The Oaklands on WMU Campus on Graduation Weekend

I made a reservation at the Oaklands on WMU campus many months in advance. It's a gorgeous, huge Italianate villa run as a bed and breakfast right in the center of campus. I thought I would never be able to rent all three bedrooms on graduation weekend. I kept waiting for the call telling us that it would be occupied during graduation. The call never came. We had the whole place to ourselves and right on campus. No traffic for graduation, no parking...we walked there. It was incredible. God is so good to us. (And I highly recommend the Oaklands for any event. It's so beautiful and very reasonably priced--even for graduation!! If you'd like to see more photos of the inside, see my previous blog post on it here. Graduation was not our first visit.

I couldn't help thinking, over and over, who are we to stay in such a lovely, convenient location, all together, for such an important campus event.

It made for great family pictures...These are my girls, Back row: oldest daughter Anne, Liz the grad, and Mary. Front: my two favorite daughters-in-law, Elle and Esther. (Yes, I only have two, but nevertheless they are my favorites. :-)

We kind of felt out of place in such a gorgeous mansion....

Only John could not attend, because of work, but here are my other five children...(Mike, Mary, Liz, Anne, and Jim) Yes, I know, very traditional names..

 Mike, Esther, and Joey (grandchild number 2) with Liz...

 Jim and his wife Elle with Liz...

 Nice when your sister-in-law is your good friend...

Photo of original family, just missing John. Perhaps we'll photo shop him in...

True to Michigan form, the weather brought a downpour of snow despite it being the end of April..Too funny.

And here she is with a snow covered mortarboard, and hanging on to those two degrees. (Human Resources-- a business degree, and Aviation (aviation management)

Yeah, I'm just a little proud of her....God is good.

Graduation!

My youngest daughter has graduated from college. What a joyful day it was. 

For well over 20 years my husband and I have spent a large chunk of our income on tuition--Catholic grade schools, Catholic high schools, and college. Now we are finished. There is a certain joy in that, but the greater joy is knowing that Liz has accomplished what she wanted to accomplish. And child number six is launched.

Oldest grandson (3 yrs.) We have to sit here for how long??

Liz with proud mom and dad!

Grandchild number 3. Happy to be with Grandpa.

 Liz with the dean of the College of Aviation. He very kindly invited every parent to come forward and get a good camera shot of the graduate receiving her diploma. Everyone appreciated it, I think, although it did make for a long event. :-)

But since it was in one of the hangars there were plenty of places to walk around and things to see. (One of Liz's degrees was in aviation management.)

My brother drove in for our celebration dinner. (Rich in the back, Jim with his wife Elle in the front, next to Mary.)

Another shot of yours truly with the graduate.

Son-in-law Zach with grandchild number 2.

Daughter-in-law Esther with my niece Monique who also came for the dinner. So sweet of her.

 Western Michigan University has another graduate.

More on this very fun family event tomorrow.....