Willpower

Man, I’m glad that’s over.
I’m not talking about the graduation ceremony, or the last two months spent getting ready for today, or even about the last two years where Justin and I made dinner for two every Thursday night while Jackie was at class; this goes back all the way to 1994. On September 28th of that year, I made the best decision of my life and asked out the 2nd baseman on my co-ed softball team.
My second best decision was on October 25th of 1995, when I moved out here to Denver with all you fine people. My girlfriend, that 2nd-baseman, encouraged me to make the move and joined me out here on December 19th, 1995, after her semester wrapped up. We got engaged that day.
When I asked her what she was going to do about finishing her degree, she told me not to worry about it — she’d finish up Denver.
Well, a few things came up.
It took five years of preparation and planning (during which we went through two apartments, bought four cars, one house, two cats, 18 fish, and took on the care of 9-year old boy). It took two more years of actual school (in the middle of which we got a dog and moved to our current house 25 miles farther away from the college). I was traveling for my job during that time, and while Jackie was going to classes, she was also taking care of our house, our extended furry family and a 10-year-old.
I’m not here to talk about how hard it was — that much should be obvious. I want to mention her determination. Jackie has never faltered in her convictions or her commitments in all the time I’ve known her. It’s one of her great strengths.
For those of you, most of you, who don’t know all the particulars from the graduation, Jackie graduated with Honors and Distinguished Achievement today (awarded to only 10% of the Honors students for special merit beyond the scope of the University). I see that as a small acknowledgement of her strength of will.
Really, it’s the thing everyone came to the house to celebrate today, whether they knew it or not.
Congratulations, baby.