<p>Wow- these kids certainly have come a long way.</p>
<p>bajamm- hope you hear from your d soon! </p>
<p>We are heading to d’s college town later toady. She is being inducted into ODK. Should be a pretty setting as it is being held in the Botanical Gardens. Hoping we don’t have a pop up thunderstorm. Storms every evening this week.</p>
<p>DS is back at school. Classes start tomorrow. He’s happy with his dorm (a single for the first time, although that wasn’t the original plan). Here’s wishing all our students a happy senior year. Sounds like many of them already have jobs lined up after graduation! One of DS’s good friends interned at Amazon over the summer and was offered a job after graduation. He’s happy with the offer and excited about the division he will be working in. It’s really exciting to see them finishing up and moving on to further school or careers!</p>
<p>Have your students (the ones that did not graduate early) decided if they will go through the graduation ceremony next spring? When will you find out who the graduation speaker is? I don’t think we will find out Tulane’s speaker for quite awhile. I am guessing D will go through the ceremony, though we haven’t talked about it.</p>
<p>I don’t think we’re giving our S a choice. We paid for a huge portion of the expenses, we get to watch him walk. He knows we’ve already reserved accommodations for graduation weekend.</p>
<p>When ShawSon graduated, he understood the importance of attending. Two grandmas, parents, sister, and beloved cousin all wanted to attend (well maybe not sister). ShawD is also expecting to attend. She did suggest earlier this year that we not come to an event in which the top 20 kids academically were honored. </p>
<p>We will be at commencement next May to applaud S and his accomplishment. It’s only a few days after we pick up DD-14 and move her and all her freshman year stuff home for the summer.</p>
<p>Oh, we definitely will be at commencement! Am hoping my parents can come - they’ve said they’d like to, but health issues might not let them come. We do have a place booked already. Don’t know how the speaker will be…don’t know if I care :)</p>
<p>Book your hotel early!</p>
<p>Hotel booked. No discussion, but his school is smaller so I know he wants to go to the ceremony. We are looking forward to all the festivities (his school has several days of activities).</p>
<p>It booked earlier. It’s refundable, so it does not hurt.</p>
<p>We booked early and I periodically review rates for that weekend in hopes of getting closer to campus or a better rate. Hotels in DC are not cheap so what we have is likely going to be where we have stayed. Fortunaltely its a nice hotel where we have stayed before across the river in northern VA. We will be there 3 or 4 days depending on whether or not S is coming home for the summer or moving elsewhere to either start a new job or begin law school.</p>
<p>Upsetting news from S. Yesterday evening he reported a student was diagnosed with meningitis and was in the hospital. Tonight we got an update from the Dean of Student Affairs that theyoung lady had passed away. She was reported to be a sophomore in the Nursing and Health Sciences school. They reported that there are no other cases present but have put all students and staff on alert to the symptons and the need to contact Health Services with any signs of the symptoms.</p>
<p>Fortunatly S is not in the NHS school and he lives off campus this year. He is coming up to Philly on Friday to join us at D-14’s parent’s weekend family dinner. AvonMom will be quite relieved to see him and have him with us for the evening.</p>
<p>I’m so sorry to hear about your S’s classmate, Avondad. That is very sad and scary. I’m glad you’re going to get a chance to see your S this weekend. Enjoy the family time. </p>
<p>AvonHSDad–Sorry to hear about the young lady passing away. I had heard a student had been diagnosed but didn’t hear anything beyond that. The only bright side to the meningitis on DS’s campus is that no one had died from it. I don’t think they’ve had any more outbreaks since early last year, although they are still vaccinating incoming students.</p>
<p>I just set out a brunch for the class of 2016, the parents of my sons peers. Come on over and join us! I have coffee, tea, bagels and fruit set out. It has been awhile since we have had a relaxing brunch. </p>
<p>I heard from D, who is spending time in Cuba this semester. She is having way too much fun. She going to ballets and plays, running along a seawall 5 times a week, has made friends with a 65 year old Cuban man that works at the gym she lifts weights at, and is taking 5 classes, all in Spanish. 3 of them will transfer as part of her Spanish major, one just for fun, and one is a biology class. All are taught in Spanish.</p>
<p>She has also gone sightseeing, rode a horse through the mountains and swam to a bar in a mountain side cave. I am glad she was able to swim back after. ;)</p>
<p>bajamm- Glad you heard from your d! Sounds like a trip of a lifetime! My d15 just submitted her application to Tulan.</p>
<p>Avonhsdad- that is sad news. Hopefully they can contain the outbreak and no other students are infected. So devastating for the girls family and friends.</p>
<p>@bajamm - sounds like your D is really enjoying her time in Cuba! Kudos to her!</p>
<p>@AvonHSDad - that’s sad news…</p>
<p>DD is sitting for her GRE exam right now. I am so nervous and I don’t even know why. It has nothing to do with me. Hoping she does well though. </p>
<p>Good luck and a calm spirit to your D, @Momof3greatgirls! </p>
<p>
Best wishes to your DD on the exam. DS just took his LSAT on Saturdar after 4 months of prep stress. So glad its over and behind him.</p>