Happy Mother's Day

Right on the heels of Graduation was Mother's Day! Could we fit anything else into the month of May?! On Friday, I took Eli to preschool for Muffins for Mom. Usually Boomer does drop-off in the mornings, so we switched up our routine so that I could have breakfast with my little guy. I received several special homemade gifts in the afternoon that the kids had made at school. On Saturday, the kids and I headed up to the neighborhood park to play while Daddy mowed the grass. When we came back home, Boomer had gotten creative with the lawn mower and made a baseball diamond in our backyard! It wasn't quite the diamond I had in mind for Mother's Day (haha!) but the kids were thrilled. It was fun to watch the three of them play while I relaxed on the patio.   

On Mother's Day Sunday, we planned to go the lake to see Granny and the rest of the Kennedy crew. Before that, Emmy and I went to the early service at church. For a couple of weeks, the children had been practicing a special song for mothers, and Emmy wanted to be sure I heard it. The song and slideshow were so sweet, and I'm glad we made the effort to go. Even though it was brief, we got to see Grammy and take a few pictures with her too.  

After the children performed the song, Emmy and I swung by the house to pick up the boys, and then we hit the road to Lake Tillery. Paw Paw grilled hotdogs and chicken for lunch. There were boat rides, fishing off the dock, and a little bit of swimming, for the brave ones that didn't mind the cold. There were also haircuts for the boys. With their hair buzzed, my two boys look even more like twins. We left the lake around 5:30PM and stopped for pizza at Zeno's in Troy. We got a delicious, cheesy pizza, to which Eli said "That pizza is sweating!" Kids say the funniest things. The weekend was a glimpse of summer, and I can't wait!

Baseball has continued on. We knew that it was going to happen eventually when Emmy's team the Plumbers would face-off with Maddox's team, the Fireballs. It was a pretty decisive 14-6 victory for the Fireballs, with Maddox getting a homerun at his first at-bat. I was so proud of the cousins; both played very well and got hits each time they stepped up to the plate. Assistant Coach / Uncle Zack snapped some great photos from the dugout, and they really show off Emmy's hitting and fielding. Eli, Megan, and I stayed neutral and cheered for both teams. Eli especially liked watching the Game Changer app on Aunt Megan's phone which showed each play and pitch. We have about three more weeks of baseball. The play-offs coincide with the week of Memorial Day. I'm not sure how far the Plumbers will go, but I think Maddox's team has a pretty good chance of winning it all. We have enjoyed this first season of baseball for the Kennedy kids. 

 

In the spare moments in the evenings, we still try to fit in walks around the neighborhood...

...or trips to the library. I love the quiet car ride home after a book haul. 

Here are a few other photos from the first half of May. 

Master's in School Counseling

It is still sinking in that I am really done: my Master's in School Counseling is finished! This journey started three years ago, and semester-by-semester, class-by-class, I have slowly made my way to the finish line. Here's a look back on my coursework: 

Before going to Lynchburg for the commencement activities, my coworkers surprised me with treats and decorations to celebrate. I was so touched by their outpouring of love and support.

The departmental graduation for the School of Behavioral Sciences was on Thursday, May 9th at 2PM. That morning, Mom and Dad picked up the four Kennedys and then picked up my sister so that we could all ride together for the 2-hour drive to Liberty University. The weather was looking a little iffy on the days prior to graduation so I was relieved when we arrived in Lynchburg to sunshine and comfortable temperatures. We had lunch just on the edge of campus at Mission BBQ. With our bellies full of pulled pork, brisket, and cornbread, we made our way to Williams Stadium. Just outside of the stadium, we snapped a few photos and made final adjustments to my cap and gown. Megan and Emmy helped me find the information tent where (to my surprise!) I received a medal for my 4.0 GPA, yay! I then joined my fellow graduates on the field. One of my classmates, Heather, saved a seat for me, and it was so neat to finally meet her in person after several semesters of virtual classes together. The ceremony lasted until around 3:45PM. It was surreal to walk across the stage and to hear my name called. It has been 15 years since I last crossed a graduation stage, and this time with a different last name and as a mom. This degree represents a lot of hard work, late nights, stress, and multi-tasking. I have used any spare second of free time over the last three years to work on a paper or read pages of a textbook. I could not have done it without the tremendous support of my family, friends, and coworkers. There have been many that have encouraged me along the way, but none more than the six people that were there with me on Graduation Day. They have truly carried me through. (We will all remember that one quiz I took at the beach and made a 70, haha!) It was such a perfect day celebrating with my biggest cheerleaders. 

I'm thrilled to finish this degree, and I am looking forward to continuing my work as the College & Career Advisor in Yadkin County Schools. I feel so incredibly blessed to impact students and their direction after high school. I love my job, and with this degree, I will be more equipped to serve students. All glory to God for His provision and endurance!