The graduation was really a weekend event. It started with his Hooding Ceremony" on Thursday evening. Due to weather concerns, they "hooded" the students Thursday instead of at the graduation. At the ceremony those also gave out awards. Jeff received the Professionalism Award given to one student for integrity and leadership among their peers. I was very proud of him!
Before the "hooding ceremony". You will notice...no hood!
Jeff walking in...do you see him in the back waving?
After the hooding ceremony, holding his award
Jeff with his proud mom and step dad.Then Saturday was the actual graduation. We arrived at 1 PM when the doors opened. We got great seats on the floor right in the middle so we could see everything. The graduates even walked right by us! So, there we were at 1, sun shining waiting for the graduation to begin.
About 10 minutes before the graduation was set to begin, the storm clouds set in and it began to pour! The graduates began to come in amidst the storm, all dressed in ponchos. Then, the clouds parted and it was sunny again...just as it was time for Jeff to walk in. So there he was, with clear skies and sun beaming down on him.
I wish I could say that the sun stayed, but it didn't. Soon the clouds rolled in again and it began to pour. But, there we stayed in our ponchos. Nothing was going to stop me from watching my husband graduate. We had worked way too hard for this! So, we put on our coats and ponchos and watched. At least we got some pretty great pictures.
Finally, the time had come. Jeff's row was standing up and heading to the stage. And once again, the rain stopped. Jeff walked up and received his diploma in the sun! What an amazing day. We run to the front to get pictures just in time for the to call "Jeffrey D Wiedemann".I was so proud of him in that moment. It all hit me right then...how hard he had worked, everything he had done. This was it! We were there. He was done. He has worked so hard and has earned that diploma five times over. I never knew that doctors got such big diplomas, but they should...they work very hard for them.
So, once the diplomas were all handed out, there was a quick thank you and the graduation was over. We dropped by the Alumni Dessert to great the newest alum of Pacific University as well as his professors and then back home to meet all of our family for dinner.
It was such an amazing day. I have to say, I worried so much about it because of the weather. The day before the graduation I was driving to Fred Meyer to get rain ponchos for our group and was fretting and complaining about the weather and suddenly, through my whining, I heard one of Levi's songs on the radio. "He's got the whole world in His hands...He's got the wind and rain in His hands" and suddenly I realized, why am I so worried? Got holds everything in His hands. The weather was far from perfect, but every time Jeff had something to do, the clouds parted and the sun shone. What an amazing God we have. Just as He carried us through Pharmacy School, He carried us through graduation.
Praise God! He truly has the whole world in His hands.
