I know it is cliche, but where in the world does the time go.? It isn’t just that it feels like yesterday that I visited Mackayla for a Clemson football game her freshman year, the same can be said of seeing her for the first time, now over two decades ago.
Mackayla reached a fantastic personal milestone in completing her Bachelors degree in Nursing at one of the very best public institutions in the country – Clemson University! The family pride and love for her and each other this weekend brought tears to our eyes – quite literally. We are all so fortunate to have each other to celebrate these special life events together.
Stacey and I met everyone in Greenville SC Wednesday for an afternoon walking around that quaint town. We strolled along the river, shopped and ate a nice lunch together. Of course, we posed for some silly selfies and some staged photos of the family together again. It was sunny and 70 here just a week before Christmas! 🎄
Sara and Dave hosted everyone in an amazing lakeside home with spectacular views and cozy digs. There was time to relax and laugh on the dock together before the O’Briens headed to a special pinning ceremony for Mackayla on Wednesday evening. We stayed behind with Mimi and Bapa and spent some time figuring out the TVs! It seems like every AirBnB is different – First World problems… I know! We figured it all out in time to watch Bapa’s National Champion UCONN Huskies beat Xavier in overtime to open their Big East Season! 🏀
We awoke to a thick fog that limited visibility, but failed to dampen our spirits on graduation day. The drive to campus for the 9 AM ceremony included multiple deer sightings as they looked for breakfast in the mist. Sara, Dave, and Abigail went early to save premier seats in the basketball stadium for all of us – thank you guys! Littlejohn Coliseum welcomed a crowd of enthusiastic families to celebrate great accomplishments by our next generation of future leaders. It literally started at exactly 9 AM, and I was thoroughly impressed by the wonderful efficiency of the ceremony. From my perspective, it went off flawlessly, and that is hard to do. We saw Mackayla walk in and cheered loudly for our favorite Clemson Tiger! 🐅 Her beautiful smile warmed our hearts as she crossed the stage to be recognized for the culmination of a rigorous academic journey that included wonderful life lessons along the way.
There were tears and hugs, and more tears, as we joined Mack outside on a gorgeous day to celebrate her together as a family and get some of those photos we already cherish. It was particularly moving to see her greeting her Dad and her Bapa for me. I wiped a few tears of my own after capturing memories on my phone.
We returned to our lakeside retreat to celebrate together with some delicious barbecue from Smokin Pig. There was a loaded baked potato casserole that clearly wouldn’t survive first contact, as we all realized when filling our plates. Obviously, the food was a complete treat, but it was the company we shared on this momentous day that we will all remember.
Gifts and cards were opened after lunch. As yarns were spun, I thought of a few Sara had shared with us about Mackayla’s time in clinicals at the hospital. Suffice it to say that the world will benefit from the deep, genuine, warm compassion of this young woman as she helps bring comfort and aid to those seeking her help as a nurse and as a friend. We were moved to tears again by the thoughtful words and gifts shared with Mackayla together as a family by the lake. The Angel of Healing presentation was special, way beyond words. ❤️
The house included a game room with ping pong and air hockey in the garage, so it was time for TJ to show off his mad skills. He went a little easy on Mack and Stacey at the ping pong table, but the same couldn’t be said when he faced me for air hockey. His youth and vision certainly trumped mine as he ruthlessly set me down with very little sympathy! I loved to see it!!
The afternoon stretched on, but it was time for resting and “reading” (sleeping). Mackayla and Cam went home while us residents dispersed to corners of the home for a necessary respite. 🛌 💤
Believe it or not, there was an abundance of food leftover from lunch that was easily heated for a second round at dinner. There wasn’t any more potato casserole of course, but none of us starved while heaping smoked pork and chicken on our plates. The large dining room table was a great place to test our skills at a few of the board games as well. Hedbanz was popular, and brought some pretty hilarious moments we won’t soon forget. The older folk like me were given some leeway with their hints while the young bucks did the most victory laps. A good time was had by all! Everyone agreed that Stacey’s clue was the hardest. I crown Abigail as the Champion, as she guessed her own clue correctly more than anyone else. Triple Peanut wins! 😍
Back in 2018, this same group, along with Emily, Ryan, and Melissa, gathered together to celebrate Christmas in New York City together. We had a blast taking over the hotel lobby for our gift exchange.
Of course, we were disappointed to be missing a few from that great group, but we still gathered together to exchange gifts on Friday morning. I think I speak for everyone when I say that the generosity and love we all feel during these events is truly heartwarming. We all count our blessings, thankful most for each other, and grateful for our time together as a family. Bapa even shared a few of his famous butterfly kisses with the newest Clemson Alum. It was an honor to again join this fantastic group of people to celebrate together.
Stacey and Sara grew up with a wonderful tradition of coloring a page in a coloring book every Christmas. That tradition was passed down to their children, and the pages colored over many decades can be found in the loving home of Mimi and Bapa on Hazel Avenue in Scituate. Mackayla continued that tradition on the shores of a different body of water here in 2024. Flipping through those coloring books is a fantastic way to enjoy the season and look back on the artistic and loving contributions of this great family.
Stacey and I were traveling home Friday afternoon, so family photos down on the dock were in order prior to our departure. We were again blessed with a spectacular day, and we took full advantage of the sunshine. I am often accused of taking too many pictures, and the accusation is probably fair. But in the end, it is these photos we will one day look back on with a smile in our eye, and maybe a lump in our throat.
As always, we took one final obligatory selfie. What a fantastic few days with a wonderful group of people. CONGRATULATIONS Mackayla! You are an INCREDIBLE person with a bright future.
I love you!🧡💜
