Congratulations, Philippe. You're a college graduate!

Philippe with his diploma in hand! Photo credit: Stephane

With brilliant blue skies and an inspirational speech by Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, the 139th commencement ceremony at Boston University was an emotional experience for the 3,300 graduating seniors, their families and friends.

Even though I don't normally post photos of my children, I'm a proud mom who can't help myself this morning.

Leonard Nimoy, best known as Mr. Spock, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Boston University. When he spread his fingers into the Vulcan salute that he immortalized on the television series Star Trek, the crowd of 20,000 erupted into cheers. I was momentarily distracted during the subsequent speech by trying to separate my fingers like Mr. Spock. I can do it on the left hand but not the right.
The graduates waving at the crowd in appreciation of all of the support that they received from their families.
Philippe with a happy smile in a sea of red gowns. I teased him that he should have written "I love you, Mom!" on his cap so that he would have been easier to recognize from a distance. Photo credit: Stephane.

Philippe displaying his diploma for his proud parents.



Philippe and Jamye, his girlfriend. Sara and Philippe, my two children, all grown up and ready to tackle the world.


Stephane, Jamye, Philippe and Sara walking towards their future...which just happened to be a bar where we toasted the results of Philippe's hard work! 

Congratulations to the other graduates at Boston University and universities around the country.

To quote Ariane, my friend and fellow mom whose daughter is graduating from Wellesley College next weekend, "Congratulations to you and me for our babies graduation!!! We are done my friend!!! We did a good job." Yes, we did!

Comments

  1. Congrats, Mary Kay. On to the next parenting challenge!

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    1. You mean I'm not finished?!?

      I think that Stephane and I worried our kids last night when they caught us whispering at the table about all the fun that we plan to have in the future now that we're done with paying for college tuitions, etc!

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  2. Congratulations!!!! What a beautiful family you have!! : )

    What an exciting time it is for you and your children. I wish you all the best! :*)

    ps: You are such a precise blogger, even the husband gets a photo credit. Love it.

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  3. Thanks, Mlle Ella!

    There's a long story about why Stephane gets credit whenever I use one of his photos - it dates back to the time when friends complimented me for a photo that I had asked Stephane to take because he had the camera and I didn't. It started an ongoing discussion about who should get credit for a photo - the person who notices the shot or the person who pushes the button. To keep peace in the family, especially during such a special week, I make a point of giving him credit for any photos that he takes. ;)

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  4. Congrats Mary Kay, beautiful pictures and words. Graduation Days are the best. =)

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    1. Thanks! :) Graduation days and weddings...but I think that we have a couple more years before the latter!

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  5. What a happy occasion! I'm so happy for you and your family. But I thought Philippe's gown was stolen--did you have to buy another one? I guess a second one was a small price to pay by comparison.

    Oh, I can do the Vulcan salute on both hands--didn't now that I could until you pointed it out, but the right hand is a little slower to get there, although I write right-handed.

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    1. I'm right handed as well and it's my right hand that takes longer to make the Vulcan salute. I wonder why. It's something that I'm going to have to work on! Mr. Spock is able to really splay his fingers. I'm also working on bending my fingers backwards like the Balinese dancers to keep my fingers flexible,

      Philippe's gown wasn't really stolen - he forgot it in the park and someone took it. Fortunately, he was able to get a new one in time for the ceremony, otherwise they probably wouldn't have let him walk across the stage. The people in the store had a good time teasing him about the loss of his gown but couldn't do anything to help him other than sell him another one.

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  6. Congrats MK! I'm sure it must be a great feeling to attend a ceremony and be so proud! Hope the celebrations were great! Thanks for sharing photos of your kids - what a lovely family!

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  7. Gorgeous kids, congratulations! I've never seen the message on the mortar board thing (maybe because I think everyone hires them at home), can I say I think it's kind of tacky anyway? After double checking that Philippe didn't do it ;)

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    1. Oh, Gwan! I'll have to see if I took any photos of the many UK and Australian flags that decorated the tops of the mortar boards! I didn't see any flags from NZ though. I guess that Kiwis have more class! ;)

      I can't remember seeing so many decorated caps before but perhaps it's because Philippe was surrounded by students who majored in advertising. I wish that I would have checked to see if the engineers or scientists decorated their mortar boards!

