Preference 2010

A few weeks ago Mckena filled a cooler full of ice and Mountain Dew attached a note on the side saying:

It would be "COOL" if you would "DEW" me the favor and go to Preference with me.

She asked Michael ( a boy she met at EFY last summer ) who goes to Northridge. He answered her back with a bag of Cuties and Ding Dongs with a note saying

Hey "CUTIE"~ I would be a "DING DONG" to not got the the dance with you ..... YES!

Well Thursday night, 2 nights before the dance, Michael called her and told her that his basketball team had just won their game, good news normally, but that meant they would have to play again on Saturday night, which meant....no preference dance! They already had altered the day date, because Mckena was performing at the girls State Game at halftime (which by the way Lady Titans, State Champs) so they decided to just start at 5:00. But now, that wasn't going to happen either. (note to Syracuse High.... no scheduling dances around state playoff time)

A bit teary and a lot disappointed, Mckena told me she was going to go take her dress back to "A Dress to Remember" where she had rented it. I convinced her to wait and see if we can't come up with another plan. She was in typical teenage mode~ mostly because of disappointment, but she was not interested in cooperating in any PLAN B's! She felt like asking any one this late seemed like "a back~up" plan... which it was, but never the less, she was not interested. That is until TJ suggested, his friend Matt.

Matt has spent lots of time at our house and is like a NICE, big brother to Kena. I encouraged her to ask him as well, after all.... she had her dress, her nails done, her new haircut, she had been tanning, her group together, dinner reservations, everything, and I knew she would be bummed out Sat night~ being home with mom and dad! She agreed!

So.. off to Walmart we went at 9:30 to buy some donuts. She went to his house, handed him the donuts, told him the story, and asked if he would be her date! He was a gentlemen, and said, "How could I pass up a date with you?"

So in the end, all worked out. They had a great time at dinner and at the dance!

And the best part of all, Mckena is realizing that it is paying off to have a big brother after all!

A day to remember or forget?

February 17th

Four years ago today~I watched Chelsea drive off to school, then bound through the door after school to head down to her room to turn on her music. We then heard her voice as she told us about her plans for the night. A few hours later, she left all bundled up and excited to go on her date, but didn't leave before saying, "I LOVE YOU MOM!" That moment is priceless for me, for it was the last time I would hear those words from her for a long time. Oh how I miss that girl of mine.

Each year I wonder what feelings this day will bring, and so far, each year has been the same. Thoughts flood my mind of the events of that day~ before and after. It is hard to recall the moments following the dreaded phone call , because from that moment on our lives forever changed.

But, we try to focus on some things we have learned.. like:

Heavenly Father's tender mercies were upon us.

Faith is a continual process

Chelsea is still very much a part of our daily lives

The Temple brings peace and joy more than anywhere else

We love you Chelsea, thank you for being such a beautiful daughter, and such a perfect example of trusting in God's will.

'Atta Girl

Shayla ended 2 semester with another 4.0! So so proud of her. She is the only Franklin child to ever get a 4.0 and she has done it 4 times in a row, and hopes to keep the streak going. We met with her counselor for SEOP and she told her at that pace... she can go to college on a scholarship!! Thank you little Shay bay from the bottom of our oh so small bank account :)

(her citizenship is pretty great too, all H's and 1 S)

"The" Headbands

Cute and crazy Sophomores!

All the Dance Line girls in their headbands. Don't they all look so cute in them?! They are showing off their matching socks too! Cute girls~ fun times!