A quick catch up first. Cora is still doing well. She got to go on a road trip last week. She needed to take a sister to Poole (6 hour round trip) and then pick up another sister. She was very excited to get out and drive around. They got to cross the Prince of Wales bridge. It is 5km long and she said it was so neat. She has just over a month left. Yesterday they did a zoom zone conference with Elder Rashband. She has been able to FaceTime us and join us for church a couple times.
I am loving having Blake home from school during calving season. I love checking the cows with someone, but I don't like doing it on my own. He will go out multiple times a day as Dave is at work and has fixed fences and chased cows back in. The other day Dave and Blake were out feeding cows and doing the water, when they came back in Dave said he went to thank Blake for helping him with the chores and he realized that is has been a long time since Blake just helped with the chores. They are working side by side and together. Much more than helping. He is grown up and does it right along with Dave.
Now to Grad: Leah and Blake have finished seminary. Leah got 100% attendance and 100% on all her assesments. They very much enjoyed not doing early morning the last few months. As they worked on their test together they assured us that it was team work, not cheating.:)
Each year the Bio 30 teacher has the kids in her class paint a ceiling tile. Leah got volunteered in her class to be the one to paint it. She had to think of a design and get it approved. She had done all that and started on it when Covid hit. She was kind of sad about not getting to do it and one day decided to ask if she could go grab it. It then sat in our house for the next 2 months as she would pull it out and work on it. It worked out so good that she had decided to do each student as a germ or bacteria, she just added Covid right in and made everyone far away from it. I think it turned out awesome.
We picked up Leah's gown a few days early. She had asked me to sew pockets in it to hold snacks. Each student had to buy their cap and gown, so we figured we could do whatever we wanted as long as it looked the same as everyone else's. I did hidden pockets so you could not even tell. But when she pulled something out and her principle saw, she was not pleased. Haha Leah did not care.
Trying it on to see where pockets should go. Not much caring about this.
Leah started debating last May (while still in Grade 11) if she was even going to go to her grad. She started looking at dresses and knew exactly what she wanted. First grad meeting in the fall they were told they had to wear cap and gown. We told her that we thought she should at least go to part of it. Get her diploma and the class picture. She did not have to do the dinner, dance, and she certainly was not going to the after party. In January she made her final decision. She would get a simple nice dress to wear under her gown and that she could also wear to seminary grad. After she had a few friends that she wanted to go rock climbing, dinner, and longboarding or a movie with. And then when Cora got home, we were going to dress up and do a dinner out together as a family. After we found out there was not going to be a traditional grad we were so glad we had not spent hundreds of dollars on a dress.
Leah had picked up her cap for Grad back in February as she wanted to paint it. She has many friends from all over southern Alberta and wanted everyone that has had a positive influence on her high school years to sign it. She spent many weeks driving around to collect signatures. She has a few that she hasn't been able to meet up with yet and then Blake and Cora will sign it also.
What they ended up doing was fun. We did a drive in style grad. They had a stage set up. We all stayed in our cars. It was perfect for Dave and I, we didn't have to talk to anyone. The program was broadcast over the radio so we could all tune in. At their appointed time the grads got out and walked up to receive their diplomas, Ms Mattatall read out their future plans, and then off the stage they went. All while keeping a save distance from each other. Everything was cleaned and wiped down after each speech.
Each grad was asked to do their own write up for the future plans. Back in Grade 11 while in physics 20, one day Leah was not having a great day with the material. Mr. Monts, one her favorite teachers was trying to help her and commented that if physics didn't work out she could always have a plan B to marry rich. She looked at him and said, 'Oh that is Plan A, plan B is school". He laughed. Ever since that, each time he would see Leah with anyone, anywhere, he would always ask if that boy was Plan A. It became a joke between them. So for her write up Leah said she was going to NAIT in the fall, working towards going into the lab and x-ray program unless Plan A presented himself sooner rather than later. He loved it. But then a different teacher read them out and she forgot the last part. Later Mr Monts stopped and talked to Leah saying he missed having that part read and that he wanted to be invite to her wedding. He really wants to meet Plan A. She had already planned on it.
After the program the Grads met on the rugby field at previously marked out spots for a group photo. They were each given a little gift. Inside was a snack, water, and a funny hygiene kit. Some of it was one square of toilet paper that had 'never forget' written on it, kleenex and a mask that said Grad 2020. For one of the pictures they all wore their masks. During the week before, the town had hung the grads pictures, banner style, down main street. After the group photo each grad stood by their picture as the town did a drive by parade.
I was so impressed by the support of everyone. The parade was miles long. It took 45 mins for all the cars to drive by.
For us it ended up being a really good grad. Leah went to all she had planned to anyways. She got to see a few of her friends. We will still do the dinner as a family at some point. And now she just has a few week of school to finish up. She has been getting together with friends as much as she can. Leah has had some great teachers along the way. Some she has built great relationships with. Her high school years were filled with travelling around to support all her friends in their activities, playing basketball and softball and making many friends along the way. When asked what her greatest memories from County Central were she said she couldn't answer. All her greatest moments, except being on the basketball court, were not made at her high school. It was every time her boys won provincials (football and basketball) and she had been there for every game of the season to cheer them on. Girls nights with everyone and doing nothing. Laughing, driving around and singing loudly with Emily. Getting scared in the barn. Surviving her first broken heart (and broke a few), slurpees, concerts, Timmy's wedges, late night chats, hikes, movie nights, and so much more. All done with kids that didn't go to the same school as her. She has had a blast and yes learned lots along the way. She is ready to move on and take the next steps in her life. Way to go Leah! You did it. Congratulations graduate of the class of 2020!!🎓