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  8. What beautiful children you have! While you were in Boston and Phread was in NYC, I was also in NYC attending the Rabbinical ordination of my cousin's daughter from JTS (Jewish Theological Seminary) which is almost next door to Columbia. It was a beautiful ceremony watching the mentors of the new Rabbis bestowing blessings on them as they begin their lives as clergy men and women. Ceremonies celebrating great accomplishments and new beginnings are the best!! Congratulations, again!

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    1. Thanks, Jane and congratulations to your cousin's daughter! Seeing her Rabbinical ordination must have been very special, indeed! I hope that you'll bring some photos with you to show me the next time that you're in Paris.

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  9. Congrats to Philippe. Your 2 kids(?) are attractive, intelligent and look like fun to spend time with! This is one of my favorite posts of yours.........
    NB

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    1. Thank you, Nancy! I really do enjoy spending time with Sara and Philippe for all the reasons you mentioned - I hope that I'll have the opportunity to introduce them to you sometime!

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  10. I had to google vulcan salute, and then try it of course! Looks so easy - not at all easy to do! Congratultions again - you have a lovely family and no apologies necessary for being so proud and posting those photos - thank you for sharing them. GM

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    1. Sorry that I didn't explain the Vulcan salute but I'm happy that you tried it! Now you can amaze your friends and neighbors with your newly acquired skill! ;) Just tell them that you're from the planet Vulcan.

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  11. Mary Kay: I'm under the impression that you're never done. But what do I know, I'm just moving from being the parent to a high schooler to parent of a college student. :)

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    1. Since you're not blogging anymore :( I'm not sure if your daughter has had her high school graduation yet or not. In either case, congratulations!!! and best wishes as both of you prepare for her to go to college in the fall. That's a major step! Be sure to take lots of tissues that you won't be able to let her see you use!

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  12. Congratulations to you and your son! You have a beautiful family. It looked like a lovely event, and it's so cool you got to see Spock! I'm a big fan Star Trek fan.

    I sent you an email. Maybe I'll see you this weekend!

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    1. Everyone - young and old - was really excited about seeing Mr. Spock! He received a standing ovation from the students when they gave him his honorary doctorate. I only wish that I would have thought to go listen to his commencement speech to the Fine Arts students. I bet that it was really good.

      Thanks for your email. I hope that it works out for us to get together on Saturday!

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  13. Congrats, Mary Kay! and thank you for sharing such a special time for your family with all of us. It was a pleasure to see such open joy and well-earned pride.

    Loved the pic of everyone walking into the future with an obvious jaunt in their step. Now, just one question...where was the beaming Mom? Even Stephane was captured but missed your jaunty step, as well ;)

    Happy for you all!
    dekage

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    1. Thank you! The beaming mom was where she's most comfortable - behind the camera as opposed to in front of it! ;)

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  14. Hi there Swiss-American family! Congratulations also from my part, especially since I'm the proud godmother of Philippe!! Well done, all of you, and thanks for posting the photos. I'm only missing a picture of you, Mary Kay - what did you wear on this special occasion? I spotted Sara carrying a very nice hat in her hands - did you wear one too? I'm just curious... :-)

    Have a good time in Boston and enjoy being together as a family!

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    1. Dear Philippe's Godmother (aka Heidi) Doesn't it feel like yesterday when we were discussing Philippe's options for colleges and you were questioning me about the way the system works in the USA, etc?!

      The hat that Sara is carrying is mine - she was holding it so that I had my hands free to take pictures. I wore white trousers with a white blazer. Even though it wasn't intentional, my bright red shirt matched Philippe's robe!

      And speaking of hats, have you found one for the Prix de Diane yet? :)

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  15. oh great stuff.... Congrats to everybody all around - you're a beautiful family and you both have every right to brag a bit with your talented, wonderful children. A great post of joy and happiness. All the best to Philippe (and Sara!)

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    1. Thank you for your very kind comment, Kiki! It truly was a day of joy and happiness - the stuff of which great memories are made!

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  16. Been there, done that five times. Always made me cry. Wirh pride, and relief that we had all survived d to this point.
    Congratulations to you all. Parents as well as children. I am sure you know I really mean it when I say a heartfelt Well done and " good luck" for the future. Love Denise.

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    1. From one mom to another, "thank you", Denise! My children can't understand why I get so emotional about these things but other moms understand immediately. I hope that you had a couple of years in between each of the graduations because they're emotional experiences that require a bit of recovery time!

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