We made the long trek home from Macomb yesterday. It was much more fun travelling TO Macomb, that FROM Macomb. Going held the excitement of seeing Nick, seeing Ashley, meeting her family for the first time…Â
 We hopped a 6:00 am flight from Ontario. That meant getting up at 2:30 for all you keeping track of time. We flew Ted for the first time. In Denver we picked up a United Express flight. (That’s code for “small plane”.) The jet sat only about 50. We arrived in Moline and made our way absent mindedly to the baggage claim, when I heard a petite “a-hem, a-hem”. I turned to the side and to my amazement, there stood Nick and Ash with a big welcome sign. Now I must admit, Nick’s become a good liar. He told us his last class was about the time we were getting in – and like a good mother, I believed him. In reality, they took their test early so that they could make the 70 mile drive to meet us. What a great surprise it was.
Nick drove us all the way to Macomb, with Ashley leading the way. We checked in to our hotel and met up with them a little while later. Our Macomb tour started with some food on the square (Anyone seen Back to the Future? The square reminds me of the movie, complete with watch tower over the building.) We then strolled to an old fashion drug store (see picture of Ford Hopkin’s) where we had malts at the counter. It was great!
We met Ashley’s parents and grandma for dinner. I knew instantly that we’d get along.   Tim and Debbie are wonderful, and Grandma is a pleasure. Later Ashley’s sister Brae(spelling ok, Ash?) drove in from Chicago, with her boyfriend Henry. We all ended up talking until after midnight. It was very much like banter at the Katz house – meaning it was a lot of fun.
The next day was graduation. We attended the “chicken dinner” which doesn’t have chicken and is not dinner. All 18 in the College Student Personnel program attended to pay homage to their advisors, and reminisce about their 2 years. We met Dee and Tracy, the professors that had admitted Nick to the program, taught classes and pulled him up by the bootstraps to keep him there. Both had great things to say about the boy. Needless to say, we were very proud.
Graduation was a joy. The concert band was perfection, as was the professor that sang the national anthem. There were about 350 students hooded with their master’s degrees. The Hattaway’s came in force, and helped form our posse away from home, with horns and hollers for Nick, just as much as for Ashley. Thanks to all of them! We took pictures (hopefully posted) and went to dinner. Drinks back at the house with cake, and more talk…it was a full and emotional day. Proud doesn’t quite describe it.
The next day, we ate at the Studen Prince (it rivals Arthurs for breakfast) with the Hattaway’s. More talk – some wedding. Looks like the wedding might be in Savannah or Atlanta. Stay turned on that one. We’ll send out save the date notices once they have one. We realize this is far for our family and friends so we might make a local reception. We’ll have to see how it goes. For now, we’re happy to be home, but even happier to have been a part of the graduation celebration.
