Ryan Graduated From High School

Ryan had a hard week when I was spending a week with the grands. I think he started getting sick Wednesday. Martha took him to the doctor Thursday. He was so sick and feeling so bad. He told me over the phone that he had to go to school Friday because they had an awards ceremony and his carpentry teacher wanted to make sure he would be there. Ryan assured him he would. I tried to talk him into staying home, but he said he had to push himself. I was really worried about him.

He called me Friday after he got home from school, and I am so happy he made it. He ended up getting the Eagle award for the carpentry class. Each department at school gives an award to one student and Ryan got the award for carpentry. He also attended an honors luncheon and received an award for having a GPA of 3.5 or higher. 

This is the honors award and the Eagle trophy. It is so cool.

This is the certificate for the Eagle award.

I am so excited about his awards!!! Every day he went to school I would pray God would give him understanding of his school work and that he would work hard to make good grades. I am so thankful he did so well.

Ryan had a week off before he had to graduate. He spent two nights with Kolby and two nights with Matt. I hardly saw him. Thursday morning Ryan rode with Matt to the arena to practice. Thursday evening Ryan and I went shopping to get his clothes. That was really cutting it close. 

Friday I got off early. Ryan and I got ready and went to Martha and Kevin's. Thank God Kevin drove and we rode with them. I have no clue how to get around in that part of the city. We got there early and had no traffic problems. 

Ryan went downstairs and we found some good seats. It seemed to take forever until it was time for them to line up. One time Ryan sent me a text asking me to pray for a girl in his graduating class because they took out one of her family members on a stretcher. He said she was crying. I thought it was so sweet of him to ask me to pray. 

Kevin took our pics while we were waiting.

Jared photobombed. Hahaha I love it!!! 

My darling Jared. I love him so much!

Finally they lined up and got started. Martha and I just wanted to cry as they walked in. Matt sat near us, but Ryan was across the aisle toward the back. We sat where we could see him walk across the stage. Matt:

The ceremony was good but was veeerrrry looonnng. Finally they started handing out (fake) diplomas. They get the real ones after the ceremony. Matthew was lucky because he has a last name at the first of the alphabet. Poor Ryan had to wait forever, but finally it was his turn. 

In the next picture, Ryan is starting the line of shaking hands. :) You can see he is wearing the dark ribbon signifying that he is graduating with honors.

Shaking more hands.....

When Ryan shook Dr. McIntire's hand, he said, "you are going to do great things." (I pray so)

End of the line...

Finally graduated!!!!

My baby and me! <3

I am so proud of him and so glad it is over. It was so late when we got out (10PM) that we didn't have time to do anything to celebrate. We got home at 11PM and Ryan and I were dog tired (whatever that means).   

We came home and there was Mark in the kitchen getting a snack. He had picked up Nana and Papaw and taken them to the graduation. We never saw them the whole time. Ryan and I got a snack and we all went to bed. So tired!!

Ryan is planning to go to college this fall. God willing. I have asked him to wait before he gets a job until he can help me get some very much needed things done here at the house. He has been working every day digging out the ditch between our house and the neighbors. Well, it used to be a ditch but has filled with dirt and weeds. It is a mess and hard work to clean/dig it out. Today we went to Lowes to get concrete pavers to put in the bottom and sides of the ditch to keep it from overgrowing again. Ryan says his truck is not running well, so we made two trips of packing pavers all in my car.

We got 70 pavers.

As soon as we unloaded the last load, I left and ran to the store to get ground beef to fix grilled burgers. This morning I fixed potato salad so we could have a Memorial Day feast. I got back and immediately started on supper. I shucked and silked corn on the cob and cut up berries for dessert. Then I had Ryan start the grill and I grilled the hamburgers.  Everything was so delicious.

It is hard to tell, but that is a lettuce burger because Ryan and I fix gluten free for Ryan and me. There is nothing more delicious than a lettuce burger with lots of mayo and mustard.

Strawberries and blueberries for dessert.

I added sliced bananas to mine.

And dipped them in melted chocolate.

It was so so yummy!!!!

