Taking a moment to brag: YaYu graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors.
And then there were four . . . college graduates, that is! What a great day we had yesterday, even though it rained all day. The graduation ceremony was lovely, and afterwards we enjoyed tea sandwiches and cookies back at YaYu’s dorm along with her friends/roommates and their parents. With YaYu’s commencement, all four of our children are now college graduates and have officially flown out of our nest. We are so very proud of ALL of them.
Meiling and WenYu arrived in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon and we spent a fun evening with YaYu beginning with a celebratory dinner at the White Dog Cafe (which serves local, sustainable foods) and then went for some house-made ice cream from a nearby shop – the available flavors were creative and incredibly tasty. Afterwards we walked over to a combination Japanese restaurant and small grocery store and found prices lower than what we paid in Kaua’i! Brett got me another reusable shopping bag for my birthday, this one with a Japan theme (the bags are turning into my favorite souvenir – they’re low cost and very useful). We dropped YaYu back at her dorm with a box of Covid self-tests, and she texted us back shortly with a picture of her negative test: she had cleared the virus in time for graduation!
We enjoyed a fabulous celebration meal on Friday with some very yummy food followed by artisanal ice cream, and a small birthday gift for me – a lovely evening! (we were not actually seated in a parking lot at dinner)
The day after our arrival in Pennsylvania Brett and I headed over to Whole Foods, the closest market to our hotel, to pick up food for the week. We have been committed to eating as many meals as possible in our room, so we shopped with that in mind. We were stunned when our bill for a cart full of food came to a full $65 (and some change) less than expected, at Whole Foods of all places, but I guess our brains were still figuring everything according to what it would cost on Kaua’i. We took YaYu out for pizza on Thursday, celebrated YaYu’s graduation and my birthday at our dinner on Friday but otherwise we’ve eaten in our room. I sure hope food prices in Nashville are similar to those we’ve experienced here – so very much lower than what we’re accustomed to.
This morning I am thinking about:
- What we accomplished: 1) Getting to Philadelphia from Hawaii was THE major accomplishment, but we survived (even though we continue are still suffering a bit from jet lag). 2) On Thursday we took YaYu to IKEA to find a bed for her new living quarters, and on Friday we picked up Meiling and WenYu and have been having a grand time together. Meiling left early this morning; WenYu is heading to NYC later this afternoon for a short reunion there with Wellesley and Portland friends. 3) Brett got our admission forms completed for our entry into Canada, including proof of vaccination and other information. We are ready to go!
- Good things that happened: We have had a wonderful time with the girls, and YaYu’s graduation was great from start to finish.
- Ways we saved: 1) We have somehow miraculously stayed close to our budget for our time in Pennsylvania. Our car rental is paid in full, our hotel is paid in full (and we were not charged extra to have Meiling and WenYu stay with us in our room), and we did not go crazy on our food spending. I hope Nashville is as affordable as Philadelphia has been (compared to Hawaii). 2) I was able to chose another billing plan for my new direct loan and my monthly payment will now be one-third less than what I’ve been paying for the past 22+ years, and I will save nearly $14K in interest over what I would have with the old loan.
- What we’re looking forward to: This time next week we’ll be in Mexico! I’m actually looking forward to our flights as I had forgotten we’ll be in business class this time. We booked a direct shuttle service to San Miguel de Allende from the Mexico City airport, recommended by our Airbnb host, when Brett received a very unexpected refund from the dentist he saw three years ago in Portland. The amount of the refund exactly covers the cost of the shuttle, and it will deliver us directly to the door of our apartment in SMA.
We head back to Baltimore early tomorrow morning (using toll roads this time!) to turn in our rental car and head first to Toronto. We’ll spend the night there and then catch an early morning flight down to Mexico City. We’re looking forward to getting together with long-time reader Natalie in Toronto at our hotel tomorrow evening. It’s hard for us to believe that we left Kaua’i a week ago tomorrow, but even harder to accept sometimes that we’re not going back after this trip is over. Our time so far on the mainland has almost seemed at times like we’re visiting a foreign country because it’s so different in so many ways, from prices to traffic to the weather to the stores and shops available. We’re a bit sad we were not able to visit either Gettysburg or Valley Forge, but there wasn’t enough time and we were honestly much too tired to do any sightseeing. Those visits will be a good excuse to return to Pennsylvania in the future.
