Hey, that's DOCTOR to you (Part 2)

It has now been over two months since this day, but you can't have Part 1 of a blog post without following up with an additional part or four. Besides, the only differences in the way we look in the pictures is that Tessa has less hair and chub than she does now. Indulge me.

The day dawned gloomy, as June days often do in southern California. But for all the impending light drizzle, the set-up and participants came with all the pomp and circumstance one would expect at a smarty-pants school. The commencement speaker was the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr. Steven Chu, who did a nice job recounting our current environmental problems and how every graduate there was expected to fix them by the year 2030. Since there's no rush, I don't think the apocalyptic end of the world seemed as much a concern. Gee whiz, they're graduating from CalTech - let them go make money and THEN save the world.

My dad wasn't too fond of the speech, labeling it quite political for a day of regalia and pats on the back, but it's no secret he's not a fan of the current administration, so I just smiled and took the pictures.

Ted's parents were enraptured until the rain started falling, and then they took Tess and ordered me to different parts of the lawn to get pictures.

I was just so thrilled to get this picture, and relatively close enough so you can see. The names are called rather quickly, and the hooding happens in an instant, so without one of those fancy cameras where you can just rattle off 20 pictures in 3 seconds, I would have missed the moment. Technically, this is when he became a Doctor and began demands that I address him only as such, though he allows me to tone it down a bit by calling him Dr. LoverPants.

Ted's parents, brother, sister-in-law, and niece came from Utah to spend the weekend with us. And as in 60% of our photos, Ted's eyes are half-closed.

My parents and I were there, of course, and Tessa is wondering why daddy looks so weird.

That robe and cap will accompany us wherever we go now, joined by another in a few years. I wonder which one will look better...

Ted's younger brother, Peter, is starting medical school in Texas the same time Ted is starting law school in North Carolina. I'm so glad they're going through the same student loan woes we are at the same time, because it gives us people to complain with. Some of that complaining has already begun. Thanks, Kathleen! These two cousins got dressed together that morning and decided to wear the same thing. They're so twinny!

Had to throw this one in of Ted's greatest accomplishments. I have it on good authority that the one on the right was a lot more fun to get.

And on to the good stuff. DESSERT! Lunch afterwards was a fancy and delicious affair. You guys know my fetish with sweets. Had to do it.

And for posterity, Tessa used to have a smaller head and keep a pacifier in her mouth. This was only two months ago, but she sure has changed since then.

And my favorite, the first job of a newly crowned PhD.