C's Graduation Party

One week after the big day, we gathered family and friends to once again celebrate Cearra's achievement.

The dessert buffet - I had so much fun with this!
P.S. Chris C - I've got white chocolate lollipops left,
meet me for lunch and they're yours!

Three beautiful ladies - l to r, Aunt Cathy, Mom, Aunt Jeanne

Three more beautiful people - l to r, Aunt Chris, Maria, Todd

These, two ... well ... (haha!)

Hannah telling Nanny and Owen a joke!

Longtime friend Eric

Happy couple

The guys enjoying the afternoon - l to r, Bob, Dad, Uncle Bud,
Uncle Rich ... and of course, Owen

Nanny painted gorgeous glasses for C representing
different aspects of her college experience.
This one is for C's love of zebra and the colors she used for
her dorm room all four years.

Pink and orange - party colors!

Squirrel in an apple tree - symbols and traditions from
Mary Baldwin

Squirrel and pearls - the collection continues

Thanks to Nanny, Owen got a gift for his graduation too!

Such a fun day - thanks to everyone for joining us and for your generosity in congratulating Cearra! Now we settle in for summer and look forward to the vacations and adventures coming up!

How Far We've Come - How Far She'll Go

Oh my, where to begin?

Maybe with memories of that very first visit ... when Cearra decided Mary Baldwin College was the place for her (and Bob and I sighed with relief).

How far we've come (part 1)

Onward through four years of Cearra learning who she was; spreading her wings; growing in confidence; gaining not only book knowledge but life smarts. Four years of making friends; Apple Days; continuing her cheerleading; volunteering and helping others. Four years of new experiences, new ideas, new places (New York, Hilton Head and New Zealand), and new honors.

Happy with her choice!

NZ encounter

Seniors - Apple Day

Cheer captain and coach

And then this past weekend, the compilation of these years - Cearra's graduation. On Friday we arrived in the valley of Staunton for dinner at the Mill Street Grille with Nanny, Dennis, C, and us. Time to give Cearra a special graduation present from Bob and I (diamond earrings than sparkle almost as much as her smile), and for Owen to give Cearra the gift he had picked - a graduation cap bead for her bracelet.

Owen was excited to give C her present ...

and to eat squid and mussels for the first time!

A BBQ on the lawn of the President's House on Saturday afternoon. C's mother and brother coming from Virginia Beach; her sister Kristine, Cliff and sweet little Virginia driving in from Tennessee; and her grandfather arriving from Maryland. Enjoying the music and company as the sun set over the rolling hills of campus.

Nanny - my "partner in wine". We very much enjoyed the BBQ!

Owen's school spirit

So glad Dennis could be there the whole weekend

Aunt Cearra and Uncle Marcus with Virginia

Cearra's mom's family

And then it's Sunday, and Cearra appears in her cap and gown, adorned with the lapel pins and tassels which signify her academic achievements. Uncle Todd arrives and we all take our places on the hill, as Mary Baldwin tradition has dictated for 170 years.

Our eyes well with tears as the first notes of Pomp and Circumstance fill the air and the candidates for graduation walk down the stairs and take their seats. Dr. Abigail Disney, niece of the great man, speaks (a tad too long) about being a princess in the "right way" as we fan our necks and wait for the big moment. Finally, it's here.

"Cearra Marie Mechem" ... and there she is, walking towards the university president with a huge, confident smile. We cheer and holler and wave, and the tears are spilling over and my heart is about to burst. I grab Bob's hand - we are so very proud of her! She has earned this degree, Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Business with minors in Education, Marketing and Sociology.

MBC Class of 2012 - Go Boldly!

There's Cee-Cee! Right between the lamp posts!

The new college grad!

Uncle Todd brought Aunt Maria and Hannah's love as well

C gets a lot of of her brains and beauty from Nanny!

Proud parents (and another one taking the pic!)

Everyone wants a pic with the graduate!

How far we've come (part 2)!

I honestly didn't think I'd be so emotional at Cearra's graduation. But tears - happy tears - threatened all weekend. And I realized it's because I'm not just proud of her for receiving her diploma and for doing so in a distinguished manner - although of course that's big.

I'm even more proud of her for doing something that scared her; something she wasn't at all sure was for her. For sticking with it when it got hard or lonely or not-so-much fun. I'm proud of the lofty goals she set for herself - and the way she went about reaching them. I'm proud of the person she has become - the personal choices she has made in the past few years, the knowledge she has gained of herself and her heart. I'm proud of her for how she treats her little brother and the role model she has become for him. I'm proud of the daughter she is. I'm proud that although she doesn't yet know quite what she will be doing starting tomorrow morning, she is facing the future with grace and the belief that it will be good.

And for ALL those reasons, I know she has a bright, bright future.

Not Enough Words

Yes, I love to write ... but sometimes there are just not enough words to describe how much I LOVE this amazing, funny, quirky kid; and how much he makes me laugh!

"Dear Jodi (Mom)"

Back when I first started dating Bob, some wondered if I knew "what I was getting myself into"; a man who had been married, a father with a daughter. Honestly I didn't mull it over too much; I was in love, and Cearra was a three-year old bundle of sweetness and beauty added to my world.

Being a stepmother wasn't always easy. While I was very lucky that Cearra's mother always allowed me to play a role in C's life, I was also always conscientious of the fact that I wasn't Cearra's mom, and I never wanted to do or say anything to upset that balance. That can make a relationship tricky ... just how do you discipline, offer advice, console, etc., a child in the "right" way when you are in fact a bit of a third-wheel of a parent? There were times I was frustrated; times I was elated; moments that made my heart soar; and many times when I bit my tongue and just hung on.

I always tried to do my best, to put Cearra's happiness and well-being first in every decision. Over the years it got as easy as breathing - because after all I loved Cearra as "my own" from the very start.

It has been an amazing journey watching her grow up, and I don't know what my life would have been without her. The joy has always far outweighed any struggles. As she prepares to graduate from college and embark on the next stage of her life, I am thrilled to be by her side and look forward to experiencing how our relationship continues to grow through all the moments she has ahead.

This Mother's Day Cearra sent me a beautiful card, with a sentiment thanking me for my love and support, signing it from both her and Owen. And then she wrote that "a gift for you has been purchased from Bead for Life to help support other mothers in Uganda do for their child what you have done for Owen and I".

And that - the card and her thoughts, plus the compassion and awareness Cearra demonstrated by choosing that very special gift - well, that is more precious to me than any material thing. It means the world to me. Because while I might not have known all those years ago what I was getting myself into, I absolutely know now how I am blessed.

I love you Cearra and Owen. You both mean everything to me, and I am so proud and honored to be your mom, mommy, step mom, and bonus mom!

WILW - Orange and Pink

Orange is having a moment. Pantone declared "Tangerine Tango" the color of 2012, and bold citrus shades are everywhere right now. And while I'm usually more of a red girl, I'm crushing on the juicy hue too!

I'm loving this fun watch. Imagine it with crisp white capris and a navy tee.

I'm loving Amy Atlas' "dessert tables". And in orange? - so pretty. Bonus love - I just won her new book thanks to Layla Grace! 

Owen would rock this! And look, no collar!

I'm loving the print and pop of this chair!

Just for fun!

Yep, I like orange on it's own, but I really love it when paired with hot pink! A little Bollywood, a little pepped up prep.

So ... any guesses on the color scheme for Cearra's upcoming graduation party??