Proud Moments. . .

Quite a few of 'em, just lately. . .

Start with 3M and his girlfriend bringing their new baby girl into the world a couple weeks ago, Chapter 2 of our Year of the Grandchildren.  She is a certifiable cutie (and it's just amazing how tiny she looks next to 6F's little boy, who is now all of three months old). . .

Friday, we had the funeral for a dear friend, 83 years young (in fact, she died on her 83rd birthday).  She and her husband of 61 years (61 years!!) have been friends of ours, even something like mentors, since before we were married, and their marriage has been a wonderful example to us of how marriage is done rightly.  Heck, one of their sons was even a groomsman in our wedding.  At the funeral home, their six grown children stood up and sang a barbershop quartet number together; it was one of those goofy, pure 'Big Happy Family' moments that just brought tears to my eyes. . .  Funerals like hers have more of the character of a Graduation Ceremony into Heaven. . .

And then yesterday, we had a double-header.  In the morning, we were at our eldest granddaughter's First Communion (that's 1F's birth-daughter, who is now 8 years old).  We see her seldom enough and far-enough between that it's always amazing to see how much she's grown, and how much smarter she is than the last time we saw her. . .

Then yesterday afternoon, 4M had his commencement ceremony from the alma mater he now shares with Jen and me, and my dad, besides, having completed his BA degree in Supply Chain Management.  We've finally got a college graduate among our offspring.  And it'll be awhile again before we get another one, so we'll kinda enjoy the glow from this one for a while.

So, you all would be very kind to indulge my paternal (or grandpaternal, as the case may be) pride; just watch out for flying buttons, 'cuz they are poppin' off my vest. . .