MONDAY – TUESDAY 5/18-19/15
Back to Beijing today! We pack up and leave the condo, driving to Dallas to pick-up Courtney. She’s going to drop us at the airport and keep the car. We’re on separate flights. I can’t remember now why? I think my flight was cheaper than the direct flight Judy is on. We get checked in and through security. Judy’s flight departs first, so we wait together at her gate. When she boards the plane, I move over to my gate. The DFW airport is easier to navigate than most of the airports we’ve been around.
The flight to Chicago is short by the standards I’ve gotten used to. Less than two hours. The transition to the departure gate in Chicago is easy. The flight leaves an hour late, but arrives in Beijing as scheduled. I made it quickly through immigration and arrived at baggage claim ahead of most of the crowd. An hour later I was still standing there, waiting on my luggage. When the last luggage dropped out and mine wasn’t around, I headed over to the baggage “issues” area. They checked the computers and my luggage was stashed in another place. I don’t know why it didn’t come out on the carousel, but at least I have my bags. The taxi line isn’t too bad, and traffic is light going into town. I arrived at the apartment at 10:30. It didn’t take me long to dump my bags and head to bed. It’s been a long day (or two days).
The time in the states was a little bittersweet. Mom’s broken leg is a tough “pill to swallow”. She has been doing really well, and beginning to settle in at the Baton Rouge “Haven”. She’s been working to lighten the load on Robert and Susan, and the rehab is going to do the opposite. She felt so bad as she was headed to surgery, knowing the road that lay ahead. When we get reports from Baton Rouge, she’s just now beginning to start the rehab process and her head is beginning to clear.
Courtney’s graduation activities were a blast! She had a fun party on Friday (15th), organized by her boss, attended by friends and colleagues from Lewisville and UTA. There were a lot of PhD’s. sitting around the table. We had a Knight family lunch gathering on Saturday (16th) at our condo. It’s fun to see everyone and have a chance to relax and enjoy family and good food.
Friday evening get-together at Grimaldi’s in Grapevine for Court and her friends/colleagues. Before the crowd arrives.
Knight family lunch on Saturday at Museum Place.
The graduation ceremony at UTA was efficient and seating was comfortable. I’ve never paid attention to the doctoral candidates and their “hooding” before. It was a great evening, watching the culmination of tons of work on Courtney’s part come to fruition. We’re so proud of everything she’s accomplished.
COURTNEY GRADUATION VIDEO:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ncfhd1bdugxn0d/15.5.16.Court.grad.m4v?dl=0
THE GRADUATE!!!!
With her professor