We’ve had a great, busy, but tiring week in Philadelphia but wouldn’t have had it any other way (other than that horrid trip up from Baltimore). We’re looking forward to the week coming up, with hopefully a more relaxing travel experience than the one last week, and starting our long stay in San Miguel de Allende. Wishing all a very good week filled with lots of good things!
The Occasional Nomads 
Such a huge congratulations to YaYu! What an impressive accomplishment. And, so very happy for you for the time with your girls. Enjoy all of the moments together.
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We had such a good time together this weekend. The graduation was something special, an achievement and accomplishment for YaYu, and such gratification for us to see four kids through.
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Congratulations to your daughter!!!! So so happy it has turned out to be a great week!
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We have had a great time here and enjoyed spending time with all three girls. YaYu’s graduation was the icing on the cake!
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Huge congrats to YaYu! Your “kids” would make any parent proud…good job, parents! 😊
I have to believe pricing anywhere on the mainland will be better than Hawaii based on our experiences there when vacationing. As a side note, we are getting a Whole Foods this year and I’m excited. I obviously won’t do all my shopping there ($$$) but they have a few things I can’t find anywhere else around here, so it will be a nice wandering adventure.
So glad you had a wonderful visit and graduation went well. Safe travels!
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We are so proud of our kids. Each is so unique and has different interests and strength and yet they share a common core of achievement and accomplishment. Loved seeing our youngest graduate – she deserves every accolade!
Whole Foods here was a pleasant surprise – I am looking forward to checking out the one near to us in Nashville. Like you say, it won’t be a regular stop, but they do carry some items I know we won’t be able to find elsewhere.
On to Mexico tomorrow!
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Congratulations to YaYu and your proud family! What a special time for you all. I hope you have a beautiful Sunday and smooth travel day on Monday. I’m sending you an e-mail shortly.
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It was really something seeing the youngest graduate, and Brett and I have spent a good deal of time today reminiscing about the girls’ arrivals into our family and their growing into the beautiful young women they are today.
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They certainly are beautiful young women! I think you’ve mentioned bits and pieces of the stories about your girls’ arrival- do you have links to those posts?
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Thanks Jenny! No links to the girls’ arrival stories. Each was very different with the only common factor being they were ours from the moment they were placed in our arms.
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What a great update to read this morning. Congratulations to YaYu. What an accomplishment!!!
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We had a great time yesterday – her graduation was a true accomplishment. We’ve always said there is nothing she can’t accomplish when she sets her mind to it, and her college career was no exception,
Other than everyone speaks English, we feel like we’re visiting a foreign country! The only place that has felt like “home” is the area around the college – very bucolic.
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Congratulations to YaYu on her graduation and congratulations to you and your husband for such a huge accomplishment supporting four kids through college. You should be very proud on a job well done.
Have a wonderful time transitioning to your next travels after your time on Kaua’i. Aloha!
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All the accolades really need to go to our kids – we set the expectation but they did everything needed to succeed, from high school, choosing the right school, scholarships and financial aid, and their college careers. We are so proud of all of them. It’s taken 22 years to see it through, but they all finished and have set their own paths for the future.
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Congratulations to YaYu!!! It’s wonderful Meiling and WenYu were there as well! My nephew graduated from college last year and there was no ceremony due to COVID and it was VERY disappointing, so I’m glad things are more normal now and YaYu was able to experience that. I live a little over an hour from there and was thinking it wasn’t the best weather for a graduation, but at least it wasn’t heavy downpours (I hope–we just had on an off light rain all day here).
NJ banned plastic bags a couple of weeks ago, but I was ready because I have so many reusable bags from when I went shopping in Hawaii! I get compliments on them because they all have Hawaiian themes. I always would get ‘sticker shock’ when I’d go to Hawaii due to how expensive everything is, so I understand how you’d feel things are so much cheaper here.
