Graduation Photos

June 01, 2025 by Adam in Emma

Emma and Francis took graduation photos around campus yesterday.  It's been cool watching the two of them hang out more at this similar time in their lives.  I feel sometimes I think about what's next for her on life's adventure, but I try to remind myself to appreciate and celebrate what's come before.  It's been cool watching Emma grow and learn over these last four years, growing comfortable working with others, confident she can accomplish complicated things.  I'm very proud of her.

Thesis Defended!

May 29, 2025 by Adam in Emma

Emma successfully defended her thesis today.  Jamie, Jo, mom and I all wandered down to Columbia Hall to meet Emma's thesis advisors and watch her presentation.  She did great and everyone involved got to ask questions.  Emma clearly learned so much doing this over the last couple years and it's been a great cornerstone to her college experience.

If she ends up living out at the farm she'll presumably continue this work, though probably with fewer PowerPoint slides.

Birthday Girl

May 28, 2024 by Adam in Emma

Emma had her birthday celebrations over the weekend, which started with crepes and ended with Sweet Life cake and Tasty Thai dinner.  She got quite the fun haul of gifts, a good mix of practical and whimsical.  Hopefully she feels well appreciated.

She also decided she wanted to try out being a Dungeon Master and invited a few of the regular players for a one-shot birthday themed game.  Emma went all-out with the ambiance, from serving tea to hand-drawn portraits.  I loved being a player too, keeping a silly voice consistent throughout the game and breaking out the ukulele for some fun bardic improvisation.

No Longer a Teenager

May 30, 2023 by Adam in Emma

Emma had her birthday over the weekend, a session of D&D with the family, followed by cake and presents.  It's been great watching her grow up and become a full and happy person.  We stopped by the library the next day and I suggested she press her face against the glass of the newly walled-off teen section since she's no longer allowed in there.

She got a watch, some overalls, the kind of shoes all her botany classmates wear, and a nice big backpack.  I think she's all ready to tromp off into the woods.

Winter Break

December 11, 2021 by Adam in Emma

Emma finished her first term at the U of O and is off for a few weeks.  She managed to pull off the highest score on her Honors Biology final, which we were all very proud of.  It was a hard class and she was the first to finish, bringing her grade up to an A.  She did well in her other classes, a B+ in chem lab and an A in calculus.  No word on art yet, but it's a likely A.

Done With Highschool

June 14, 2021 by Adam in Emma

Emma's done with high school.  She turns in her laptop today and even though she's not attending any of the graduation ceremonies, I made her put on her cap and gown and pose for a photoshoot.

I regularly tell Emma how proud I am of how she made it through high school, especially during a pandemic.  She's already doing all her college prep activities, looking through classes, and generally being responsible.  It's cool to watch it in action. 

Seventeen Again

May 29, 2021 by Adam in Emma

Emma decided that becoming an adult was a bit too much, so it's seventeen again for her.  She picked out a Sweet Life cake and we piled presents around her, followed by an evening of going through my old yearbooks to contrast my high school graduation with hers.

Emma made it through the pandemic relatively unscathed and she's ready to go to the U of O in the fall.  High school is essentially wrapped up with the last AP test, so she's trying to figure out what to do for the summer.  Hopefully it's the last weird one before a relatively normal fall.

Photoshoot!

April 25, 2021 by Adam in Emma

Emma and I had a photoshoot this morning, getting something ready for her senior picture.  The one in front of the azaleas was the best looking, but I was fond of the cabbage background myself.

Vaccinated

April 19, 2021 by Adam in Emma

I took Emma down to get her first COVID shot.  It was at the WOW Hall, which normally does a lot of concerts, so it was way cooler than Walgreens where I got mine.  The live band was nice, as were the bleachers and general ambiance.  They seemed more organized than Walgreens, with a timer for the 15 minute wait.  Mine was a chair in the store and it was up to us to leave after 15 minutes, or I guess gasp for air and stumble to the nearest employee.

Honorable Emma

December 29, 2020 by Adam in Emma

Emma was accepted to Clark Honors College at the U of O.  She was excited to be accepted and we looked over the curriculum to see what the required classes were and what the program entails.  Between that and her merit scholarship, I think she's feeling pretty good about all her hard work.  Hopefully it's a clear indication that not only do her parents think she's awesome, but others do as well.