Graduation '07

Erin and I celebrated the completion of our first school year on June 2nd at Dublin School's graduation ceremony. We found it funny that the diplomas were awarded inside a giant tent on the school's quad that looked just like our wedding tent. :) It was a beautiful ceremony, and we were surprised at how many of the seniors we'll miss after such a short time together. We had a good graduation speaker who has worked with Oprah Winfrey and other notables; however, the three speeches given by seniors were some of the best I've ever heard in ten years. The ceremony was small and intimate and a great close to the year.

It's hard to believe how quickly the time has flown and how much we've accomplished since we arrived in a dusty Jeep just 10 months ago. This community has been so great to us and it's like we've been welcomed into an incredible and loving, sometimes wonderfully

eccentric, extended family. :)

So what does summer hold for the Boutons now that school is out until September? Here are some of the highlights:

• Erin has been hired by Dublin as a full-time history teacher for next year. She'll be teaching 10th grade World History and American Government.
• I've been promoted to History Department Chair for Dublin School. That means I'm Erin's boss next year. :)
• We are going to be moving in the next few weeks to Corner House into a 2-bedroom dorm apartment. The new place will have enough room for a huge study with built-in bookshelves for all of our history texts. One of the coolest things about our new place is the huge staircase that heads up to the dorm with a beautiful wooden banister. The apartment has incredible views of the campus on all sides, and we'll be right at the school's entrance. I really can't wait for Christmas now with all the decorating possibilities. We're already talking about where to put the tree. Pics will follow.
• Both Erin and I will be heading out to sea for a week-long cruise on a dual-masted schooner out of Boston. The cruise is part of a maritime history course that will give us real-world sailing experience to bring back into the classroom. I'm really excited about this trip because it will cap off my summer sailing job experience.
• I will be working 8 weeks at the Dublin Lake Club teaching sailing once they teach me how to do it. :) My fellow coaches tell me I'll be up and running in a matter of days, and I can't wait to be out on the lake getting paid to sail!
• Erin will be heading off to Oregon with her grandmother to visit some extended family for two weeks. She is so excited about seeing the Pacific coastline and spending time with her grandmother that she doesn't get to see very often.

We have plenty of other day trips and overnight plans for the summer, too, which we'll be posting on the blog as they happen.

Thank you so much for keeping up with our little adventures. We appreciate you* taking the time to read our ramblings!

*My brotherjoked that we're up to maybe two or three readers now! :)