It's almost June, which means graduation season is in full swing. I remember both of my graduations -- from high school, and later from college -- like they were yesterday, and yet so much life has happened since. They are sort of the definition of "one door closing, and another one opening," as Hallmark as that sounds. Graduation means saying goodbye to a certain way of life, a certain routine, certain people, friends, teachers, mentors. It's an event dedicated to celebrating achievements, and they mark the beginning of a new chapter.

If I were to give some advice to a new graduate, here's what I'd say.

Dear Graduate,

Congratulations! You did it. You worked hard, you worked late. You worked doubles, and -- let's be honest -- sometimes you didn't work at all. There were tests you didn't want to take and moments you were sure you'd give up. There were highs -- a well-deserved grade, an eye-opening experience, those nights with your friends -- and there were lows when defeat was so close and so tempting you could taste it. Giving up, or giving in, would have felt easier on so. many. occasions. But you knew the feeling wouldn't last, so you pushed through and now you're here, at the finish line.

Now what? Besides celebrating with the people who have supported you all along the way, where does one go once they cross the finish line? Whether you have an internship or a job lined up, are going to be continuing your education, or have no idea what your next move will be, I have a few pieces of advice from my own lessons learned:

1. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. When you're not sure what to do next, just take a single step. This is also true when your to-do list, or life in general, seems overwhelming. Things don't always have to be achieved overnight or in leaps and bounds. Just put one foot in front of the other. As our Disney friend Dory would say, just keep swimming.

2. Nobody knows what they're doing. It's true! I think this is one of the best kept secrets of adulthood -- most of us are just making it up as we go along. ;) Fake it 'til you make it, right? A college professor of mine once told me that and it stuck with me, and it's never proved so true as in motherhood. As a child, you look at adults and think they know it all, but the truth is -- we don't, and we're learning day by day just like everyone else.

3. Work hard and be kind. If you can master both of those things, you will be successful in whatever you choose to do. Most importantly, always choose to be a good human over being a powerful one. You can climb your way to the top, if that's what you want, more quickly by lifting others up as you go. I promise.

4. Always be honest. You're going to mess up. Mistakes are inevitable. It might seem tempting to try to cover them up or even lie when under fire, but as the old saying goes, honesty is always the best policy. If you can always be honest, you'll never have anything to feel guilty about, even if you do make a mistake. Admit the mistake, apologize, take a lesson from it and move on. That will say more to your employer (and in your personal life) than anything else.

5. Don't forget where you came from. Life's journey will inevitably take you out of your comfort zone and, most likely, out of your hometown. That's a good thing, but it will serve you well if you always keep a little bit of where you came from tucked inside your heart. It was the place, after all, that shaped you, where many of your memories were made, where most of your lessons were learned. It will make you and your story unique. And, when you can, go home. Visit your mom. Drive past some old stomping grounds. Look back fondly and look forward hopefully.

6. Life is just beginning. Someone I grew up with wrote that in my high school yearbook the spring we graduated. It was simple but profound then, and it still is. And it's true. Things can seem so BIG and all-important in the moment, but the world is wide and your adventure is truly just beginning. Just you wait.

So be kind, be true to yourself (even as you find out who that really is), be gracious, be grateful, stay curious, and remember that the best part of life -- even if it's at times one of the scariest parts -- is that every single day, anything can happen. Some of it is up to you, and some of it isn't, but make the best choices you can in the moment and then learn to ride the inevitable waves. It's an amazing ride.

What would you tell your younger self? What advice would you give those graduating from high school or college this year? And just for fun, Steve and me at our college graduation:

Long Weekend Adventures

It's completely acceptable to recap a weekend on a Wednesday, right?! I promise at some point soon I'll start blogging about something other than our weekends (how boring!), but life has been a little crazy and I haven't had as much time to sit down and write as I'd like. I have about a million meaningful blog posts in my drafts, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I thought I'd share a few highlights from our long weekend.

Friday was absolutely beautiful, so the girls and I spent a lot of time outside after school -- admiring flowers, swimming, playing in the playhouse. They kept coming over to me on the blanket next to their kiddie pool and dumping water on my legs until my shorts were completely soaked, so I figured what the hell, grabbed a bucket of water and started chasing them around the lawn splashing them. Their faces were priceless and their shrieking ear-piercing... I'm sure my neighbors thought the whole scene was entertaining! ;) After Steve got home from work that evening we took the girls for ice cream at a local shop where they got their usual: a scoop of strawberry with rainbow sprinkles. 

Saturday morning I was up before the rest of the crew and decided to take my coffee outside on the back patio. The sky was perfectly blue, the sun was shining but in that lazy morning way, and I sat with my feet up flipping through one of my cookbooks and meal planning for the week. It was such a peaceful start to the day! Not long after, Miss C found me (she said she peeked through the blinds and saw me!) and I took her breakfast outside so we could sit and chat before Steve and Hadley came down. Once they did, they joined us outside and the girls played in their pajamas for a while.

After nap time on Saturday, we headed to my friend's house about an hour away for a BBQ with my best friends from high school and from college -- it doesn't get better than that, does it? :) The kids had fun running around together and the adults had fun eating, ha! 

On Sunday I picked up our grocery order (have I mentioned that grocery pick-up is life changing?) and then we had a 1st birthday party at a local farm for the afternoon. The rain held out so we could enjoy cake and pick strawberries -- the birthday girl was too cute! Sunday evening Steve had dinner plans with friends, so the girls and I did dinner and bedtime solo.

On Memorial Day, my in-laws came over in the afternoon and stayed for dinner so the littles got plenty of playing time in. My MIL & FIL always get me fresh flowers to plant as my Mother's Day gift and they have the best green thumbs, so they planted one of my large planters for me. It looks so nice in the back garden, and my goal is to keep it that way! ;) I ran to Kohls and Target but other than that it was a pretty low-key day. 

I know MDW is the unofficial kickoff to summer, and in that way it certainly feels celebratory and happy. But I also know the true meaning of Memorial Day is remembering those who have sacrificed everything so we may be free. That certainly wasn't forgotten on this day of remembrance and I extend my thanks and admiration to their families and everyone who serves.