Baby Hollman's first graduation

This past Friday I made my final walk across the stage to receive my PhD, which coincidentally, is little Baby Hollman's first trot across the stage, albeit in the wrong order. However, it is fun to say that our baby is one of a mere few who has been hooded for a doctor of philosophy at the ripe age of 4 months. Top that baby Einstein! Where exactly did you walk at 4 months??? Harvard?? Ha.
So here's our little family, with the annoying mortar board (which makes me look ridiculous) and without, for your comparative viewing pleasure.

The ceremony made it feel at that more final, and afterward for about 5 minutes my family called me Dr. Wackerle-Hollman. I'm fairly sure its the only 5 minutes of my life that I'll hear that out of them. Being hooded was specifically special as it marked the final crossing over of my educational career, and by crossing over I mean going from the place where you accept financial aid to the place where you pay off your financial aid.
Having our family in town for graduation was tons of fun and we were extra blessed to have my grandma make the flight from Michigan to be there for graduation. We entertained them all thoroughly for the weekend by taking them to local eateries (which they seemed to enjoy much more than the Bay City Apple Bees and Saginaw Outback Steakhouse- their local fine dining establishments). There were oohs and ahhs over everything from catfish to frog legs. Then we were off to the Holidazzle parade, which for Minnesotan's is our version of a winter walking celebration, with lights, holiday cheer and negative temperatures. Wee children brave the frigid temps to catch a glimpse of Santa at the end of the parade as they align Nicollet Mall nearly frozen in place because their layers of winter-wear prevent fluid mobility. The kids make all of the adults viewing from their toasty windows (my family included) feel like sissies for not being able to handle the frostbite and hypothermia that comes will seeing the parade eye to eye. Children are so darn resistant and fearless. I couldn't help but imagine our little family bundled up and huddled around a light post hoping to steal the measly amount of heat a halogen lamp might produce on a -15 degree evening. What happy thoughts :)

Then on Saturday we went to the cathedral at 8 in the morning for mass joining the sparse set of the other 55 Minnesotan's who were silly enough to get up that early to go to an ice cold cathedral to see its enormity and listen to a stone-cold mass without music. Silly us. And, what does mass do to a frozen catholic? (besides light a little fire under our asses). Stir up a good sense of hunger of course. On to more eateries. Once we'd stuffed ourselves we made our way back to our home for afternoon naps and then feasted again in the evening, dinner theater style, before a viewing of "A Christmas Carole Peterson" at the Ordway Theater. We arrived home about quarter to 11 on Saturday, put everyone to bed and sent them on their way back to Michigan early Sunday morning. Phew! That was exhausting just writing it down.

All along the way we were happy to have my family and Drew's mom here. It was fun to imagine how exciting it will be to have a little baby among the mix and we look forward to next holiday season with a little one crawling about. Since Baby Hollman has already graduated, with a PhD no less, we'll be expecting great things, so maybe by his or her first Christmas he or she will be able to recite Christmas carols, or maybe write a fantastic Christmas toast. I can't wait to see what comes next year. Then again maybe our baby will defy our aspiration and spend Christmas with drooling as his or her most fantastic talent. Only time will tell. We'll love Baby Hollman all the same whatever comes along during the next holiday season.