Is This Heaven? No, It's Iowa.

With thanks to Grinnell College

This past weekend, we went to Iowa for Grinnell College's commencement.

It's not just that I absolutely love college graduations, we had a reason. Poppa was being presented with an honorary doctorate.

He was very happy about this honor.

I know, he's so dignified.

Really though, he is. After watching him blush through his introduction, I recommend watching his whole address. It's only four and a half minutes long.

It was amazing to see everyone. It was the first time since M and I got married that all of us have been together at the same time. (That's five years on Thursday.)

We arrived Saturday afternoon, and caught up with Great-Grandmommy and Great-Granddaddy, as well as Great-Great Aunt E, Aunt Green, Aunt Genocide, Grandmommy and Poppa

The college wined and dined us in grand fashion.

The kids went to bed, Aunt Something Funny arrived, and we spent a lovely night together. For real, Grinnell really knows hospitality. We had a spectacular stay.

Poppa's old advisor took the entire gang out for brunch.

Aunt Something Funny taught the girls to play a new game...

Then after a brief rest, it was time for a picnic on campus.

It's a gorgeous campus, even in the balmy, oppressive heat.

Then we all gussied up for dinner at the President's house. (No, that's not it behind us. That's Grinnell House, where we all stayed.)

After a trip to the Observatory that turned into attempted waterboarding of the SuperMommy family by the sky, everyone raided the kitchen for snacks, drinks, and ice. It was a marvelous time.

The next morning, it was up and off to commencement.

We watched some truly wonderful speeches- including a poem performed by Sarah Kay. It was great.

Then Poppa was presented with his honorary doctorate, to match his real doctorate, but not plaid. (...because everything that has anything to do with Carnegie Mellon is plaid. The MASCOT is plaid. Excuse me. "Tartan.")

Poppa delivered a killer speech, link above.

And then, once again, my camera died.

We picnicked again, we laughed and chatted and then bid our tearful farewells. The SuperMommy family piled back into our minivan and trekked back to Chicago, where nobody is going to feed us amazing stuffed slivered eggplant or eight layer chocolate coffee torte, or take us out for eggs and hash browns.

Poppa should get honorary Ph.D.s every year.