ConGRADulations, Jared!

Can you believe it?  I am still HAPPILY getting used to the idea!

What is the celebration all about?  My dear Jared is done with his training!!!

Da da da dum... I present to you the graduating class of 2013 for the Wills Eye Institute/Hospital!

Luckily, they didn't lose their sense of humor during those three demanding years.

They did, however, get to know amazing surgeons, who were incredible teachers!

Jared's last graduation day finally came, after 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of medical school, and 4 years of residency.  I got to be by his side for 10 of those 12 years (2 of undergrad and all of medical school and residency), unless you don't want to count our 1 year of dating, which may be understandable;o)

YAY!  HIP HOORAY!  Here is the proof that WE MADE IT THROUGH many hard days!!!

We tried to be good graduation attendants, but kids and quiet settings do NOT go together.  Luckily, snacks and kids do!  It made it doable, at least.

More happy pics of this important day.

This is what our family looked like on the big day.

We grew as we worked year after year together!!!

Jared's sweet parents flew out for the special event!  They helped us so much in the days leading up to and following graduation.  We are so, so grateful for all their help during that incredibly intense time!

We made Jared a big candy card from the kiddos!

Jared now has his name on the plaques of Wills for as long as it exists!

Check out the 4th name from the bottom!!!

We went out afterwards to a loud restaurant, Famous Dave's, for a change in noise level, where our kids' decibel levels may match more easily.

Then, we were back to work, and work and work and work we did!!!  Making a cross country move with four kids is more work than I ever want to take on in my life again;o)  Just like going through all those years of training is also more than I ever want to take on again.  Luckily, we surely will never have to repeat those long years of schooling/training again.  I wouldn't trade doing them once, though; we learned so much together!!!