Whew, what a merry month of May!! This year, it was quite centered around big events for our daughter Rachel!
She started with graduating on May 14th, from IUPUI. In three years, she received her Bachelors Degree and started her Masters Program during that time. So in a total of just four years, which flew by for us, although I’m sure it seemed to take forever for her, she also achieved her Masters Degree in Philanthropy! Watching her speak at the graduation ceremony was thrilling and we couldn’t have been happier for her being selected to speak.
Here she is with the Dean of the School of Philanthropy, Amir Pasic. She also worked directly for him during her time there.
The very next week, Rachel married Kyle Hettinger at Hawk’s Point in Anderson, Indiana. We were thrilled to have most of our family there to celebrate!
Finally we came to May 29th. We packed up cars, we packed up cats, we packed up a UHaul and off we went to Florida! Rachel has a wonderful fellowship there with the Patterson Foundation and Kyle has an excellent job with an insurance company! It was a day and half drive, with lots of exciting moments!
Pie was not thrilled to be in the Cat Pack – Back Pack! Pumpkin jumped right in her carrier though!
Once we moved everything in to the new apartment, we took time to explore Sarasota!
We played a form of Putt Putt at Tiger Wood’s new place called Pop Stroke! There aren’t any ferris wheels, or trap doors to shoot through, but two 18 hole greens with different levels of difficulty! We had an absolute blast! Kyle had 2 holes in one, I had 2 holes in one and Tony cleared FIVE! I highly recommend going there if you ever get the chance!
We went shopping at all the fun stores and got things for the new apartment, tried wonderful restaurants, interesting drinks and new desserts!
We spent a day at the Ringling Brothers Museum in Sarasota and it was incredibly interesting! We learned so much about the early days of the circus. There are interactive things to do there, documentary videos, a giant art gallery, which really would take a couple of days to see and a tour of the mansion where the Ringling family once lived!
I think my favorite day was at a quiet beach, over a drawbridge! I’m a nut who has an inexplicable fear of being eaten by sharks, so for me to go in the ocean, well it’s a big deal! I’ve been known to jump out of swimming pools, because there just might be a shark in that water! I know, crazy!
Anyway, we did go to Siesta Key. It has super soft sand, but it’s quite ‘peopley’! The next day we went to this other beach, who’s name escapes me. It was overcast and breezy, but the water was warm!
I threw caution to the wind and jumped right in with Rachel and we played in the waves for hours! I haven’t had that much fun in a very long time! The waves literally threw me up onto the beach where the shells are, so I have a lot of scrapes and bruises. However, it was so much fun, I don’t care! I’ll never forget what a great day I had at the beach with my family, which now includes son in law Kyle! His sister Mandi was there too and we had a wonderful week in Sarasota!
Being that June is Pride Month, there were lots of rainbows to be seen in Sarasota and I got this great picture of Dawson!
Coming home yesterday was a bit surreal. The three big things we had on the calendar came and went. Now it’s back to routines and the every day life!
Once again, time rolls quickly by. There’s snapshots and memories. Souvenirs and seashells to remember it by.
I know Rachel and Kyle will have an amazing adventure together in Florida with new jobs and experiences! I couldn’t be happier for them.
Ready for summer now and maybe another book will come! Enjoy the warm and HOT weather that’s FINALLY come our way! Make memories to last a lifetime with your families and friends.
Welcome June!