Operation Graduates Part Six: THE BIG DAY!

The graduation was so great. So wonderfully great.

All that work was worth it.

I only wish I had had a day of rest and recovery beforehand so I could have enjoyed the party a little bit more. See, I'm a social butterfly. But this social butterfly had been handled too much and had too many of her pretty little feather-colors brushed off so she was crippled and limp and had lost a wing or two. :P I was so sleepy! Haha! But it was amazing all the same. Thank you to the 150+ people that came and made it all worthwhile! :)

Isn't she gorgeous?

And him? Suavity. Suavity.

The day began with preparation of people. I did Sarah's hair in a Pinterest-worthy way. But I made it up. Which made me happy. That's not an easy feat, you know? And one of my Pinterest-worthy friends said it looked like movie-star hair, so I totally am happy with that as well. ;) The ceremony was held in a church nearby who were so generous with their time and space! We got there early, of course, and Levi loved watching Paid in Full practicing. 

Daniel wrote a beautiful song for Sarah, and I helped him write a few of the words while cleaning till 10:30 Friday night. 

"You were born with joy inside

You watched the world with smiling eyes.

You found the secret Neverlands

Because you looked for them.

The world obsessed with moving on

Your heart was whisp'ring 'Please look back'..."

I wrote them on my hand and left them in a notebook for Daniel. Daniel finished the song-writing and was all prepared to sing it, but he left the book at home, so I had to dash out, crank up the country music station, and retrieve it. :) 

The ceremony, since it was a double-on, ran a little long, but everyone had a fabulous time, Sarah and Matthew both slammed their speeches, and Sarah sang "Draw Me Nearer" with her classic swag. ;D

We had great worship-time...

And all that great stuff.

We rendezvoused back at the house for cake, punch, and more food as the evening progressed! :D 

I must have been looking tired because so many people smiled that "I totally understand, hon" smile at me, and several people remarked, "Aw, Rachel, you're too quiet tonight." 

What do you think?

Yeah, actually I agree. :P 

Moving onnnnnn....

Awwwwww <3

The cakes were perfection.

I am having a little difficulty getting photos of the decorations, but I'll do a post on those separately! :)

As the evening progressed we had LOADS of conversation...

....eating...

...conversation...

....games....

....eating....

....banter....

....eating.....

.....banter....

....eating....

....banter....

{yeah, you get the picture.}

We had a big bon-fire too!

A certain Farm-boy was our unofficial fire-man and stomped all the creeping flames out as they threatened to burn up the grass. ;) 

Half-way through the evening, I changed into my mulberry thermal-shirt and my flannel-lined pants...

Ah! Here's me! (back there.)

The graduate in her comfy-clothes...

After people left, Wyatt Fairlead and the rest of us stayed awake till one o'clock chatting and sitting on hard metal chairs. He was staying the night at our house while his family was staying with other friends, and we were all getting really kinda crazy. Laughing about nothing and everything, and philosophizing and criticizing literature in between...? :D

We all blame it on the hot chocolate. Seriously. Anyone who drank that stuff was strange the rest of the evening....we make no comment. 

*Happy sigh*

Worth it? I think so.

(By the way, all photos are credit to Matthew's Aunt Cherie Solomon!)