Bracken Mannion, M.B.A.

After 5 long years, 2 kids, a mortgage, and a commercial real estate appraisal license, on 19 December 2008, Bracken finally graduated from Sacramento State University with an MBA in finance! When we moved here in 2004, we never imagined it would take so long, and there were many times along the journey when we both thought about him quitting, but overall, it's been a great journey. It won't change anything in the immediate future, but it's nice to know we have a safety net.

His graduation was held at Arco Arena where fortunately, the concession stand was open. That giant bag of popcorn certainly helped keep the girls occupied. They managed to keep it together pretty well for the first part of the ceremony. Fortunately, Bracken was on the front row of MBA candidates, so I was able to hear his name called and see him walk. I was amazed at how choked up I got. It was much more emotional than I expected it to be. I'm just so pround of him. After that, though, the girls were done. We spent the rest of the ceremony doing laps around the top level of the arena.

I did get one picture of the giant screen where you can kind of see Bracken. He is the second head from the left.
Here's the proud graduate after the ceremony. Doesn't he look smart and handsome?

Bracken and his parents.

Our special family. Why do the kids have to look so special in important pictures?

Daddy and his girls. And to think, he wanted to wait until he graduated to start our family. Good thing he changed his mind on that one.
We also took the opportunity of his graduation to make a little announcement to his family via his cap. I guess I should ammend the original sentence of this post. It took 2 1/3 kids to get him to graduation. Yup, we're cooking up number three.