Another Michigan Grad

Mid-December the Bates family convened in Michigan to celebrate Alex’s graduation. He actually graduated over the summer and has since, moved to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to start his first “real” job at Dickinson college. He and Amy bought a beautiful home and Evan started school!

It is no walk in the park to obtain a PhD whilst teaching classes and being an excellent father to two kids. I’m proud of Alex’s accomplishments, and impressed that he has remained the same calm, patient person he’s always been.

We took an overnight flight and had a 3-hour layover in Detroit --just 1-½ hours from my parents, but we had to take the last leg or our flight home would be cancelled. There just happened to be screaming babies on both legs of the flight. Michael picked us up in his new wheels on his way in from Chicago. We met my family and Golden Harvest—a fabulous little breakfast joint in Lansing. While we were there Santa stopped in to give the kiddies presents. At first Evan was skeptical, “he’s not the real Santa.” But when Santa came over to him and gave him a present, he became pretty convinced that it really was Santa.


After a nap at my parent’s we bundled up and took a nice walk, during which Evan kept stealing my hat and I got him back by stealing his stuffed monkey Sarah, which made him sob. We made up and shortly thereafter he was all smiles playing “one, two, three…wheee!”


We had a succulent roast beef dinner that evening and celebrated with sparkling grape juice. Somehow the caps to these bottles always end up as ammo and a variety of other functions.
Later that night we played Cranium, and my mom pulled out a ridiculous Cranium hat, that had to be worn. Here is my dad as princess Leah.

Alex’s graduation was the next day. It was fun to see him up on the jumbo-tron!!

And to see his degree and dissertation announced in the program.

Juniper had fun playing in the squeaking folding chair. She would fold herself up, then straighten, then fold, then straighten.
She is so funny right now. She talks gibberish with a little duck-like lisp with a few real words coming through every now and then.
All in all a very good weekend, with cute kids, some great late night chats, fun games, tasty meals, and a smiling Alex, with University of Michigan now completely in his past.