Congratulations!

It has been a long weekend, and I was hoping to write tomorrow about Kira’s graduation from Elmhurst College and post photos. However, it may be a day or so now, as I happened upon some spot news (I freelance for Pioneer Press, so if it happens in a town we cover, I feel its my job to stop and photograph it.) as Jon and I arrived in our neighborhood after the graduation and a lovely dinner. -I know its like the spot news finds me! That’s another story all together. Well as a result of the news it has got be thinking. Right now I have to finish editing the photos for publication. But some time tomorrow I will post about it.

So before time escapes me, as it often seems to, and I don’t get around to the personal stuff, I wanted to send a big congratulations to Kira Chard who graduated from Elmhurst College today with a Bachelors in Sociology! I wish her the best of luck in the future. May she be become a rich social worker (as she likes to joke). It was really great to spend time with her and her family [oh by the way she is my fiance’s (Jon) cousin].

Also last weekend Jon’s brother Ben graduated from Dowling High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Congratulations Ben! Good luck at Kansas City Art Institute. You may remember my post “Art and Fear” about what to get him. We attended his party two weeks ago and had so much fun!

As I spend more time with Jon’s family, lately I see them once a month or more it seems, I realize how they are becoming my family as well. And not because they will be-in 2011 officially, but because they all make me feel like family. It’s that kind of comfort level that no matter what you know they’ll still love you. I am blessed to have great future “in-laws” -what a silly term in-law how did they come up with that one? And why is it always seem that term has some negative feeling with it? And you have to say that little phase when describing the “other” side of the family. When really they are just family. Once you get married-and often long before, it seems you don’t really need the in-law added they are simply your family too.

And so to my future “in-laws” thank you for being you and welcoming me into your family. Its great to have another sister, a brother, another mother, another father, more cousins, more crazy aunts-you three sisters remind me of my mom and her sisters and me and my sisters. Aren’t three girls fun?

I look forward to many years of milestones and celebrations together!