Graduation

Last Thursday I was very happy to take a spontaneous trip out to Rochester, Minnesota for my brother's graduation from medical school.  I didn't think I would be able to go but I booked a flight about four days before departure--Mom had the idea that I would surprise my brother.  I don't know if he was surprised or not, but at least he said he was :o)  It was a great few days relaxing with my parents, Andrew's family, and Aunt Dee and Uncle Dennis.  I wish we could have more weekends like that.

On Friday afternoon (after a quick sandwich stop) I had an outing with Aunt Dee and Uncle Dennis to the Spam Museum.  Who said there is nothing to do in Rochester?

I was actually pleasantly surprised by the quality of the museum.  However, since we were pretty much the only ones there (I think I only saw TWO other people in the entire museum), they didn't have samples, which I found slightly (and unexpectedly) disappointing. 

 Yes, this is an entire wall of spam. 

Sawyer is a good eater.  I think he gets that from me.
 That evening we had a reception at a fancy old doctor's house. 

 Here I am with the graduate

 The commencement ceremony on Saturday at the Rochester Civic Center

 Mayo medical school graduates

Since Andrew worked his butt off for two degrees, he got awarded two hoods. Here is the first...

 ...and here is the second.  The guy sitting behind me called it 'double dipping', hehe.

 It wasn't a particularly short ceremony.  Nearly two hours into it, I think Carter expressed quite well what I was also feeling. 

 

Congrats, Andrew, for a job well done!   I will have some more photos posted later from the weekend. 

For now, I am spending three nights in NYC (Seth and I came down here yesterday, the morning after I returned from MN).  Seth is meeting with some people at Columbia about a project they are working on, so I get to tag along for this second mini vacation.  Woohoo!