Grad-ge-ated

Well, it's official.  Wyatt went and got himself grad-ge-ated.  As of Friday, June 13th, he's officially "Dr. Wilson, DMD."  I say "officially" since not only does he have the diploma but he also has the license!  Both are in a frame sitting on the shelf in our family room.  I have half a mind to replace our current family picture, the one you see first thing when you walk in the front door, with his newly issued documents.  That is how proud I am of my husband!  

It's been a roller-coaster of four-years.  FOUR-YEARS!!!  I can hardly believe it!  It seems like it flew by and moseyed along all at once.  It certainly was an adventure.  Naturally I'd like to take some credit for Wyatt's huge accomplishment, but I truly cannot.  In fact just today I was thinking how easy my half of our life is compared to Wyatt's.  I haven't had to take a test in eight years.  I haven't had the stress of exams, projects, papers, et cetera in what seems like ages!  Sure I added support, maybe I eased Wyatt's life some, but it was he who had to navigate himself through the obstacles of dental school and cross the finish line.  I am so proud of him!  Admittedly my eyes welled with tears as he crossed the stage to receive his diploma.  My heart full of pride and gratitude for his sacrifice and hard work for our family.  I. Love. That. Man!

I have spent a lot of time recently reflecting on the past four-years.  Remembering how disappointed I was at the idea of staying in Oregon.  How I cried, tears of sadness (what?!), when Wyatt was accepted to OHSU.  Wyatt will never let me forget that one.  But I realize now that that chapter of our life wasn't about me.  I have seen how well Wyatt thrived at OHSU, with his fellow OHSU classmates, how much he's grown, and see that it was the best fit for him.  Wyatt's dental school career was a blessing straight from Heavenly Father to Wyatt.  I know He orchestrated things as such that Wyatt would learn and grow in such a way, that Wyatt has been shaped into the person he is today.  There were numerous times Wyatt would mention how perfectly compatible his class of 72 students was with each other.  That they were the best fit for each other.  Not a random coincidence in my opinion.

Momma G and Papa Lou came to celebrate

(How'd we get ZERO pictures of Wyatt's folks?!!!)

And let's be honest, I've done a lot of growing myself.  My life has been enriched by so many people.  So many people that I might not have made a lasting friendship with otherwise.  I've come to like, maybe even love (gasp!) Oregon.  I love the summers, my running routes, my short commute to the Portland Oregon Temple, my neighbors, my neighborhood, my friends, being so close to Wyatt's family (especially after Ro was born)...  There have been so many advantages!  Now it is me who is hesitant, uncertain about our decision to move away.  This place is so familiar, how can I leave it?  

Ro having the time of his life with "the big kids" (his cousins) 

at Wyatt's post-graduation lunch

I guess this is when I need to remember that this is where our new adventure begins.  The one I wanted four years ago.  It's scary and exciting to think about beginning the next chapter of our life somewhere else.  Which, will be Seattle...  Seattle, the city I've wanted to move to nearly our entire marriage (which, happens to be SEVEN years today!).  Wyatt will be working at a new practice there, estimated to open late fall.  So we will still have summer here - at my beloved swim park!!!  And truthfully, no contacts have been signed, so even though a word is as good as a bond - anything can happen.  I would be disappointed if that were the case...but then, part of me would be okay with it too.  So, we'll see...

In other news, guess who got pass #1 at the Lake Grove Swim Park...yours truly!  I know, I know, you're wondering what the advantage to having pass #1 is...what does it mean?  Well, to the swim park staff and to the average person, it means nothing.  There is no advantage to having pass #1.  Except if you're Brittany Nichols Wilson, then it means EVERYTHING!!!  I've been gunning for this pass for two-years!  (Last year I walked away with pass #3.)  To me, it's a reflection of my deep, unbinding love for the place.  Ha!  

And let me tell you, my victory did not come easy.  My mom and I arrived 15-minutes before the park opened on opening day and waited in "line."  Which line consisted of no one until five-minutes before the park was to open, when one family showed up.  And while all two of us were "waiting in line" some guy swoops in, unknowingly, and proceeds to be issued pass #1!  I was too busy chit-chatting with the other family that I didn't even notice.  NO ONE noticed until my mom's husband, Louis, casually said something to the effect of, "The parks open now, there's someone at the check-in counter."  (I have no idea where Louis was the entire weekend when I announced to the rest of the world that I was hoping to get pass #1.)  So I jumped to my feet, bounded down the stairs, and BEGGED the man to let me have pass #1.  The funny thing is, he actually seemed like he wanted it himself.  He was very polite about the whole thing and quite friendly.  But I think if he didn't have an audience, and had it not been pointed out to him that there was "a line," he would've told me to hit the road.  I'm certain the staff of the park (all teenagers) were looking at us like, "What is happening?"  And more accurately, "Why is this happening?"  Anyway, Wyatt and I refer to the other guy as #2 now.

Ahhhh, the taste of victory is sweet!  Ro likes the swim park too.  Kind of.  We spend most of our time in the wadding pool.  He likes it until it gets crazy with kids, then he gets a little clingy to me.  He'll figure it out.

Finally as mentioned before, Wyatt and I turn seven today.  SEVEN!  We'll be celebrating kid-free tonight, enjoying happy hour and a movie.  I miss the movies sooooooo much.  It's going to be fun!  Oh, and Ro is ten-months old today!  More to follow latter...