So Many Great Things.

Where do I begin?

Dan my husband, Dan my fil, Helen, Ana and I all spent two rainy but mysteriously wonderful days in Door County. We explored the far reaches of the peninsula and stayed at a great Inn. It served as a relaxing prelude to the festivies that awaited us in Green Bay.

Which were all we expected and more. My mom and dad made the long haul from Minneapolis and met up with us in Green Bay. All the 'rents stayed at the swank Motel 6, while Dan, Ana and I stayed with Chuck and Diane Gustafson, the gracious hosts Dan has been privileged to be a guest of for these last three years. When they first hosted Dan and his friend Tim for the weekend back in 2005, they had no idea the program would last three years let alone 2 weekends. I'm not sure which Dan will miss the most: His classes or the Gustafsons. And I mean that in all sincerity. Here's a great shot of the Gustafson's at the graduation reception.

Mass was at noon at the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier. Not only did Dan direct the choir, but he also played the trombone. What the ???

Afterwards, the ceremony. I'm pretty sure Helen teared up when they announced the graduating class. Here's Dan receiving his hood. Dr. Twellman, the gentleman "hooding," him whispered to Dan: "Now you can correct Joy." Nice.

And here is a shot of the conquering graduates:

That night we feasted at St. Brenden's, an Irish Restaraunt. Ana decided enough was enough and went to sleep for the night on my back shortly after this photo was taken.

The next day was Sunday, and we attended Mass at the Cathedral again. Ana fell asleep on my back again (this was a theme over the course of the four days we were gone.) As Ana slept, we received communion and made our way back to our pew. Kneeling, I listened to the cantor sing "Taste and See," (which, incidentally, I always hear with the voice of Nate Clyde who sang it at our wedding. His voice is unforgetably made for that song.) The presence of Christ in the Eucharist still sat on my tongue. I wanted to hold onto that moment. Me, Dan, Ana and Jesus. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. What a wonderful close to our weekend.

Once we made it back to my parents house we were finally able to exhale a bit. And what do you think we did? Made bread, of course. Here's Ana learning how to knead.

Now that it's been a few days, and I've had a chance to ruminate on everything, I have to admit my favorite part about the weekend was when my Dad went up to Dr. Feingold, Dan's Christian Anthropology professor, a brilliant man who spend nine years studying philosophy in Rome. He could've asked about his thoughts on St. Thomas Aquinas, or about his conversion from Judaism to Catholicism. What did he say though? My dad asked him if anyone had ever told him he looked like Woody Allen.

That's my dad.