Speaking of Spokane - #1

My finals are over - offering me a one week respite between Spring & Mini-Term, which rolls directly into the first term, & then... el fin. I know the relief that I feel with the end of my undergraduate career firmly in sight. I can only imagine the oliphaunt that has been removed from brother Moe's back upon his completion of 3 years of some of the most intense academic labors known to humanity: law school. Way to go Moe!

As you know, last weekend was the celebration of Moe's accomplishment, & I got to go to Spokane to celebrate with him & some friends/family.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SPOKANE

hanging out with brothers & friends in the backyard w/brats & a brew

getting to see the house where Moe & Jen have lived for the last 3 years - & how they've transformed it from a "fixer-upper" to a home - how they did this while still doing school & being married simultaneously is a source of wonder

walking through the downtown area - great architecture & some cool sights - Reno could take a lesson from downtown Spokane

visiting Gonzaga - nice campus, cool brick buildings, requisite student bookstore to buy GU bling & merch, etc. - But in the law school library, they have stacks & stacks of books/bookshelves known as "the stacks." You can turn a handle & actually accordion the stacks apart & together. Much joy was found by attempting to trap each other between the stacks. Note: an alarm sounds if a person is in the stacks. Note #2: my mom tried to squish me between the stacks, albeit unknowingly. I think. :)

seeing my brother, w/his flowing mane & dressed to the 9's, dudded up in his cap & gown, cross the stage when they called his name. Imagine that. I flashed back to the times before he was called Moe. I was transported to a living room on Upson Lane, where he was a <2 year old that had somehow acquired the nickname Goonit McWill, the little Whosit (from the Martin/Lewis movie 'The Stooge' I believe.) He hadn't yet grown into his ears, & was quite the precious sight to behold. My brother Johnny & I didn't quite know what to make of our little brother, as I was only about 8 & Johnny was about 5 - but we knew that we loved this little guy & we would spend all kinds of time playing hide & seek - GMcW's favorite hiding spot was under the desk, behind the chair; he was probably the only one of us that could fit back there. We'd pretend we didn't know where he was, & then he'd come crawling out & try & run for home base - we'd sweep in & turn it into a pro wrestling gala. Good times. I love being a big brother.

seeing Moe sweep his wife of 3 years into his arms after graduation for a hug - knowing only a handful of the pain, toil, hard work, & joy that was crystallized in this short embrace - he who finds a wife finds a good thing & receives favor from God. Yes.

going to Baccalaureate Mass on Friday night & listening to Benj sing along in his special falsetto with the cantor with the castrato-voce. I almost rolled on the floor listening to Benny hit the high notes, which I couldn't even begin to approach.

Another highlight was figuring out that the cantor would raise his arm, like making 1/2 of the letter 'Y', when it was time for us to sing, vs. him going solo. To think that I wondered why no one else was singing. Der. I hate not knowing what is going on.

Highlights - to be continued...