Keep On Keeping On

And today concludes Class of '15's last day at the Abbey.

Yup. That's right.

Today was graduation.

My loves: Sophia, Olivia, Mike, Tiernan, Kai, Patrick, Dylan, Doug, Abar, Helen, Kevin, Yuefeng, Sally, Amy, Jeremy, Maggie, Juan, Victor, and Mary all graduated this morning.

Many tears were shed but (I must very frustratingly admit) not by me. I can't quite explain why. I don't think it's hit me yet.

Poor little Emma was sniffling along all afternoon and Claire's waterworks started once we took our pictures with Queen Soph.

Seeing my boys in suits and radiant smiles spread across their faces and seeing my girls in gleaming white dresses with equally radiant smiles brought me more pride than I will ever care to admit.

You did it, you really did it.

Fonts, Tom and Maeve tagged along as well, looking flawless as ever.

It hit me last week at our Pops Concert and it definitely will hit me later this week, so to whoever has to deal with me when it does (most likely Claire...sorry) good luck. You're gonna need it.

Now, to my parting friends:

Regardless of whether you read this or not, I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. My first two years at the Abbey sincerely wouldn't have been the same without every single one of you. You all brought something new and different to the table. Whether I only saw you once a day at dinner, or every second of the day in my various classes and activities, you all contributed to making me smile or making me laugh or giving a good hug. I struggle to find words to describe this sort of feeling because I know some of you are still on campus this very second and so it still doesn't feel like you're gone. But I know that within the next few hours, some of you will leave and some of you, I'll never see again. On the other hand, some of you will come back. And you'll come back with smiles almost as radiant as the ones I saw today. You'll come back proud and successful and beaming--grown versions of what you were today. I'd be lying if I said I'm not gonna miss you. Because as tough as times got for some of us, Lord knows I couldn't function without you. So I hope that you take the time to at least remember me when you're all off conquering the world.

To the Class of 2015:

Go get 'em. The world is yours.

Hasta la próxima,

Much love,

Maya