Happy Daze

May 18 , 2008

Ok, so I'm a week or so late with posting, but we had a great time in Arizona over the weekend of the 8th.

It was a big day and a big weekend for the whole family and it started off with a great meal at Monty's steak house after we drove on over from Albuquerque.

Friday morning at what time? 8 am? That means you'll have to be there even earlier?

I asked the boy if he was going to stay up all night and he said no, just going to go to bed early.

It was the rest of us that had the hard time getting our act together in the morning but by arriving late we were able to get into a section of the auditorium (basketball arena) that had been reserved for students but was not needed.

I think we got seated about 8:20 or so because of the long walk from the parking lot, and to tell you the truth, I don't think we missed much anyhow.

His sister borrowed my binoculars and started scanning the crowds to see if she could find him. His section is at the far right and middle of the first photo.

Once she pointed him out, I was happy I brought along the big lens and soon I was shooting away, just as I had 4 years earlier when he got his diploma at a ceremony on the Detroit riverfront.

Not to worry, it was hard for us to stay awake as well.

It was especially interesting to me to watch the procession up to the stage, the hand off of the phonetically spelled name and then the actual hand-over of the diploma.

Come to think of it, as I write this, I'm wondering what ever happened to my diploma?

The last time all of us were together as a family was for my graduation on the 14th of December.

First the hand-off

Then the salute to victory.

They all have done well, my three kiddies. It's amazing how fast time races by. It seems like only yesterday I was shooting the high-school graduation photos... and now today.... two of us are lawyers, and the boy is headed off to the University of Arizona Law School in Tucson.

And the life he leaves behind...

The pool parties, especially this last year, hosted by a couple of 40 something guys with tons of cash and their own pool party cart. The boy's apartment was just above the pool so he would get calls as to the status of the "action" just below his window.

For his graduation party he wanted us to show up and spend time at his "pool party" on Saturday.

All of us except for my son-in-law were there for at least most of the day.

Youngest boy and girl climbed into the pool waterfall while their elder sister stayed high and dry.

The boy's apartment is right there at the far end of the pool.

It was fun watching the boy and girl play together and after watching for a while, I played part of a game and didn't embarrass the children.

We used to play all the time when these two were about 15 years younger.

And there you have it, after 4 years of college, proof...

that white men can jump.