Dr. Leininger!

The last few weeks have been a little crazy around here in our apartment because Tommy has been cramming and working frantically to finish his thesis. His defense was scheduled for this Tuesday, and he had to get a final draft ready for his committee to read at least a week beforehand. Once he finished that, he had to get the actual presentation for his defense ready. He felt pretty good about it and was just ready to be DONE with this project he's been working on for over a year now. He had his defense in the afternoon on Tuesday and he passed! (Obviously and unsurprisingly!)

It's developed into a tradition in his department for people to prank people's desks when they defend their thesis, so they come back to the office and find their desk completely changed. Tommy's officemates decorated his desk with trees and a Texas theme, since he'd told them we were sad about leaving the trees in North Carolina to go to Texas. 

Before Tommy actually did his defense, I sneaked into the office and brought balloons and a cake to add to the decoration of his office. I found one of his officemates and got her to help me hide them and she brought them out when he was finished. I wasn't able to actually be there for the defense (it was during Dane and Indie's naptime) but Dane and I came up as soon as Indie had gotten picked up in the afternoon. 

One of the previous pranks to a different student was that they replaced his desk with this child's play desk, and it's been sitting in the office for the last 1.5 years ever since. Dane found it and loved coloring on it. We might just take it home with us even though it is pink and purple--it's the perfect size for him and he loves having little chairs to sit on.

After we cleaned up Tommy's office a little, we went to get a celebratory dinner at Bullock's BBQ, just north of Duke campus in Durham. We'd never been there but it's always one of those NC BBQ places people list as one of the best and most authentic places you have to go to! Dane did really pretty well at the restaurant (he's not usually very good) and we really enjoyed our barbecue and sides. I have to confess--I finally, finally actually like hushpuppies. I hope that we can find some in Texas too.

AND, it's also a tradition for the advisor of the student to host a celebration get-together at a restaurant or bar for people in the program to congratulate the successful new PhD. Tommy's adviser, Alan, had another student defend her thesis the day after Tommy's, so Tommy and Maria had a joint celebration at Geer St. Gardens, a restaurant in north Durham. There were a ton of people there and we had a good time talking to everyone. 

Dane was BEYOND nice--he sat in the high chair and ate french fries for about an hour. His little friend Benjamin came and sat next to him, but they basically ignored each other except for trying to steal each other's food.

Tommy and his adviser, Alan Gelfand. I've only met him a few times, but he has been such a great adviser for Tommy--helpful in getting him to graduate on time and very understanding about Tommy taking time to spend with me and Dane when needed.

All in all, we are SO SO happy that it all went so well. It's unbelievable that Tommy is really and truly done. (He still has work to do to turn his thesis into several papers that he and his adviser are hoping to get published, but we know he will be able to graduate!) It has gone so well and we just need to get more realistic about the fact that we are moving so soon. I can't wrap my mind around it--but we are so close to being done!