Teaser of Disneyland

Here are just a few of my favorite pictures from our vacation. (not in any order)

Graduation

The highlight of the past few weeks has been GRADUATION!

Jimmy graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelors of Science in Business Management. Ah! My friends-its has been a LONG road, but I am so proud of my husband! Its been great having him around more, and the stress of homework is gone! Jimmy started school in January 2006. He decided if he wanted to move up on at his job, he would need a degree. So the journey began!


While Jimmy was in school, we had two children (wow), worked full time to provide for his family, changed jobs, tried to go on vacations, camp and have a life too. All of those activites always had the homework ghost hanging around. There was always homework due just around the corner. Jimmy did not take summers off, as the U of Phoenix does not have semesters. He took a week or two off of classes, but no real time off. (See with the U of Phoenix, you have 5 weeks of a class, then you move onto the next class/subject for 5 weeks and so on).


The excitement began as he finished his last night of class, and finally GRADUATION. Lots of sacrifices were made. Were we the best parents during this journey? probably not. Were there arguments, loss of sleep, high stress? YUP! Did we miss family events & did we both gain weight through it all-um yeah. But the excitement of graduation was amazing!


It all set in as we were gathered in the E Center for commencement-surrounded by family. To make it fun for my children, I had T Shirts made, cause it was a TEAM effort to get Jimmy down this road! The shirts were a surprise for Jimmy! He was told about them the day of graduation! (it helped him find where we were sitting in the stands!)


Jimmy worked hard for this degree! Jimmy would leave the house at 7 am and return home after 10. Soo many nights the kids heard the excuse "Daddy's at school-you won't see him tonight." That is why it was a TEAM effort-the kids


I AM SO PROUD OF YOU JIMMY! (I get emotional thinking back on the journey.....oh.....)
I am so glad its DONE!

Here we are seated at graduation:


Jimmy didn't know I wanted pictures in his gown-he was eager to turn it in after the graduation! But Jimmy did it.....

Now Jimmy can say:

I am a Phoenix Alumni.

(The shirts read: Team Burns, University of Phoenix, 2010 Graduate, BSB/M (his degree). On the back had names and numbers-the kids were numbered per their birth order. Jimmy's parents, and my parents also got shirts, and cousin Cooper (our 5th kid sometimes).