Monday, May 06, 2013

Ivy Ceremony and Commencement Banquet

The day before graduation, LeTourneau University has two significant ceremonies to honor the senior class. In the afternoon is the cutting of the ivy.
In a reflective procession, LeTourneau graduating seniors are led by the President to a single entwined chain of ivy lying in a circle on the grass at a designated spot on campus. This is ivy that they planted as incoming freshmen. The graduates form a circle around the ivy, representing the unity they have experienced during their University years. After the circle has been formed, the actual cutting begins. The President of the University moves around the circle, silently clipping apart the ivy chain. Each student their section of the chain. Married couples retain a shared length of ivy since they will continue through life together. After the ceremony, each graduate is provided a potted ivy sprig as a memento of this special occasion. They planted themselves here four years ago and the ivy is given to them signifying that they are taking their first steps that will lead them from their alma mater to every corner of the world where they have the opportunity to continue to grow and bear fruit. This is a ceremony without words. It is done in complete silence other than a brief "Congratulations" that the President offers to each student.





Memorial grave markers honoring R.G. and Evelyn LeTourneau, founders of the University. Mr. LeTourneau is known as the man who gave 90 percent of his income to Christian causes around the world.

We attended a beautiful commencement banquet in the evening to honor the senior class.


Tyler was honored at the banquet for his high academic achievement. He graduated Cum Laude ("with honor"). Way to go, Ty!

Friday, May 03, 2013

Texas Bound

Leaving Colorado Springs......and snow.



Houston

Flying into Tyler, TX, and green!

Great evening with Tyler, Jennifer, and Ben. Ben is a BFA grad who is a flight major at LeTourneau.



Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Birthday dinner with Birthday buds

Tim and Chad, a long-time friend, share the same birth date. We had a great time celebrating together tonight with Chad, Nicole and little Elle.


HaPpY BiRtHdAy!

Happy Birthday to the love of my life and to the youngest looking 55 year old on the planet!




Monday, April 29, 2013

Moonset

Up early in the morning and watching the moon set out our window.






Saturday, April 27, 2013

Bogota Two

A few pictures from today with Tim's comments.........
"I liked this guy's clarinet playing. Very smooth and calming."


An old Catholic church. Mass is about to begin.

 "Who are these amazing musicians? I want their autograph!" (Click on link underneath photo to hear them)


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CASqHU25Amc

"Interesting old building converted to a restaurant."

Tim - "A booth at a local market. Notice the very old glasses. Weird! Who would buy those?"
Sandee - I like the keys!


"This old guy with the mustache was so cool. Dude can sing the blues!"





Fruit on the left is called pitahaya......"really amazing - like candy!"



Today's sketch. Will work on it some more on the plane ride home.



Sights and Sounds of Bogota

Tim is in Bogota, Columbia, checking out the site of his next big international educators conference in November. El Camino Academy will be hosting the event, so he is spending time with school administrators, working on conference plans and looking at different venues.
Here are a few images he's been capturing from his time there.




Tim says the traffic is crazy! People are only allowed to drive on certain days of the week depending on the last number of your license plate. Even numbers drive one day, odd numbers the next. To beat the system many people own more than one car! I read online that......"some of the busiest avenues are rutted with potholes and clogged with illegally parked cars and impoverished recyclers who ply their trade in horse-drawn carts. As a result, traffic moves through the city “with all the elegance of snails"!


 


The school is adding a third floor. The staircase is ready for it!


Elementary school




Art class.


Good food (especially the beautifully carved watermelon!!).



Thursday, April 25, 2013

Full moon on Pikes Peak

Our mountain was glowing in the dark last night because of the full moon. Check out Orion over Pikes Peak!


Nice sunset, too!



Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Oh well.......

We got more snow today. Oh well, spring is out there somewhere! I went to Garden of the Gods; it was cold - hardly anybody there. Very quiet and peaceful, and I loved it. I think the deer did, too, even though they are used to people and are really quite tame.