Ok, I gotta go fix Mark's lunch for tomorrow and iron a shirt for him. Then I am going to bed. I am so thankful for:

1. All the men and women who have served or are serving our country so that we can have the freedom we enjoy.

2. A son that is willing to help me do the hard stuff around here.

3. The health and strength to be able to work hard and have a productive day.

I pray all my friends and family will be safe and blessed. Till next time.

A Week With The Grands

May has been a busy month full of so many blessings. Yes, there are always trials in my life, but I am so thankful for my many blessings! The first week of May, Andrew and Nikki went for like a "marriage retreat", and I got to spend a wonderful week taking care of my grands!! Oh, it was blissful! How I love them so much. I wish I had blogged every day because I'm sure I have forgotten a lot of funny things they said.

I tried to take them outside every day. Some days it was a little cool, but we had a couple of really warm days.

Mason was going to let Haley pop a balloon on his head, but it wouldn't pop. LOL

One day I decided to take them for a ride in Nikki's bike carrier.

The road in front of their house is level looking and I thought it would be easy for me. I found out it is NOT level. It slightly slopes, and when I was towing them behind, I could hardly bike. I was out of breath, and my legs were killing me. I went one round and had to quit. I really need to get in shape. 

Lots of creativity going on too.

Mason got in trouble, so he and I went inside. I sat at the door to watch Haley so she could still be outside. He decided to wash  the window. His having fun was a big help. :)

Haley made a sand snowman.

She is so creative. 

They also painted and played games.

Haley painted a picture of Toby.

Playdough fun.

Haley's creations:

I love all of her artwork!

We also used painter's tape to make a little city where they played with cars.

One evening we made a cake.

The next day, Haley finished eating the icing. :) Serious business!

And one evening it stormed.

Yep, it's wet. ;) When the storm got further away, but it was still raining, we sat on the covered front porch and watched it. It was so fun, but it was cold!

We also did some housecleaning.

All nice and clean.

When it was time to clean Mason's room, everyone except me lost interest. I ended up cleaning the most of it, but it was ok. I wish I had taken pics of it too. They both have the cutest rooms. Nikki does a great job decorating.

Some evenings before supper, Mason would be so tired, he would fall asleep. 

Ahhh my little darling!!! I love him beyond the moon. Both of them just overflow my heart with love.

We had such a wonderful time, just being together. 

Mason decided to be GiGi.

And one time I took their pictures to see who could make the meanest face.

Mason was the meanest, so Haley tried again.

Hahahaha So much fun with these kids!

Mason also took a lot of sneaky shots of me.

I love that little stinker. He would show me the pictures he took, and I would "pretend" get upset and tell him I looked awful! He would get so tickled at me. He would take pics of me and I would pay him no mind because I knew I was going to delete them. Haha One day Haley said, "he is taking pictures of you and you look awful." (trying to let me know). I burst out laughing. She said, "I don't think you look awful, but you always say you do." So funny.
Another time I was going to feed Mason, but then I stopped. I thought he wanted to feed himself. He said, "GiGi, I need you to feed me because my hand gets very tired, and my arm gets very tired." Hahaha Of course, I gladly fed him. 

When Andrew and Nikki got home, they had gifts for all of us. Y'all they got me the most awesome gift I have ever gotten.

A Michael Kors purse and a Fossil makeup bag. I was blown away. I have admired others carrying bags like this but never could I afford one. Ahhh, they make me feel so spoiled!!! They also got me a bag of Dove chocolates which are my favorites, but I had already eaten them. :) They are just the best!!! 

Even tho I had such a fantastic, wonderful time with my babies, at the end of the week I was full of worry about Ryan. He got very sick as he was trying to finish the last of his school year. When I agreed to watch the babies, I asked Ryan if that week was fine, and he said yes. He said the week after was when he needed me there. Well, he ended up very sick! He ran a temp and could hardly move. Martha took him to the doctor for me and they ruled out the flu.
His initial test of strep came back negative as well. The doctor thought it was strep and I did too. Ryan had a friend that had been out of school three days with strep. He was able to get an antibiotic but was still feeling bad when I got home that Friday. My heart was aching so much for my babies, but I was glad to be home with Ryan. I missed them for days after, and still when I am typing this post, I ache for them. I am so thankful to have had that week to spend with them. We made wonderful memories!