leanna's graduation: part two

After Leanna's School of Education graduation on Saturday came her big graduation ceremony with the rest of the senior class in Kenan Stadium!  It started out as a really gray, rainy day, but the coolest thing happened just as the chancellor officially declared them graduates of the University of North Carolina... the sun came out right over them!  It was spectacular.

Here come the undergrads!

The Class of 1961 was there celebrating their 50th class reunion!

Leanna is the girl in the Ray Ban sunglasses, about the eighth person in the row to the right of the word, "Home".

The graduation band!  Love those kids.

Check out that progress on the new Blue Zone!

I think this was when Leanna was recognized as a graduate of the School of Education, haha!  She was pretty excited, as evidenced by her hands in the ay-er.

And then these naked blow-up dolls appeared.  Never been prouder to be an alum.

The Senior Class President and Vice President guiding the graduates in turning their tassles...

Woo hoo!  Officially graduated!

Here come the Clef Hangers to sing "Carolina in My Mind"...

Then the sun came out and they all went crazy!

Leanna gave a whole lotta hugs apparently.

Here's one of the craziest parts... my roommate from freshman and sophomore years, Ellie, sat right behind my family and me!  Her sister was graduating from the School of Business that day, and Ellie just got married last Saturday!  Big week for their family, and it was SO good to see her!

So, that was graduation!  Even my aunt, uncle, and cousin came down from Virginia to celebrate with us, and Mom made an epic lunch of barbecue chicken, potato salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, and lots of other goodies!  She always outdoes herself. 

So, maybe now all you kiddos who didn't go to UNC know a little bit more about how deeply it runs through my blood and how lucky I think I am to get to share something so special with my sister!  UNC is the kind of place that kicks you out after four years but never really leaves you, and being back on campus after some time away is a ridiculous kind of magic that I can't describe.  People ask me occasionally if I would go back and do it all over again if I could, and quite honestly, I don't think I would.  It was so perfect the first time around, and I have such sweet memories from my time there.  So, you've been warned... only ask me about my school if you're prepared for an earful!