So I guess I never got around to updating our Easter at home photos. Oh well. Life just got busy.
Last weekend (May 13 and 14), my little brother graduated from college with his Bachelors in Civil Engineering. Following in our dad, and brother's footsteps.
Cory has given Ryleigh some UofA books in the past few years. One is by Lute Olson about Wilbur going around campus to get to the basketball game. Another is "A is for Arizona" an alphabet book. Ryleigh started asking us if she could go to Wilbur's house. We told her he lived far away, but one day we could go. Well we did go to his house (well Tucson). She was so excited. Not sure what she was expecting, but I'm sure it didn't live up to her expectations lol.
Friday, Chris and I took off work early to drive down to Tucson in time for Cory's Engineering College commencement program. We got down there just in time. It was in Harvill 150. It brought back some memories of senior year physiology classes I had in there at 8am every morning.
While waiting for his name to be called and be personally recognized, he came over to give Ryleigh some hugs.
Ryleigh cheering for Cory when his name got called. She was so well behaved for a 2 1/2 year old who didn't feel too well. She woke up from a nap in the car with a fever, but she never lets that stop her. The kids behind us were a different story.
After the College ceremony, we went looking for a spot to take pictures. Harvill 150 is essentially in the "basement". So the room opened to this big courtyard, which is nice, but when it's packed with people, not exactly great for taking pictures. So we wandered over toward Old Main and found a nice backdrop for some photos. Ryleigh was hoping to find Wilbur's house. We found some cheerleaders, but no Wilbur. Maybe we'll have to come back for Homecoming so we can find Wilma and Wilbur for Ryleigh. I'm sure we can get a picture with them at Homecoming!
Ryleigh loves her Uncle "Tory"!
Proud mom and dad. Their baby's a college graduate!!
The grandma! Our grandmas always try to come to our graduations, and I think they've both come to most of them. I know my Grandma Beam was sad she couldn't make it to Cory's graduation. But she was on the trip of a lifetime touring around Italy, so I know Cory understands :)
Brothers and Sister! Welcome to the college graduate club Cory! Now on to that Master's to keep up with the rest of us!
(Can you tell which 2 are UofA grads? We bleed Blue and Red.)The family! So proud of the baby of the family! I think this was before Cory was trying to be taller than Chris.
The Pruett's and Cory doing the Classic Steele Family Pointing pose. Even Ryleigh caught onto it!
Then we went to the bookstore to find a "Wilbur shirt" (she ended up with a Wilma Shirt and stuffed Wilma to go with her stuffed Wilbur). Man has campus changed. I never got to see the Union without construction. The bookstore has grown too. It's HUGE now! I was wandering around when I found the Greek section - and I found a Theta Nu Xi decal for sale. Something I NEVER thought I'd see. I'm a founder of the Mu Chapter of Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. at the University of Arizona. We always hoped one day we'd be able to walk into a store and buy stuff with our letters on it, without having to get stuff custom made. So that was SO neat to see that 9 years later, that hope came true :D Just thinking about it makes me so happy, to see that what I started is just expanding it's presence on campus.
After the bookstore we headed to BJs for dinner. Always a yummy dinner there.
Saturday, bright and early was the University's graduation ceremony in McKale center. It started at 9am, which meant we had to get there around 8 to get parking and seats.
Ryleigh's ready for the show to start.
Chris found Cory's name on the jumbo-tron pre-ceremony. Can you find him?
All the graduates filing in. Here's the College of Engineering... can you find him? Yup he's in there.
Click on the photo, lower right quadrant, last row, next to the guy in the thick white stole, looking toward us with the white program in his hands and the shiny sunglasses on his robe. Look at that sea of Blue!
And the ceremony starts - finally!
The commencement speaker was Savannah Guthrie. She's a former UofA graduate. She also is a lawyer. She was just named co-host of the Today Show. Her speech was very good - kept our attention. Very light hearted and funny. I think she was the best graduation speaker I've heard. It also helped that she knew some of the inside UofA jokes :)
GO CATS! I'm very proud of my alma mater. So sad that I haven't been back in 8 years! But I definitely want to go back for Homecoming now!
After the graduation, we met up with Cory by the Main Library. (Yes, D2, your favorite spot, the ILC is still there!)
Steele family graduates always get leis at their graduation. Carrying on the Hawaiian tradition my dad grew up with. Ryleigh gave Cory his lei, so she had to give him a kiss to go with it. Too sweet!!!
Ryleigh and Daddy.
Pruett Family and the graduate.
Congratulations Cory!! We're so proud of you!
Now you have a year to finish up that Master's so you can be just like your brother (but you get bragging rights that it didn't take you an extra semester to finish your Bachelor's), since you had to be a Wildcat just like your sister!! Love you Cory!!
