W34 of Y6

Returning to (the new) normal

This week was the first week that we all felt like things were starting to normalize a little.

Whitney went to a birthday party that may have pushed the rules just a little

These girls really loved seeing each other again.  It was badly needed!

Class of 2020 Graduation 

The long discussed, debated, awaited graduation ceremony for the senior class barely took place on Saturday.  I say "barely" because all the way up to Friday, it almost got cancelled.  The school Principal called all the parents personally TWICE during the week with new dates/times.  The Italians were not happy with us for doing this but, in the end, decided to turn a blind eye to it.  Even though many restrictions have been lifted, and the malls and restaurants are once again crowded with people on top of each other, ceremonies of any kind are still restricted.  That means people are not able to get married or have funerals.  The Italians don't do graduation ceremonies so they really could not understand the importance of this ceremony.  However, our military leaders really felt strongly that the kids needed this ceremony for closure in order to start the next phase of their lives.  After the ceremony, I agree.

The ceremony was a little strange.  No one was allowed to have phones in the building.  Only 2 parents could attend with 1 graduate (at first it was only 1 parent).  Each family unit sat together (more than 6 feet away from the other families).  When they called your name, the graduate would walk up and take a diploma off the table and then stand in the center of the stage with the Principal and the General standing on each side behind them (6 feet away) and then they sat back down with their parents.  It was definitely a unique graduation ceremony!  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share of the event. 

This will give you an idea of where/how everyone was sitting

We went to a nice steak house for dinner afterwards to celebrate

Connor's first Florentine steak!