graduation

Quayd was at the USU Spectrum at 8AM for rehearsal.  He said that it really started to hit him then!  He's DONE!  He walked home from the Spectrum (we only live a few blocks away from USU) instead of riding the bus full of Seniors back to Smithfield and then having to come back to Logan again.

 Before Graduation, Quayd opened his graduation gifts.  Doug and I gave him new luggage.  It will be wonderful to be able to just start putting his things into the luggage instead of storing them and hoping that I don't forget where I put them or see them going through the wash before he even leaves!  He was pleased with it!

He seemed pretty pleased!

We went to the Beehive Grill for lunch before graduation to avoid the crowds after.  Also, we had no clue what he would want to do with his friends after graduation.  So, this worked out great for us all.  Quayd had to be back to the USU Spectrum before 2:30.  Graduation from 3-5 (forever long!)  It was a full day!  A very full day!  But, a very gratifying day!  

Quayd kept saying, "I can't believe that this is really happening!"  I think that the reality of it all really sunk in at the rehearsal that morning.

Here's some pix and random thoughts from the big day...

Walking in with his class to be seated.  I love the graduation music! 

Bella Voce performed at the graduation.  Grace literally did not get the memo that they were to wear their Bella dresses.  She stood out like a sore thumb, but she sang anyway!

 Walking to the stage... only four more and it's his turn!

I loved that while he was being announced, Quayd was looking up to see us all.  He was so excited after they announced his name that he did his "wave", ran down off the stand and right past the principal, who was handing him his diploma.  He was so nervous!  We laughed as he backed up and shook his hand!  There were several who did that!

 510 graduates.  It was a lonnnnnnng ceremony!

 Following the graduation, the seniors exited the Spectrum and went outside to greet their families.  Liza and Quayd have a special bond.  It was fun to see them celebrating together!

 

David and Toni endured the long ceremony, as well!  It was great to have them there with us.

We took some family pix afterward in the crowd...here's Quayd surrounded by all the women in his life.

A very proud father and his son!  I love these two together!  They truly are best friends.

My good friend, Trish, made Quayd a candy lei.  I've never heard of this tradition but there were tons of them on the seniors.  SO FUN!!

 

This cute gal came up and gave Quayd the biggest hug!  I stood off in the distance a bit to listen to their conversation.  It was fun to hear Quayd asking questions instead of going on about himself.  Doug has taught him the gift of asking questions and getting people to talk.  I love that!  It will be most beneficial to him on his mission!

 The diploma.  Long awaited and hard-earned!

 Of everything about his graduation that makes me happy and smile, the most important to me was the messages that I read on Quayd's yearbook.  When he came home from school on Yearbook signing day, Tuesday, I was, literally, in tears.  I read the comments from his many friends... over and over and over... "Quayd, you are THE nicest kid to ever step foot in SV...Quayd, you are the nicest guy I've ever met...Quayd, you are the most positive kid I know...Quayd, you always are so friendly to everyone and have such a great attitude..."  Without exception.  EVERY SINGLE comment mentioned his great disposition, good nature and kindness.  This made me cry tears of joy.  He really is a great kid with a huuuuuuuge heart.  I told Quayd that of all the things friends could have written, these acknowledgements were the most important kind because they were about his character!

We came home after graduation and he said that all he wanted to really do was go to sleep.  Most of his close friends were spending the evening with their families and planning on gathering together today.  He'd been awake all the night before feeling anxious about everything that is taking place in his life right now.  He's really not given much thought to graduation because there's been so much to do with his mission prep on top of it.  So, we came home, Liza and Buddy surprised us by ordering Firehouse dinner to go and we spent the remainder of the evening with them until they moved all of their things over to Buddy's family for the remainder of their Logan visit.  Quayd was in bed and ready to get up early for his temple endowment.  More about that on my next post.

It was a great day!  I feel such relief to have school behind us and now, we can give our full focus to the remainder of his mission prep!  We are so excited for our sweet son!  Quayd struggled through school, but always remained positive and worked hard.  He worked his way through the years from being in all resource classes as a young boy until he only had one resource class his junior and senior year.  In his early years, they said this would never happen.  But, he was determined to prove everyone wrong and to be able to pull his own weight.  In the end, he did it!  He worked so hard to do this and we couldn't be more proud!  His teachers, through the years, have told us that he was always their favorite student because he was just so willing to try, that he worked so hard and always had the best attitude.  That great attitude pulled him through!  SO SO Happy for him!  Congrats to our son, graduate, Class of 2016 SVHS!  Woooohoooooooo!  Life is good!