Today is a very important day in our family as my son, Matthew, graduates from college this afternoon! Matthew is our eldest of four. He's an amazing young man. Super kind, warm to all, loved by all, smart as a tack, witty beyond belief, world-traveled, self-described "hippie", great role model for his 3 younger siblings… I could go on and on.

I have to be the proud, bragging Mom today and share that Matt is graduating from the University of Alabama (from their Honors College) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in two majors: English and History. He has been awarded the distinction of graduating Phi Beta Kappa (Thomas Jefferson was in this academic honor society too along with scores of US presidents and Supreme Court justices!), Honors with Thesis (he is one of very few who wrote a senior's thesis which was optional!) and Magna Cum Laude (Latin for "with great honor" due to his GPA). And he did it in 4 years which includes one semester spent in Europe which is typically play time. I know, I know, enough already, but this is my first child to graduate from college and I'm so proud today!

Matt returns home later this week after saying farewell to Alabama and his friends there and will start law school in August. He got into the California law school he really wanted to get into and will be only 30 minutes from home for the next 3 years. I am crazy-excited about that 🙂 Congratulations Matt – we love you!!!

Here's our Christmas photo from last December so you can see Matt and our family pride in his (and sister Kirsten's) university… Roll Tide!

MacKay Christmas 2009