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Mark's Graduation

With coronavirus, we knew there would be no graduation ceremonies for Markie-Boy.  There are some ceremonies that I don't value as much as others, but graduation from an MBA program?  There needed to be more than Mark just starting work on Monday, so he came home for the weekend.  In true Kennedy fashion, everything was basically about him.  He got to choose the movie we watched, the food we ate, everything.  But on Sunday, I wanted to have an actual ceremony for him.

While I was teaching my Relief Society lesson over Zoom, Ethan made carrot cake cupcakes for Mark, carrot cake being his absolute favorite flavor of cake.  I then came out and made a big pan of King Ranch chicken along with white rice, corn and biscuits.  We donned anything orange that we had (Illini colors) which basically boiled down to any Tigers swag we own.  During lunch, Ethan asked Mark a bunch of questions about the past two years, and it was a nice trip down memory lane.  Mark's MBA program has been extremely disappointing for him, so to reflect on some of the good moments was a good thing.



Then we moved into the family room for our official ceremony.  I chose two of the many scarves we own and "hooded" Mark.  Then, in a moment of perfection for Mark and his connection to John, John pulled out his Ypsi High graduation cap for Mark to wear.  I led the ceremony as Mark marched in to Pomp and Circumstance.  Then we watched "Some Good News" with John Krasinski, an internet show that showcases good news during this crazy time.  He held an actual graduation ceremony a week or two ago, so we watched it.  It was so touching, seeing so many people who have been denied the happiness of the graduation ceremony.  Mark then shared a few more thoughts, expressing his confidence in what he can do in the future.  It was goofy, but it was sweet at the same time.


  

 

And then we ate cupcakes decorated with the orange Halloween sprinkles that Rebecca and Ethan tirelessly tease me about ;-)



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