Mission Accomplished

Dad's officially retired. Mom is officially on leave for one year while she decides if she'll retire. Dad now has an honorary PhD to go with his earned D. Min (doctor of ministry degree), and the only two time winner of the Heisman Trophy stood, along with the faculty, the graduating class and the family in honor of my parents. The building that houses the Religion Department has been renamed in honor of my pops and the University announced that they are sponsoring a lecture series in practical theology* in his name.

Many, many people said many, many nice things about both parents while all of Dad's siblings and all of mom and dad's children and grandchildren listened. This will be the first time in 54 years that the Relgion Department does not include a member of my family (my maternal grandfather came to the university to teach in 1953, my dad in 1969).

Now, we look forward to returning to Maine; we want to watch the Sox score 6 runs in the bottom of the 9th rather than reading that they did it on my blackberry (we were in the heart of Indians country and Tribe Fever is rising quickly as the Indians keep winning); I want to weed the garden and plant annuals and watch the birds eating at the feeders.

The company sold on Friday, in the midst of the more important things we were doing. The official closing will be in the third quarter of this year. I'll wait to see what the sale brings, but I'm 90% sure that we'll not leave Maine for the sake of my job.
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*My dad is an Evangelical minister, ordained in the Brethren Church. I think that the focus of his ministry and his Christian Witness is best understood through the a couple of excerpts from the Citation for his Honorary Doctorate:

"....You are known as a professor who cares deeply about his students and has spent countless hours working with those students both in and out of the classroom...

....The relentless dedication has been recognized campus wide and in 2004, the Office of Student Affairs named one of its awards after you ...The (insert Dad's name here) Honor and Integrity Award is given to an individual who encourages others to strive for sound character, offers compassion and empathy and is a role model to students, faculty and staff.....

....In recognition of your tremendous service and dedication, your gentle and gracious heart, your steadfast commitment to this institution and to the betterment of humankind, I have the honor of presenting you to be admitted..."