Delinda, the PhD!

So on May 10th my older sister Delinda graduated from Emory University with her PhD in Art History and African Studies (with Honors I might add!)! This is such exciting news for us as a family because Delinda is the first one in our family (of the kids, no you don't count mom) to get a degree let alone a PhD! We can call her Doctor DJ now! It's also exciting for me personally because I've been along for much of the ride with her. She convinced me to move out to GA with her when she made the move to get this degree here at Emory. Boy am I glad I did, even though I sometimes miss the West coast... there has been many wonderful things that have happened out here. ANYWAY, she and Jen made the trip out here as well our brother Greg. Greg stayed with us and it was wonderful to see him, be with him, bond with him, watch he and Ben bond... it was just good. The ceremony was quick and painless... unlike most graduations. I teared up so much. I haven't seen her THAT HAPPY in ages and I think she was super proud of herself and relieved it was over!!! She's been through MUCH through these last 5 years to get this done. Crazy trips to Angola, moving here and there, lots of late nights of writing, crazy advisers, losing files/half the papers she wrote... but a lot of good has happened for her too. Namely her landing a PRIME job as a professor at the Art Institute of Chicago already and has been teaching there for a little while already. Anyway, before the graduation took place we sat in our seats next to Delinda's friends Liz and Dan and waited but I got up for a minute to call Ryan. Delinda was previously attending the graduate school's commencement, where Arnold Schwarzenegger was speaking. While I was on the phone with Ryan I was at the windows looking out at the street when a parade of motorcycle cops and black SUV's drove by and there he was, with his window down smoking a HUGE cigar!!! I was on the phone still with Ryan and "said, oh... look Arnold Schwarzenegger just drove by!"

She invited Greg and I (who were the only ones that could attend) to go with her and Jen to a Department Luncheon afterward. Unfortunately Greg and I couldn't stay long because Greg's still pretty weak from being sick and also, Ben was at the daycare and they had found some spots on him that turned out to be nothing... but that night we went to dinner and got Indian food. And it was DEE-LISH. MMMMMM, I love me some Tikka Masala. Seriously.
And I am also very grateful for the siblings I have. I missed John and of course Shauna- but was so glad at least Greg and I were able to attend. My parents of course were heart broken- but the funds weren't available but they were there in Spirit! Yay for Delinda!