Congratulations Tita AhAh

the graduate

dinner at l fisher hotel

during the clinical graduation

mother and daughter moment

getting ready to groove the night away

the trip to negros wasn't really a vacation vacation. it was more like a homecoming for my dearest sister's graduation. i was initially planning on being there only for the ceremony days (she had two since she's a nursing student -- the clinical graduation and the uh, normal graduation with the rest of the graduating batch of different courses). but then, yes, my company allows us to take vacation leaves and i have more than enough (i think) and my boss is flying to the US anyway so why not take the whole week off? yeba!

so yes, there are two toga pictures on our home's wall. our youngest is feeling the pressure as my mother already had the carpenter prepare a space for her own frame. she has to graduate so we don't waste the space. hahaha.

i attended both graduationS. during the ring and pin ceremony, my mother marched with her while i awarded her ring. the clinical graduation was solely for the nursing students and as every parent and child passed by the aisle, i can see the parents' proud and teary-eyed smiles. it's never easy to send someone to school, especially to nursing school when the school charges you for every activity and project imaginable. my sister was a scholar (since my tita's working in the school) but my parents still shell out a considerable amount for the miscellaneous fees, activities, accommodation and lodging (when they go on out-of-town hospital duties), etc. i wonder how many carabaos were sold and how many hectares of land were tilled so these children can finish their education.

i cried a bit during the baccalaureate ceremony, on the part where the parents bestow the hood on the graduating students. i am such a stage sister. hahaha. i cried some more during the speech of the most outstanding augustinian graduate of 2009 (yes, we're augustinians). he was recalling his and his mother's struggle just for him to get through, and how he would line up at the finance office every examination day so he can submit his promissory note. they may not be blessed financially but with his determination, strength and intelligence, i know they will have more than all the wealth in the world can provide for.

for the celebratory dinner, we had dinner buffet at l'fisher. then enjoyed the rest of the night at cafe breizh, singing our happy hearts out. our conservative, tired mother at least had fun seeing her girls sing and dance. hahaha.

nobody is happiest (and most relieved, i guess) about this achievement than our parents, despite our father not being here and all. there are more challenges for my sister to overcome, there's the nursing board exam on november, for one. but we'll all be praying and rooting for her.

again, congrats Tita AhAh! =D