Again a late post yet super proud and couldn’t skip it! On August 4th Amanda, my little sister, officially graduated with a Masters degree from FIU!! I am normally a crazy photoholic but this graduation was just bad, I blame Mauricio for being an enabler and giving me the camera with good zoom. She’s worked her butt off and got to walk across that stage with very few that day with the same achievement. Watching her walk across and hearing her name be read a million thoughts ran through my head (aside from hating the guy that got in my perfect camera shot and almost made me fall down the bleachers to get another).

I can’t help remember that little girl that always ran around with my friends while we were doing our school projects. The little sibling that took forced pictures making faces at my graduations, school events, etc of us leaving the house before they actually meant anything to her. The one that took over our shared room when I moved away to college (before I even got out of the zip code). It just made me think that this real, for normal non-Miami families, life would be it. How many times our parents said they would fully support anything and everything we needed while we were full time students. That we kept living together at our parents home and said we wouldn’t move because life didn’t really start until after college. Now, technically, real life starts for her.

Although I don’t think we ever actually “finish” learning she’s done with formal school (for now). Very proud to say that the program she’s been working with at FIU while studying has offered her a full time job starting in fall under their grant program! For any of those out there looking for jobs, recent grads and working under grants you know how hard it is to get into these positions so hats off to her. For working her butt off for not just a Bachelors but a Masters too, hats off to her times two! I truly don’t say it enough so proud you!!

-V

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