Graduation weekend

What a crazy past few days! I'm exhausted and need to catch up on my sleep but it was well worth it. As I said in my last post, Madison and I with help from every one else, had spent Wednesday afternoon/night, all day Thursday and most of the day on Friday getting the gym ready for graduation. Decorations, balloons, the program, etc. It was a long few days but I am SO glad that I got to be here for it. I can't imagine missing that and I'm lucky that I was able to stay to see students that I worked with every day, graduate and receive their diploma. It meant a lot to me to be there and be apart of it all!

 

Friday night we had graduation where four preschoolers graduated to Kindergarten and then the three senior students graduated from high school. In there we had each kid in the school get acknowledged for their hard work and the levels they passed this year. All of the preschoolers, the elementary kids and the high schoolers. Each senior gave a speech and said their "thank yous" and Jeff was the key note speaker so he gave his speech as well. Everyone did great with them and as most of you won't be surprised - I did cry a good amount, go figure! It was a pretty awesome ceremony that was followed  by a potluck with the entire village that had come to graduation - there was so much food and so many things that I honestly didn't know what I was eating but it was all delicious. That along with about 7 cakes - one for each graduate - and plenty more desserts. : ) It was a really nice time!

 

The walkway made from balloons that we taped down and the arch way that they walked through.

The "theme" was based off the song My Wish by Rascal Flatts - Madi and I painted this huge thing to hang on the wall. I loved all this decorating!

 

Mr. Manning doing the introduction along side the graduates.

Jeff's speech  

Such great speeches from the kids 

Derek and I waiting for it to start... the back drop is streamers that we layed out and put over a wire - then individually stapled each one. Needless to say, I was sad to see that ripped down!

Some of the greatest people I have ever met and that I'm so thankful for! The staff from 2012-2013.

Kasie, Paulene, Alecia and I.

 

Friday night after graduation and the potluck and cleaning up the gym, the four of us and Amber and Caleb all hung out and visited.

 

Saturday was a really gorgeous day so we went out for a ride for most of the day. It was too nice not to soak up the sun - I even got some sunglass marks on my nose from getting a little sun - it was great! All together we found 154 floats and probably close to 15 old Japanese whiskey bottles or little pharmacy bottles - very successful day with good friends out by the ocean. : )

 

Yeah, that did happen. We found this "boat" down passed North River and decided to tow it back home, however, the boys decided it would be fun to put Heiden in it and see how fun it was. After Heiden, Jeff thought it would be fun to try out, haha. : ) 

Then it needed fixed...  

Love this crazy dog!

Counting and cleaning.... 

Beautiful day soaking in the sun on the other side of the bluffs.... 

Not only did riding in it sound fun, but floating down North River in it also sounded fun - that turned out to be pretty slow! 

Kasie's turn 

North River - this is the river that leads into the Bering sea that we have to cross - this is just up a ways.

 

 

I can't believe that my time has come down to a few weeks. I felt this feeling before but then it turned out that I was able to stay longer, now my trip isn't going to be extended any more and my time really is coming to an end. I'm really excited to see my family and friends and see home but I'm still not quite ready for my time in Port Heiden to end yet.