My girls...

Rose and Molly

... well, two of them anyway. You might remember this time last year Rose graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. I was there. This year I wasn't there, but she still managed to graduate. This time with Honours. Again, she looks so happy! I talked to her the other day about her graduation and how happy she was last year. She said that she would be just as happy this year because she was proving all her detractors wrong. Can you believe that her high school art teacher told her not to apply for Visual Arts at university because she wouldn't be any good at it and would fail? She didn't. She did well. Now she is in the midst of a Masters Degree. (Instead of paying to travel to see her graduate we put the money towards her Master's Degree book buying fund. It seemed to be a sensible idea.) Her sister and brother were there to see her graduate as well as her partner. I think she had a very good day.

Think I spoke too soon!

Gosh, I have been a slack blogger! I can't believe that it is almost halfway through this month! Last time I posted I mentioned that I was starting to feel better, but the next day was feeling sick again. Just a cold, but I ended up with a sinus infection that I am still struggling with. (Sooo much discomfort! Even my teeth are hurting!!!) Of course, since then I have had good days and bad days so there has been making going on here, although much of it is secret! I also managed to travel to Adelaide to see Miss 21's gallery opening for her grad show. She has just finished her Honours year in Visual Arts and there was much excitement on the weekend when she discovered that she has received a Distinction for her year's work. Much excitement because of her achievement, but also because it almost certainly means she will get an offer to study some more next year. She is hoping to become an art teacher eventually. Who knew that Art teachers had so much training? So far four years, with another two to come!

Miss 21 with her sculpture of her and me.

 So now my shape has been exhibited in a gallery! (Thanks for that darling!) Better than a photo I guess. Must get back to the making. (Less than two weeks till Christmas you know.) I am still waiting on my SSCS package, but the one I sent to Melinda in the USA has arrived, thank goodness! The wait for your partner to receive their package always seems so much more streesful than waiting for your own to arrive! I will show you the ornament I sent next time!

Did I mention she graduated?

On Monday I went for a drive. To Adelaide. And this is the reason why. Miss 20 graduated this week. When she was finishing up her degree at the end of last year she kept saying, "Have I mentioned that I'm graduating?" She was pretty excited then and three or four months later at her graduation she was really happy. (I'm talking constant smiles!)

Of course, you might think that her smiles were because she was leaving university behind. No. Not at all. She was back at uni the day after her graduation. That's because she has been saying to us for the last two months, "Did I mention that I got into honours?"

Here she is with her sister Miss 18, who wagged a couple of lectures to be at the graduation so I could take this photo.

And a photo with her bloke. (Who is pulling a funny face! Pretty sure he was telling a joke at the time.) She says she wouldn't have graduated without his encouragement. It's so cool when your children become adults and they find others out there in the world who want to cheer them on. Of course, we haven't stopped cheering for her either! Well done Rosie!!!

The Dress and a Graduation

Left to right, Miss 19, Miss 17, Mr 21 (Yep! He had a birthday this week!). This is Miss 17 in her formal dress. Graduation was immediately before formal so we all got to go to the formal venue to celebrate the end of Miss 17's high school career with her. (This photo is Miss 17 with her two siblings who have moved out this year. The kids still at home miss them so much!)

Left to right, Mr 15, Miss 17, Mr 21. Miss 17 was very nervous about graduation because she had been invited to give the valedictory speech. She did a wonderful job! Of course I would say that because she is my kid, but others said it too last night. She wrote a brilliant speech and presented it beautifully.

The back of the dress. This morning she got up and said, "Well that's it Mum. I now have nothing to live for." said tongue in cheek of course! Then we figured out that her Year 12 results are only 2 or 3 weeks away and (hopefully) University offers are just over a month away. She is all psyched up for uni now - hope she gets into the course of her dreams! Kind of makes me feel old to have child number 5 graduating from high school and being just a few month off of adulthood. Where does the time go? I'm off now to clean up my sewing desk. It looks like a bomb hit it. I am such a messy sewer!

30 Days of the Everyday : No. 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mrs 23 (picklesticks) "graduated" today. A textiles certificate 3. Notice the baby bump. (22 weeks) Even after 30 days of practise I'm still the queen of blurry photos.