UNR Graduation

After all of the fun and excitement of convocation on Dec. 4, I wasn't very excited about attending UNR's graduation at 8am. :) However, I'm *so* glad I did. Our entire nursing class didn't come, but a lot of us did. It was so relaxed and we were just able to sit and enjoy ourselves and chat while everyone walked. We cheered our hearts out for our fellow nursing students. It was also a nice surprise to know I was graduating with distinction. haha. We were looking through the program and couldn't figure out what the stars by our names meant, but it was cool to find out that it meant 'with distinction.'

Where's Waldo, err, the nursing students? See if you can find us with the red crosses... Getting ready to walk!
Fake Diploma Received! ;)
Our nursing instructors congratulated us. Hard to make out what it really is.
Wes got this great shot of Michelle and I from way up in the stands. :D
Hanging out after we walked. From L to R. Amberly, Briana, Me, Michelle, Melissa, Aspen, AlyssaAwesome ladies. I love these girls: Amberly, Briana, Me, Michelle. The Future!! Liam recently told me he wants to be a doctor that helps babies. How cute is that? Maybe he'll be a UNR Medical School graduate. ;)
Pictures following the ceremony:
Mom and Me
With my Uncle and the girlsWith Wes's parentsWith dadI had to stop and see sweet Peyton following graduation. How sweet is he?
I'm almost finished posting graduation photos. :) One more post to follow...

The Celebration

After convocation we had a great big birthday/graduation party at our new home. It was so wonderful to have everyone come and celebrate with us. I'm so thankful to all who came. We have such wonderful family and friends! It was so fun to have everyone see our new home and especially fun because it was decorated up for Christmas(thanks mom, for helping me get it all ready!!)

Two of my favorite people, Scott and LaResa (can you find our Christmas elf?):
The kids enjoying the grub from BJ's Brewhouse.
My lifelong friend, Tina.
Lighting the birthday cupcakes(seriously delicious from Batch Cupcakery) and Scott looking a little possessed or excited. One of the two.
Liam helping his mommy out.
Liam enjoying his cupcake with his 'lemon m's"
Papa and Izzy
This is the gorgeous quilt my sister made me for graduation. I was so shocked. It will look beautifully in our new home. I can't wait to find the perfect spot. Now that I have some time, more decorating will occur and more photos of our home will be posted!! The quilt has "Wherever You Go, Go With Your Heart" with my name and graduation date embroidered on it.
Three Orvis Grads! My Aunt Pam, me and Mom. I was done with fancy clothes at this point...
Thank you to everyone for making my convocation sooo special. It really was one of the best days ever. Graduation ceremony post to follow...

Convocation

It's hard to believe the day of convocation finally came! Convocation is the nursing school's pinning ceremony that was held the night (my birthday! what a gift, right?) before graduation. It's a lot more intimate because it is only Orvis and not the entire University and each graduate gets to write a little talk that is read while they are being pinned. Before the ceremony they played a little slide show of some of our moments. My Aunt Linda caught one of our teaching moments during the summer at the Boys and Girls Club up on the slide show.
I was so thrilled that I got to get a photo before the ceremony with one of the neatest and most inspiring women I've ever met. Dr. Kate Sheppard was my clinical instructor this summer and she's definitely someone I'll never forget and hope to stay in contact with.
Here I am walking into the ceremony. For some reason I was *so* nervous!
My pinners were my mom and Wes. Wes was able to bring up Liam which I was sooo happy about. Here is what was read while I was being pinned(this is the copy of the card we had to fill out):

Name: Holly Stephenson

Pinned by: Wes Stephenson (husband) & Kathy Fawcett (mom)

Statement: I can’t believe this day has finally come. I am thrilled to finally call myself a nurse. I need to thank my wonderful husband, Wes, and son, Liam, who kept my head high and loved me throughout the happy and not-so-happy moments of nursing school, my dear parents for supporting me and loving me and listening to me, my sweet grandparents for watching Liam at a moment’s notice, and my extended family and friends that understood when I had to study and helped me through many acts of kindness. Thank you to the wonderful teachers and classmates who have inspired me to become a great nurse.

Future Plans: I will start in January working as a nurse and office manager for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates. My long term goals are to work in a birthing center and eventually become a Certified Nurse Midwife.

All of us up on stage:
Wes did a great job pinning me. :) He didn't poke me or anything. ;)

Here are more photos, more for my sake than anyone else's, of some of the best people who became some wonderful, lifelong friends throughout nursing school.

First, my friend, Michelle. She's awesome and I'm so grateful to have had her to go through school with. Here we are together with her soon-to-be baby boy, Luke. :)


Mommy and LiamHappy, Happy Day! No more homework!
Our little family:
My wonderful grandparents:
My amazing parents:
Our little family again:
With my great in-laws:
My Aunt Linda and her granddaughter, Luci, came all the way from Minnesota! What a treat!
My mom and I-- two generations of Orvis Alumni:
My friend, Danelle. She's such an awesome girl and we were able to support eachother and survive Level I clinical together. :D
Darren was my summer clinical partner. We had such awesome patients and had so much fun doing our projects and Boys and Girls teaching stuff together.
And Bri, who I also got to know well during clinical in the summer. We had some CRAZY home visit experiences and were able to laugh our way through them. Everyone seems to think we should be twins since we have similar hair and are both 5'11.
More to come later for the after-convocation party and official UNR graduation!

True Christmas Spirit

Our prayer is that all may have the true Spirit of Christmas through the Savior's divine example of giving. Our love goes out to all of you, our dear family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

Welcome, Peyton!

My sister had her baby boy, Peyton Webber Cannon, on December 1, 2009. I was going to go to take pictures right after the birth and was shocked to get a call from my mom at 3:30 in the morning on December 1, 2009 saying Heather was at 8cm! I rushed down to the hospital and made it to take some picture of the cutie right after birth. He weighed 7lb 14oz and was 19(?) inches long. Here are some of the photos:

This is a FRESH baby. His face did bruise a bit, but it was amazing how fast it went away.
I really love this one of them meeting Peyton.
My mom was the birth coach. :) She did a great job, obviously, since Heather was able to have the birth she wanted.
Pardon the look, it was 4:30 in the morning.
Liam got to meet Peyton when he came home from the hospital. All he could do was giggle. It was the cutest thing. He REALLY loves him.
The cousins:
Uncle Wessy.

How sweet is this baby boy?!?! I can't get enough of him.I'm so happy for my sister and her family. He's such a sweet, sweet baby. What a Christmas present, huh?!