Ken's PhD Convocation
  

Ken's PhD Convocation

Earlier this month, we took the girls out of school for something very special. We thought it was important for them to be able to be there at Ken's convocation where he would receive the PhD that he has worked so long and hard for!


I still find it difficult to put my thoughts and feelings about this accomplishment into words. This PhD was hard on us, particularly during the last few years of it. I'm so glad to be on this end of it and so proud of Ken for sticking to it and accomplishing this!




We drove into Toronto with Ken's parents who celebrated with us. Ken's mom snapped this shot of us in the car on the way:

#notsponsored although this would be a great product placement for Ritz ;) haha

 ...and this one of us in a courtyard on campus before the ceremony (it was one of the first really cold days of this Fall, hence the hoods and earmuffs!).


She also got this photo of the first time we saw Ken in his robes. The emotion of the enormity of the day and this accomplishment really hit me while he was getting his robes. I'm so proud of him!


Next we headed outside and I went into photographer mode, to get some special photos to document this graduation. 


We attended the convocations for our Bachelor degrees when Talia was a baby (check this post out to see how young we looked!) but we couldn't be at Ken's Masters convocation (when Katrina was a baby). We knew we had to be at the one for his PhD though- it was the most work of all of them, so I wanted to document it!


Here's Ken with his parents (before we figured out how to properly wear the collar- oops).


After photos, we said goodbye to Ken and went into the convocation hall to wait for the ceremony to begin. 


We had great seats and happened to be sitting right where the graduates would walk as they approached for their turns to receive their diplomas. Ken's mom caught this photo of Katrina giving Ken a hug on his way up. :)

For those of you who have been asking what he studied, Ken has a BSc in Biomedical Sciences, a Masters in Vision Science & Biology and a PhD in Medical Sciences.


As I mentioned in an Instagram post just after that day, student life has been wonderful in many ways, and so difficult in others. There is so much that we have learned (beyond medical sciences and cellular biology) from the experiences that came along with so many years of school.


I’m very proud of Ken and I think we both feel a mix of excitement and nervousness about “what’s next”. We don’t know what’s around the corner just yet, but one thing I’ve learned is the importance of striving to embrace the stage you’re in, while you’re in it. Ken’s convocation was a day to celebrate and to let the accomplishment set in. A year from now, I wonder what we’ll be looking back on- I can’t guess what’s to come in 2018!


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37 comments:

  1. Huge congratulations. That's such an accomplishment.

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  2. So much hard work to get your PhD, you must be so proud of him! You should be proud of yourself too, he couldn’t have done it without your help!

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  3. Wow! What a wonderful achievement! Congratulations!

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  4. oh my gosh that is absolutely amazing!! what an accomplishment! CONGRATULATIONS!! what a proud moment

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  5. Hooray! Congratulations to Ken and to you! So proud of him and happy for your whole family!!

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  6. Congratulations! That is a huge accomplishment :) Wow!

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  7. Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment! Love the photos...certainly a day to remember!

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  8. Awh, those family pics are beautiful. :)

    So happy for you all that you're all over this major hurdle! Congratulations to Ken and the whole fam for sticking through it. And, wishing you all the best for your future career endeavours.

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  9. Congratulations to You All!! :D All the Time and Sacrifice was worth it!! Good Luck in the Next Steps!! Way to Go to You All!! :D

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  10. Thanks for the post. So nice to hear your thoughts on it all. And I had that exact thought about the Ritz. lol! Congratulations, again!

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  11. You have a right to be proud of your husband getting his doctorate, it isn't easy by any means. I very nearly burst with pride when my daughter got hers. LOL You have some wonderful photos of the event, always good memories.

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  12. Congratulations!!! That is a huge accomplishment and requires so much from the whole family!

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  13. Congrats! That is an amazing achievement!

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  14. What an amazing accomplishment. I can tell you're one proud wife :)

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  15. Congratulations to him and to you for making family life work around his studying and schooling.

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  16. Well done, and congratulations. Having been the wife of a student, I get the highs and lows, but most importantly how proud we can be of our men.

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  17. With all of those different specialties in all different diplomas, it's not hard to see that he's very smart and it must have been really hard doing all that schooling with babies and then children in the house. So what kind of doctor does he want to be and good luck on getting the position he wants.

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    1. Thank you Debbie! Either a professor or perhaps to run a lab. He likes to do research in cellular biology but also has an interest in teaching.

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  18. I wish my pictures turned out as nice as yours always do!

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    1. Oh thank you Leslie! It has taken some time to learn, and I've invested in some different camera equipment. you could totally do it if you wanted!

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  19. Congratulations! It's wonderful that you, the girls and his parents could all be at the graduation. Wishing you all the best in the next phase of your lives.

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  20. Congratulations! It's wonderful that you, your girls, and his parents could all be at the graduation. Wishing you all the best in the next phase of your lives.

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  21. I know I'm a year late with my congratulations, but I just started following you. :) I have finished the coursework for my PhD & have passed the comprehensive exams, and I'm starting my dissertation in January. I can appreciate all of the hard work and emotions that go along with completing a PhD. Congratulations to all of you!

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    1. Thank you Melanie! It is quite the accomplishment- congratulations on your own progress in yours!

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Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment- I love reading them! :)
~Heather Lynne

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