Graduated at Last! Part II

While Thursday was spent primarily with the Gruber side, Friday was the day we got to spend with my family. Before the Convocation, we met up at Macaroni Grill for a very nice lunch. Warning to the wise, be careful where you go around graduation time...restaurants are very busy and may change the menu at will.

Perhaps my dad was attempting to get a panorama shot of our table? 

Nice to see all were in attendance...

 Apparently, Bryan did not want his presence to be known...while he artistically displayed Obama propaganda on the table cloth/sheet...

 

Jason and I receiving generous gifts from my parents

After lunch, it was another rush as we made our way back to the Marriott Center for the Convocation Ceremony (again, we chose to attend with Jason's School). I'm telling you, I've never had to make so many lines, just to sit down and form another line...whilst getting up to move that line into another section of seats...proceeded by standing and reversing that line to make it to our diplomas. 

After making it through our first line, Jason found his friend Austin
(who he had several classes with)

And then began the REAL lines...

Having family on both sides of the event center allowed for many photo opportunities:

I apologize for the blurry pictures (these are the best ones of the bunch)...

...either we were walking like the vampires in the Twilight films...

...or my parents REALLY need to invest in a tripod...or SOMETHING!?!

After (I'd say hours) of filling in the rows, we were treated with a "thrilling" talk from Bill Marriott.

The excitement is just gleaming from our faces!

...at least he was a cute old man...

We did manage to smile for a picture though:

We made our way through, through the final line, where my parents managed a quick shot before entering the ramp for our diplomas:

Jason's moment:

Emily's moment:

(apparently, I didn't want anyone questioning my catwalk skills...
...so fierce...)

It's official!
Jason and I officially graduated from Brigham Young University on April 23, 2010 with bachelor's degrees! Jason graduated in Business Management (Finance Emphasis), and I graduated in Sociology.

The following may feel like a painful overload of pictures...but imagine how we felt!...

 

We were given fun candy leis from Jason's sisters!

Happiness all around!

Throwing our caps! (no, of course we're not faking...er, um, yeah...)
Jason looks very convincing!

My face = Excitement overload

Afterward, we drove to Draper to attend our graduation party that was starting without us. Somehow, my grandparents, aunts, and cousins, thought the party started at 7 pm...while we didn't start taking pictures until that time (and as you could tell, that took awhile). Meanwhile, our party guests were locked out of my parents house sitting in their cars. Thanks to their patience, we finally made it to Draper (probably around 9) and enjoyed cake and ice cream!

Thanks to everyone who made our graduation so fun and special! I can't believe we are both done...it was definitely a bittersweet feeling! I'm so proud of Jason and I for working so hard to achieve our goals. I'm especially thankful for Jason; I know his school load was very difficult and I'm so happy I finally have him to myself!!

Graduated at Last! Part I

We were so SO lucky to have Grandpa Banks, Uncle Alan, Allison and Capri, and Amy and kids come for our graduation! It made the celebration that much more special. Thursday morning, we drove into Alpine to see everyone and to celebrate with a festive lunch. Blue streamers and blue balloons were everywhere! GO BYU! A family of True Blue fans!

Uncle Alan, Nancy, Amy, Clara, George, Mya, April, Alex, Capri, and Allison

(sorry, very hard to see)

Grandpa Banks, Emily, Jason, Karl, Harlan

The Gruber girls are so cute...blue cups, plates, napkins, etc...

Who knew reading could be so much fun?!?

 Mya is finally coming around to us!

Emily, April, Mya, Jason, and Alex

After a fun morning/afternoon, we rushed back to Provo to get ready for the Commencement Ceremony. Typically students just sit with their graduating Schools; but being married, Jason and I got to choose which School we wanted to sit with (Family, Home, and Social Sciences for me, or Marriott School of Management for Jason). The choice was not hard at all (especially since it had been several months since I had even been in school...I officially graduated in December 2009, but graduation ceremonies are not held in the Winter).

Lining up for Commencement Exercises

Inside the Marriott Center... great seats!

The guest speaker for this years Commencement Exercises was Elder D. Todd Christofferson. 

He gave such a great talk and it was enjoyed by all!

 The ceremony was followed by a lot of pictures...be prepared!

The night ended with another Gruber celebration of food, cake, presents, and dancing...yes, dancing:

Again, we capitalize on any opportunity we can to show off our ballroom skills...or so it seems!

Following acts included dancing by Karl, Nancy, Amy, and Allison. I reckon George stayed out of it and continued to observe from his chair.

The Arbons Love Getting Married

So, I just had to pay a quick tribute to my uncle's family for having the most weddings within a four month period! My cousin, Brooke, got married the end of January... her younger brother, Brock, got married the very end of April...and another younger brother, Thayne, got married a week later. Wow! That's a lot of weddings, receptions, and wedding dinners/luncheons..and would have been a lot of showers if I was able to attend all of them. Another cousin from the Arbon side (Paul) also has a wedding date set for the end of September! 2010 is the year for Arbon weddings apparently!

Brooke and Andrew taking pictures on a painfully windy day!

Jason and I showing off our Ballroom routine at Brooke's reception

 

Brock and Liliana at the Salt Lake Temple

Brock's reception at the Zions Bank Building in Salt Lake

(while I tastefully demonstrate my eye crossing abilities)

Thayne and Veronica

Sadly, I don't have any "in-the-action" photos yet of Thayne's wedding...

those will have to be inserted later

And coming in September...Paul and Mandy's wedding:

(the two love birds dancing at Brooke's reception)

...if you're confused, it's ok...so am I...

Reading Days are for Suckers...

Hence, Jason spent his first Reading Day at Snowbird with Richard Tadje. Nothing like skiing on a week day when you would normally be in school.

Hooray for no more Reading Days...EVER!

Another activity we enjoyed towards the end of the semester was our Divine Comedy date. You could say Jason and I have become Divine Comedy "regulars" as well as most of the Gruber family. It may sound dorky, but we are proud to say we LOVE Divine Comedy and we can't wait for the next show in the fall. If anyone wants to join us, let us know...we love to share! It is hilarious!!! Natalie, Austin, Mike, and Kaitlyn joined us last time and we had a ball! We even ended the night with some fancy cupcakes from The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe. YUM!

To come...Graduation!