“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic: That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same: And that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion.”

MNS Building at UNL

Military and Naval Science Building

The Oath. We all got chills when he said it.

There were probably 24 in this class.

Matt with the ROTC flag

Black Shirts of National Defense

The hardest thing I’ve ever done was give birth to Matt.

Loaded up for College.

Exit to UNL

The Stadium!

11th Floor Abel Hall.

And then he took the first steps to starting his life...

The hardest thing I’ve done is give birth to him. It was painful and scary and long.
And then he was here.
We made it through together.
Now, I’m thinking letting him go ranks right up there with birthing this boy.
But when he turned around and looked…..and I was still there……I knew it was going to be all right.

He stopped to wave goodbye. And then went in.

We’ll always be there for you bud.
Good Luck with Navy ROTC, and classes, and learning the campus and the dining halls and laundry and Physical Training and all that goes with college.
You’ll do fine.

And so will we.

For the first time in 16 years, I did not take a back to school photo of a child today.
I will get one of Matt, but I won’t BE there for his first day of college.

One of our new blog friends, Meg, posted the “most wonderful time of the year” ad from Staples and it makes me so happy. My kids still refer to back to school when they hear that song, not Christmas!!!
I also loved the Alice Cooper one.

is Sand Volleyball.

I
just
don’t
get
it.

Play volleyball OUTSIDE in the HOT SUN in SAND in a BATHING SUIT.

On Purpose.

I had the whole famdamly over tonight for a little Celebration Party. We all have SOMETHING to celebrate, and I wanted to have a nice evening. The weather cooperated, there was lots of food, and we sat around and chatted and ate. The celebration party was more of a…..well just a plain old party.

I wish I had photos.
I made an angel food cake and sprinkled lots of colored sugar just around the edges. It was using my new “old” square angel food cake pan that my mom and I got at our favorite antique store at Okoboji. Having a square angel food cake pan is even MORE fun when you have a square cake stand. Which I do.

Another photo was of Nathan and Dan laughing. And Kevin and Nancy and Emily eating my veggies, crackers and guacamole. A celebration party is in order for us in the near future when the Colorado Peaches start arriving and Nancy and I have our favorite beverage…..Peach Drinks!!!

And Lynnette brought a beautiful fruit platter. And a bowl of fruit. And a plate of fruit. Lots of fruit. I boiled some brats and grilled them on my cooktop. I had some really nice buns that I tried to steam over the big kettle of fresh corn that Natasha and Olya brought from the farm. It was already shucked. And it tasted really good. I cut off the rest and will try corn soup tomorrow. I even saved the cobs for the broth.

Oh, another picture would have been of Emily and Alex playing. And Andy and Matt playing. And the newleyweds trying to decide if they were adults and would sit around with us, or if they were kids and would play. They chose both. As it should be.

But in the midst of all the hubbub that is our family, I didn’t notice all the great photos I was taking had a little message on each of them.

No Card.

There was no memory card in the camera.
I have to keep all those memories in my head.

Lots of food. I wish I could figure out how to make it easier. But after 20 years of having parties, I want them all to be celebration parties. And that takes alot of work.

If only Zoila lived with me!!!

PS….the haircut?  Kevin says it is too long. Oh MANNNNNN!!!