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Team Smith Weekend! #BlackGirlMagic

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Team Smith Weekend was on point! 
Thank you a thousand times over to everyone who made it for part or all. And thanks to those who wished us well from afar :-) 

We were not kidding when we said we had been planning this for 4 years! It's been a huge motivator for me in pushing through school. Being able to celebrate and reconnect with folks was a heart-filled opportunity to also say thank you for your support and love and encouragement.

I had no clue I would have the honor of speaking at Black Graduation with friend Dr. Valle! Looking around at all of us graduates, I got a little teary, thinking that it wasn't too long ago none of us would have been allowed to even step foot on campus, much less take classes and earn a degree. 










Friday night was magical. The other Dr. Smith hooded me along with my committee chair Dr. Diane Barone. She could tell you stories about my breakdowns and cryfests! Talk about patience, the number of times she read my dissertation chapters can't be counted. 

I'm realizing in all of the excitement, I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked. But being in the moment, present and taking it all in, was way worth it :-) 

It has been years since Thai soup has graced our table and yay for Aunt Kitty coming through! If you think you don't like seafood, you ain't tried this soup!! 

It was incredible and being able to share it with colleagues and mentors and friends and family....magical. 







Saturday morning dawned a beautiful day for having breakfast with Ellie and Laura and the fam outside while the jump house was being set up. By the time lunch rolled around, tons of kids were giggling and jumping while new friends met old friends and food and drink flowed. Ordering in lunch and having it delivered was a grand decision :-) 


Cue a little naptime and there we were getting ready to head to the BELIEVE sign downtown. Unbeknownst to us, a roller derby event was on break from 5:30-6! With a back up plan in hand, Tommie took a beautiful pic of our village. (And that one photo is being blown up on canvas at Costco as I type!)

We so appreciate people being flexible, laughing at the surprise event taking place where we were going to take a picture. No drama, just ok, let's do it here! 

We really appreciated Matt's fraternity brother Albert singing Ava Marie with Phillip on piano. Phillip is retiring this year so having him play again, almost 10 years later, is magical as well. And Albert's voice...there are not enough thank yous to express how much it meant to have him bless us with such beautiful music. 

And getting to re-marry my best friend :-) We are totally doing a vow renewal of some sort every 10 years. What a moment!! Reflecting on our family and having that time to focus in on why and how we love each other...plus there was no snow ;-) At the 20-year mark, we are going international folks, so get those passports ready! 

And sweet corn on the cob that cake! Sabrina out did herself. Almost as much as our friends at Brothers BBQ- we had so much food! We froze some of it and just finished the leftover pork yesterday.





Our afterparty started a bit late, but once started, how fun!! Magic shows make you fee like a kid again...magic shows with adult beverages are just awesome. Matt's favorite pinball machine on earth is also located at the Justin Impossibles shop, so you know he had a grand time!  #howdidhedothat?




Sunday was nice. There really wasn't a lot to clean up. So we got to hang at the beach and enjoy showing Laura Lake Tahoe. 







Oh- my Mom and Karl and Aunt Rene got into town early enough to enjoy picnic day at Cassidy's school too! They don't get to do things like that often, so it was a nice surprise for her too! 


It's funny. We didn't set out to have a theme for the weekend. But somehow, this idea of magic was woven into each piece. The freedom and joy to suspend reality, believing all things are possible. Funny that it was in the book of Matthew Jesus said, "With God, all things are possible".  The other Matthew in my life (Dr. Smith #1!) has always been pushing me, supporting me, and loving me so this weekend could be possible. 

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