He's Done!

W finished his last final on Thursday evening. He is an official graduate from Hayward with a BSBA in accounting. Three years in the making. I'm beyond proud of him. 

He was never the kid who 'always' knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. When we started dating, he had lots of different experiences and skills, but never really found something that seemed to stick. I asked him what he wanted to be and he simply replied, "A father." He got his culinary degree but found that the restaurant business was no family business since the busiest times are nights, weekends, and holidays. He was a youth pastor for a time but struggled to provide for his bachelorhood and burned out really quickly without formal education. When we met, he was working for a company that prepared skin sample slides for dermatologists. Basically, he cut skin into thin slices and sandwiched them between plastic bits. 

Before I met W, I had a list. A list of requirements I was looking for in my spouse. Some of which were non-negotiable, some that were just plain fun 'what-ifs'. One non-negotiable was having graduated from college. My extremely practical parents have always wanted what's best for me and knew how important education is to providing for a family {with a quiver full.} So I've grown up with that instilled in me. I wanted an equally yoked man in important areas of my life. A man I could have hardy intellectual conversations with. Someone I could easily respect and follow even when the going got tough. Meeting W ruffled those education perceptions a bit. He had lots of life experience and wisdom beyond his years and schooling. His tender heart, maturity and solid character spoke much louder. But I knew practically speaking it would be easier on us in the future to finish school. Naturally, my parents were a bit hesitant about W at first. When he asked for my hand in marriage, he promised both my parents and me that he would complete school. 

And yesterday, he fulfilled that promise. So as any good wife and son would do, we made sure he had a full stomach to work off of before his last final. A sort of pre-celebration, just the three of us. We headed to the infamous Val's Burgers right by school to load him up.

We order two burgers, onion rings, and two chocolate shakes.

Of which, Ezra got his first tastes of a milkshake! History in the making, people!!

hmmmm, this looks like some yummy business...

just letting the taste buds marinate...

so this is what you've been keeping from me all these years days...I'm on to you guys...

But we've really discovered Ezra's absolute favorite food item. It's something that he will actually protest loudly about if you take it from him. And he sucks and eats at it as if we've never fed him.

Dill Pickles!

You can't even see it, he's all over it!!

Oh, yes, I almost forgot. We ordered a side of ham too...

So, it was a fantastic, delicious celebratory meal. We were wonderfully stuffed and W took his final with some good food fuel! That evening, we went over to my parents for a celebration dinner with sister, Linds. I could visually see the weight lifted off W. It's nice to have my hubby back from the pits of stress and finals. 

And who knows what the future holds. He will take his C.P.A. exam soon as well as job hunt with the few leads he has. But this piece of paper will open some big doors for him. And for that, we are thankful.