Like I said last week, we’re on VACATION!!

However, this particular trip isn’t like our usual early spring, tropical getaway. This week, we are CELEBRATING. This trip was originally planned to celebrate my sister’s graduation from Capella University, with her Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing. Then we found out that my cousin is getting married the following Saturday in Aruba! So we made it a double whammy and we are celebrating two major milestones in our family. So all in all, it’s a very busy week, but we’re loving it.

Sarah’s commencement ceremony was on Saturday, and honestly, it was the best commencement I’ve ever attended. The gentleman who sang the National Anthem was flawless and had the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. And this is coming from a big-time critic of the National Anthem. I can’t even sing, but I get so hung up is someone is even remotely off key on the National Anthem. Major personality flaw, I know, it’s on a very long list of flaws, but the point is, this guy NAILED IT. I had chills the entire time and I want this man’s singing to be my new alarm in the morning. It’s that good.

The speeches were even better, if that’s even possible. I’ve been to a handful of graduation ceremonies, and sometimes the speeches are a little on the boring side. These were incredible. They were given by humble, brilliant people and were inspiring, encouraging and down-to-earth. The keynote speaker was Duchess Harris, a professor of African American Contemporary History and Political Theory, as well as an attorney on the Minnesota Board of Public Defense. She dropped a couple bombs of wisdom on us, and they were

1. Never let anyone put a ceiling on your sky.

2. Be the rainbow in someone else’s cloud.

Well, HECK, Professor Harris. Way to start our week off with a bang.

Our vacation continued with celebratory snacks and drinks, Universal Studios, a tour of Cape Canaveral, Epcot and a little bit of relaxing in the sun. Today, we’re heading to Aruba to get my cousin hitched!! Are we exhausted? 110%. Did everything go exactly to plan? Absolutely not. But it’s warm, and we’re together and there’s a rainbow in my cloud.

Here are some photos from our trip so far!