Time To Relax

<~~~ That is the mojito I had today. mmm mmm good. I am not much of a drinker, but after the past two days I felt it was high time I cut loose. I endured a 13 hour shift at work on Friday and had to get up at the butt-crack of dawn to prepare for the festivities of the day. My soon to be college graduate daughter flew home for a few days and brought some friends along so we looked like we had the usual huge sleep over at our house. Love it when she brings friends home from school. They're always such fun people! Enough about that.... My in-laws were receiving a very special award today during graduation commencement for UNLV. They were awarded the Distinguished Nevadans of the Year award. Pretty snazzy stuff there. Anyway, my sweet, completely adorable niece was graduating from college today (YEAH MARIANNE!!!) and so it was most certainly a day of pomp and circumstance. There was a luncheon for the family before graduation and afterwards we were escorted to a private viewing "suite" in the Thomas & Mack center to feast on more beverages, more snacks and sit in relative comfort as opposed to the poor masses who were forced to endure stadium seating. (I feel so uppity) It was truly an honor to see my in-laws receive such an award. They're quite remarkable people.
Sooo...after watching something like 27 bazillion people walk across the stage we decided to go out and celebrate the greatness that is the Denton family at Gordon Biersch. I was a tad bit grumpy due to uncomfortable shoes and actually having to dress up for a change. (it's just soo not me) Sara was ordering a mojito and damn it, I think I'll surprise all of ya'll have have one too. I'm just so spontaneous at times I can barely stand it. It was quite refreshing, soo minty fresh and sweet, sooo intoxicating to this light weight.
We sat there for a few hours, reminising about fun times the cousins had when they were little, the cruise my sister-in-law and I want the entire clan to take together before our kids all have significant others , and how quickly the years have passed. It was definitely bittersweet. When we all get together, which isn't really as often as we should or could, I like to stand back and just watch...watch the cousins interact with one another, hear the stories they tell of "remember....?" listen to the countless laughs and see the genuine love they share between them. It fills my heart.
So now we're home. I was able to pry the cruel, most definitely made by Satan himself, shoes off my feet and return to my comfy jeans and a t-shirt. I'm tired and I think it's time to go throw myself in the bed.