Casey Leigh Russell, Bachelors of Science

This was a BIG weekend for the Russell family.

Casey Leigh Russell's name was called off in the middle of about a half-million other graduates at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. To Ralph and I however, the tedious three hour ceremony was well worth sitting through the 3 seconds of watching her walk across the stage.
(I doubt our 15 guests thought the same thing but they blessed us deeply with their presence!)

So many emotions! I am filled with pride at her accomplishment but I swear as she walked back to her seat, I thought her facial expression was the same one we photographed in her kindergarten play back in 1994.
Casey has had an intense dislike (!) of school since about the 5th grade and I am relieved she finally finished! I can not tell you how many times we had to convince her to "stay".
She would have been a high school dropout in her junior year, but instead she chose to skip her senior year and graduate early. Her sophomore year at the University we, once again, thought she might drive up our driveway with all her belongings in the back of her truck. Rough doesn't describe that year and it had little to do with academics.

I'd describe some big moments but Casey isn't like that. Unlike her daddy and momma, she's the quiet-private type.

Lots of emotions from missing Jae Lynn at such a huge family marker-moment but tried oh so hard to suppress them and focus on the joy of the occasion.

Mothers Day.
Graduation.

I'm feeling blessed.