Chapter 11: Time for graduation

As I said before, I was now in my student teaching semester. It was also at this time (please keep in mind I am student teaching, finishing college, looking for a real job, breaking up with my boyfriend of 4 years) that my mom started to take her turn for the worst. It was around March that I got the call saying that I needed to come home now and that she might not even make it for me to get there. I'm on the way taking my students to lunch when I get the call. Of course my lead teacher was wonderful...I couldn't have asked for a better one at this point in my life. I left to go home and of course who helped me...Dave.

I called him of all people and he left work and met me at my house. He packed my entire bag while I sat on the bed crying. I mean he got everything ready for me. He packed me CDs to listen to so that I didn't have to deal with the woman that was going to drive me to winnemucca. I like her and all but she is one that says things that you just don't want to hear at that moment. He packed clothes that actually matched, he packed all my bathroom stuff that I would need. Then he drove me to her house. He said that if she started talking and I didn't want to listen to just put in the CDs that he packed for me and they would make the trip fly by. When he dropped me off at Cheryl's house, he gave me a big hug and told me to call him if I needed anything. Sure didn't sound like the same guy that was busy trying to impress his friends before now does it?

Fast forwarding a bit here, because my mom was so sick, there was no way she could make it to my graduation in May. She had always told me that she would live to see me graduate from college. Well, with the help of my aunt and uncle, and the hospice department in Winnemucca, she did get to see me graduate. It was a complete surprise for her and she bawled when we told her the night before what we were doing. The dean of the college of Education came to Winnemucca and held a graduation ceremony for me. He brought my cap and gown, my invitations, everything I needed for graduation. I never did have to get anything for my real ceremony. It was supposed to be a small ceremony, but it turned out to be over 40 people in this hospital conference room. This sounds like an absolutely wonderful thing right...WRONG!

I was furious with my sister and my uncle for even thinking that this would be ok with me. They didnt' even ask they just told me I had to be there that weekend. I was livid because in my mind, if I graduated then she could die. Not ok here folks! I made my poor sister cry because I was so mean to her, but my uncle knew that I was upset and he just told me to shut the hell up. This wasn't for me it was for my mom. In the end, I was thrilled that I did it and very happy with my sister and uncle for putting it together. I was happy because I realized that even though she was alive in May when I did graduate, she couldn't have made it to Reno to sit through that long ass graduation ceremony.

My family

More of my family

Me, the dean of education and his wife

Some of the people that came to my graduation

So this was a nice little treat for my mom and I'm really happy that my uncle and sister helped to put this together. It did mean a lot to her and to me that she was able to see me get my diploma in some form. And how great is the dean of education for driving all the way to Winnemucca to hold this special ceremony for one of his students!

(Alright Shawna, I owe you way more and this was a just brief touch on Dave in this one, but at least we were all able to see the games he really played...he was nice in this one and then he'll turn to a shit in the next one!)