You can call him MASTER TYLER!

Tyler has been working on his Masters of Public Administration for 3 years (Fall of 05) through the University of Nebraska at Omaha's distance learning program. The man has been amazing. Up until this last year, he got up at like 5 am M-F. I think one of those days he went to play basketball, but otherwise he did 2 + hours of schoolwork every morning! Very self-motivated. I couldn't have done it! All of his courses, lectures, tests, etc were online. It was a tough but good experience for him.

This last year has been tough. I've been pregnant, so I struggle to get up with the kids in the morning (I can't believe how exhausted this 3rd pregnancy keeps me!) and Tyler has let me sleep in. He's done a lot of his schoolwork from home, but with 2 early-rising kids, he hasn't always gotten everything done that he wants to. As a side note, it's also killed his basketballing. Poor T.

Well, the final step in becoming a true Master of Administerating the Public was to take a day-long exam. It had 3 questions and was HOURS long. He could either pass with distinction, pass, or fail. After the first 2 questions (which took 3 or 4 hours in the morning) he thought he could probably pass with distinction. After the last question (another 3 or 4 hours!) he just hoped to pass! The test was in June.

Jack made Daddy this congrats sign with only a little spelling help from me. (Good Job, I {heart} you Dad. MnMn) when he finished the test.

At the end of June we received the good news that he'd PASSED!!!

The official graduation at UNO was August 18th. We were not going to be in Nebraska on the 18th of August (Tyler thought it wasn't worth it to wear a cap and gown and walk across a stage). We decided to go to New Jersey instead.

So, sneaky me, I coordinated with Tyler's mom to put on our own graduation ceremony the night of the real graduation! We lured him out of the house with family pictures (it was with his sister taking the picts, so it was more alluring than it sounds!). His mom and younger sister pulled together a niece and nephew Kazoo band to perform "Pomp and Circumstance". There was a cap and gown (man, my Mother in Law has the BEST dress up/costume closet EVER), a mock diploma, cake, and sparklers!
Tyler was completely surprised and touched. One of the few times he's gotten misty-eyed in recent years.

He received his diploma in September. We received pictures from his party in October.

Thank you, family and Congratulations, Baby!