My it's been a while. Rachel and I definitely have some updates in our lives!
Where to start.
Well, we have had an absolute banana-nut crazy past month. Our friends and family, along with us, have been all over South Dakota and MN attending various events.
On Good Friday, April 22nd, 2011, Clay graduated from the South Dakota Highway Patrol Training Academy. He showed up in Pierre, SD on Nov. 7th, 2010 for the intense training and graduated at an impressive ceremony at the State Capitol.
Marching into the Rotunda.
Reciting the SDHP Mission Statement.
Clay receiving congratulations from Lt. Gov. Matt Michels.
HP 83.
I was thankful to have many of my family in attendance. They traveled great distances from MN to be there!
The very next weekend, we had ANOTHER graduation!
After 6 years of going to school, Rachel earned her degree to become a Registered Nurse. (I once heard that I should never refer to them as simply a R.N. because they put too much time and energy into getting their Registered Nurse status to be simply referred to as a two-letter abbreviation!)
Rachel graduated from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD on Saturday, April 29th, 2011. She also had a Pinning Ceremony in which all of the nursing department graduates received their nursing pins and lamps.
Rachel's graduating class.
Rachel had a favorite instructor (also class favorite) who was retiring in May. They paid homage to her via their T-shirts and a reference to her hometown.
Rachel receiving her pin from good friend and Registered Nurse Marjo Soukup.
Rachel's Nursing Lamp.
Grandpa Buck and Grandma Edie made the trip from MN!
Itch and Danner became fast friends. Here they found a little free time to play fetch in the pond at Cabela's.
Rachel's Graduation Ceremony at the one-and-only Corn Palace.
Thumbs up!
Good food, good friends, good family, and good times at our house in Vermillion!
Since the graduations, we have had plenty to do. Rachel started her Practicum at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, SD. She has been adjusting to the life as a nurse.
Clay has been adjusting to his life as a Trooper, as well as not living out of a suitcase for the first time in 6 months!
Oh and of course, this couldn't be an update without filling in on Danner's life. He continues to live the life of royalty. He certainly enjoys to play fetch, and gets to play lots of it. He enjoys playing with the neighbor dog 'Dakota'. He also recently discovered tennis balls, which he found he can play with by himself...just get the ball rolling, chase it down like a mad-man, catch it....and repeat!
Danner Boy trying to cool down on a hot spring day in May.
We also had the chance to go hunting for Morel Mushrooms in early May with our neighbors, Tim and Michelle. We brought along Dakota and Danner, and of course they had a blast. We didn't find a lot of mushrooms, but it was a beautiful evening in the woods along the banks of the Mighty Missouri River!
The elusive Morel mushroom.
Buddies. Danner and Dakota.
Danner waits impatiently to make a retrieve in the Missouri.
Neighbor Tim spots a beauty of a Morel.
Rachel proves she can find the big mushrooms too!
Beautiful evening on the banks of the Missouri.
That about brings us up to speed. Rachel will be done with her practicum very shortly and Clay is continuing to settle in as a Trooper. We look forward to summer and our wedding in less than 100 days!