I’m sure you’ll be able to visit Valley Forge and Gettysburg another time once you move to Nashville. Have a good trip to Mexico City. Looking forward to reading all about it!
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The graduation made for a great little family reunion. I thought WenYu might feel badly because her graduation was cancelled, but she said no, that was all water under the bridge now.
The bags are my favorite souvenir, and are great memories of our time in Hawaii and our continuing journey. None has cost more than $6 and they will last for ages.
We missed Valley Forge and Gettysburg, but we were able to visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall today! Had not expected to be able to do that, but it worked out. Neither Brett nor I had ever seen them before.
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I’m so glad you got to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall!
My nephew wasn’t upset about not having a graduation ceremony. I don’t think guys care about that stuff, lol. I was more upset about it than he was. The college did end up having a ceremony last fall, but he had moved to CA by then and wasn’t interested in coming back for that.
Happy travels!
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Seeing the Liberty Bell was a sweet surprise – we went downtown to eat cheesesteak, and I casually asked YaYu if we were anywhere near the bell. She checked and it turned out we were just a 15-minute walk away. So, off we went! It was a great way to walk off those cheesesteaks – delicious but I’m sure worth a zillion calories!
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I haven’t looked, but is there a Trader Joe’s in Nashville? I hope so.
Yay for the accomplishments and family time!
Anon in Mass
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Yes, there’s a Trader Joe’s fairly near to where we’ll be living. I can’t say how much I’m looking forward to shopping there again. We’ll also have a Costco, Whole Foods, Aldi, and Publix market nearby as well so we’ll be well set.
I agree – yeah for YaYu’s accomplishments and family time. We had a GREAT weekend!
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Congratulations! Having 4 college grads is certainly an accomplishment! Looking forward to your future posts!!!
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Congratulations on 4 college graduates! Certainly an accomplishment! Looking forward to your future posts!!!
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It took 22 years to get them all through college but they did it. All the congratulations really go to our kids – we set the expectation, but they did the work to make it happen.
I hope to get at least one post in this week, and will definitely be back next Sunday.
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Congratulations and best wishes to YaYu on her graduation. And congratulations to you for supporting your four children through college. Beautiful family.
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Thank you, Carol. It was a happy weekend for us, and Brett and I each gave the other a thumb’s up for getting the four through college (although they did all the work). YaYu looks set for the future – she knows the path she wants to take and is doing all the right things to get to the end.
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Didn’t the Navy pay for your education?
Your girls (and you) are beautiful. Congratulations to all!
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Thanks!
I did qualify for the GI bill (original one) but used those credits for some very low level requirements and had to finance the rest of my education
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What a wonderful moment for you and Brett, and so many multiple layers of it!
I am in awe of how you and Brett are living your lives. It’s so tremendously inspiring. It continually makes me look around and give thought to what needs to be changed here in order to keep living our best lives.
What a lovely family you two created. 🙂
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Thank you, Tamara! Brett and I always enjoyed parenting. There were of course glitches and the work was hard, but the rewards have been magnificent. We’re having a blast now being responsible for “just us” but also looking forward to helping out our DIL and granddaughter in a few months.
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Congratulations!
I’m so happy for your family.
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Thank you, Helen. It was a happy experience for all of us.
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Congratulations to YaYu. Impressive! What subject is her doctorate?
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Thank you Vivian. She only just graduated with a B.A. in psychology. She does plan to go on for a Ph.D. in the future (neuro-psychology).
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I live a bit south of Nashville, and I think you will like grocery prices.
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Good news! But then again, prices will probably look good anywhere outside of Hawaii right now. Prices in Mexico are VERY low.
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Congrats to YaYu and you and Brett! So glad you got to spend time together.
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So happy (and satisfied) that this big parenting task is now complete. We had a wonderful weekend together and we are all now looking forward to Christmas when we’ll be together with all four of our children plus their partners, spouses, and children!
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