Whew...this past weekend was an emotional one for me. I really don't think I can express the many emotions I felt, but I'm going to try so I can always remember and be grateful for the many blessings and tender mercies that come to our family.
McKenna had another soccer tournament in Vegas this past week and ever since her tournament last month in Las Vegas, grandpa Nichol has been so excited to fly to this tournament with Kenna and watch her play and stay with uncle Steve and aunt Mandy and the kids for the weekend. Time for just the two of them. Grandpa booked them on the flight and we waited. With Steve being a pilot, my dad flies free on standby and grandpa bought Kenna a 'buddy' pass for the flight...I was nervous about this from the beginning, but my dad and Steve kept reassuring me that there were plenty of flights for her to make it to Vegas one way or another.
Friday, I picked her up from school and with the boys in tow, we headed to the airport to meet grandpa and then get the boys to hockey. We saw grandpa in line, I hugged her and wished her luck and walked away with tears in my eyes. She's growing up right in front of my eyes and I'm loving it and hating it at the same time. I know she'll be in great hands with grandpa and aunt Mandy and uncle Steve and for that I'm thankful. Earlier that morning, when she left for school, the kids and I packed some fun surprises for her in her bag. Kenna loves Batman and this week while out shopping, I found the cutest Batman socks and Batman pez. I wrote a little note and tied it to the socks...she found them later that night while going through her bag and sent the cutest text to say thanks. The boys gave her the Batman pez on the way to the airport and she loved that!
Flying with a 'buddy' pass is not always a guaranteed flight and as time got closer for the plane to leave, the seats began filling up. I told my dad that if only one seat was available, he would just need to send her alone. The first flight filled up, and so they waited for the next and if that filled up, the next one would go to California and back to Vegas, but they were hopeful something would work out. I, on the other hand, was anxiously and nervously wondering if I would be able to drive her through the night to Las Vegas get her to her first game on Saturday morning. The second flight began filling up, but with one seat left, they called Kenna's name and she was on, leaving grandpa behind. He tried to get on the next flight, but didn't make that either...so Kenna was on her own until aunt Mandy picked her up at the airport. My dad called me to tell me the news and kept saying "She can do this. You need to let her grow up!" I love my dad and I love that he has confidence in her and me, too. And in the end, my dad was right and she loved the experience of doing it all on her own.
Kenna enjoyed Friday evening with her cousins and had fun playing xbox sport with them, even though she said she is pretty pathetic and they were pretty awesome! Aunt Mandy made a yummy spaghetti dinner just for Kenna, so she could get the carbs she would need to play great the next day. They won their first game 3-2 and lost their night game 1-0. Between games, she and her friends Mandy and McKenzie had fun hanging out at the mall and taking a nap.
Sunday morning, uncle Steve and Kenna woke early so he could take her to the airport so she could be home in time for church. As the Salt Lake airport came into view, I noticed a Southwest airplane approaching the airport. I watched that plane in the sky and thought about the precious cargo on that plane, my oldest daughter...I watched as it touched down safely and felt the impression that she was safe inside that plane. I felt gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father that I know watched over his daughter, until she could return safely home to our care. I felt gratitude for a loving aunt and uncle and cousins, too, that watched over Kenna and had fun with her while she was away. I felt gratitude for a grandpa that so wanted to be with his granddaughter and make special memories with her this weekend. His efforts to show love to his grand kids are always noticed. I felt gratitude for a sister-in-law that loves McKenna like her own and shared with me a special moment as she witnessed Kenna kneeling in personal prayer by the side of her bed before beginning her day and how she was so thankful for Kenna's good example and her beauty inside and out. I felt such gratitude for that text...I cried as I read it to Garrett. How grateful we are to know that McKenna is who she is wherever she goes. Not only does she remembers what's important, but she does it, too.
Friday, I picked her up from school and with the boys in tow, we headed to the airport to meet grandpa and then get the boys to hockey. We saw grandpa in line, I hugged her and wished her luck and walked away with tears in my eyes. She's growing up right in front of my eyes and I'm loving it and hating it at the same time. I know she'll be in great hands with grandpa and aunt Mandy and uncle Steve and for that I'm thankful. Earlier that morning, when she left for school, the kids and I packed some fun surprises for her in her bag. Kenna loves Batman and this week while out shopping, I found the cutest Batman socks and Batman pez. I wrote a little note and tied it to the socks...she found them later that night while going through her bag and sent the cutest text to say thanks. The boys gave her the Batman pez on the way to the airport and she loved that!
Flying with a 'buddy' pass is not always a guaranteed flight and as time got closer for the plane to leave, the seats began filling up. I told my dad that if only one seat was available, he would just need to send her alone. The first flight filled up, and so they waited for the next and if that filled up, the next one would go to California and back to Vegas, but they were hopeful something would work out. I, on the other hand, was anxiously and nervously wondering if I would be able to drive her through the night to Las Vegas get her to her first game on Saturday morning. The second flight began filling up, but with one seat left, they called Kenna's name and she was on, leaving grandpa behind. He tried to get on the next flight, but didn't make that either...so Kenna was on her own until aunt Mandy picked her up at the airport. My dad called me to tell me the news and kept saying "She can do this. You need to let her grow up!" I love my dad and I love that he has confidence in her and me, too. And in the end, my dad was right and she loved the experience of doing it all on her own.
Sunday morning, uncle Steve and Kenna woke early so he could take her to the airport so she could be home in time for church. As the Salt Lake airport came into view, I noticed a Southwest airplane approaching the airport. I watched that plane in the sky and thought about the precious cargo on that plane, my oldest daughter...I watched as it touched down safely and felt the impression that she was safe inside that plane. I felt gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father that I know watched over his daughter, until she could return safely home to our care. I felt gratitude for a loving aunt and uncle and cousins, too, that watched over Kenna and had fun with her while she was away. I felt gratitude for a grandpa that so wanted to be with his granddaughter and make special memories with her this weekend. His efforts to show love to his grand kids are always noticed. I felt gratitude for a sister-in-law that loves McKenna like her own and shared with me a special moment as she witnessed Kenna kneeling in personal prayer by the side of her bed before beginning her day and how she was so thankful for Kenna's good example and her beauty inside and out. I felt such gratitude for that text...I cried as I read it to Garrett. How grateful we are to know that McKenna is who she is wherever she goes. Not only does she remembers what's important, but she does it, too.
