#RVUGrad2017

Exactly one week ago was one of the most special days of my entire life. It's no doubt that I have basically been calling myself a "forever student" for years and years and now that era has officially ended with graduation from medical school! I am officially Dr. Holland and boy does it feel good. 

Graduation was held downtown at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and it was the perfect place for such a huge celebration. It was classy and beautiful and stood up to the pop and circumstance of the evening. The ceremony was just the right length (which I appreciate so much more knowing my two kiddos were watching upstairs) and the speakers said just the right things to welcome us into the profession of medicine. My #girltribe was all there and I'm in complete denial about us all splitting up after this as our graduation ceremony was really the last reason we'll all "have" to be together. My favorite part, by far, was that each graduate got to pick a hooder for the ceremony if we wanted and there was no question who would hood me, my handsome husband. I really couldn't have gotten to that stage without his help and encouragement and support over these four years and it was such a special moment for the two of us as he placed my doctorate hood over my head. 

#doctormomma

Our family was there to celebrate with us (and entertain our wild ones with videos, stair climbing and snacks!) and we all enjoyed a perfectly easy and absolutely delicious dinner at Cheesecake Factory after the ceremony ended. The new doctor in me definitely wanted to celebrate dinner with our biggest support system but the momma in me was nervous how dinner would go as we would without doubt crash into bedtime for the boys. But it's like they knew how special the day was because they were literally angels the whole time (unless Pat dropped his piece of bread) and I couldn't have been happier. 

I still look at these pictures and think about that day and my eyes well up with tears of gratefulness. Grateful to those who stood next to me through this journey, no one more so than J. Grateful for the best of friends a girl could ask for from this wild ride. And grateful to finally be, J Holland, DO!