,” there is a special event each day for graduates to attend. A cookout, bowling night, formal dinner, party, and Baccalaureate Mass all brought together many of the graduating students. During these events, I realized how many of my fellow graduates I do not know. My friends and I would quite frequently remark, “Wow, I’ve never seen that person before!” I also grew to appreciate the epicness in our class. At the formal dinner, many awards were given, and I enjoyed hearing about the amazing achievements of random classmates. At the different events, I got to talk with people I had been in classes with—but really didn’t know—and learned about how cool they are. 

In the class of 2015, I know people whose plans include:  becoming a walnut farmer, going to school for Forensics science, becoming a foreign missionary, becoming a teacher, entering seminary, working at a cool bookstore, going to grad school, getting married, discerning with a religious order, and training to run a retreat house, to name a few. Plus, there are people who haven’t been offered jobs yet, but have incredibly joyful and willing spirits to do whatever God wants so that they can transform the world. I am so abundantly blessed to be connected to all of these individuals in the Franciscan family. I am still very much a kid at heart, and I don't feel all "grown up" yet-but I'm okay with that. God is so good, and He wants me to embrace the present moment! 

So, it is with joy and peace that I embark onto The Next Great Adventure that God is sending my way! More information on that is coming soon to the blog J Also, could y'all please send up a quick prayer for a special intention of mine? Thanks! Y'all are in my prayers! Have an epic day!!!!