Mission Call!

Saturday, June 8...the long awaited white envelope from Salt Lake arrived!  

 We were all anxious to have Joel open it...but we had to get everyone gathered...lots of phone calls and texting was going on!  The time finally came...Joel and his parents are very excited to see what is inside that envelope!  Time for the "opening" ceremony!  

Clif and Lindsay joined us via Skype...it was like having them right in the room with us!

 Bishop brought over his Ipad so we could facetime with Amanda...and Ashley was on Tango on Dad's phone (between the Ipad and the laptop)...quite the technical set up! Clark was out in Fresno and unavailable to "sit in" on the opening...he got a text later telling him the news.

 Friends and leaders that were available came over...

 it was great having them here!

 I might add that the night before we had Winieckes over for games and treats.  We told them Joel's call would probably be here the next day and what was their final guess for where he would be going...Bishop sarcastically said, Salt Lake City South.  I say sarcastic, because he is not happy that we are leaving the ward and he knows we are moving to Utah, so that was his facetious guess.  

The time to open the call arrived...Drumroll please.... 

 Elder Joel Jensen McKinney, called to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City South mission!  We all laughed because we thought he was humoring the bishop!  Then Joel said, "That's really what it says."  Oh my goodness!!  Too funny!  I asked Bishop if he had an insider tip and he promises he did not!

 Dad and I both had to look at it to see it for ourselves!  Joel is excited to serve there!

 Everyone talking and enjoying the moment, and telling Joel that Salt Lake is one of the busiest, always teaching missions...we know he has been called there by the Lord for a reason.  And we are excited to have him serve!  I had made chocolate chip cookies so it was fun to eat and visit for awhile.  These are some of Joel's finest leaders right here in this picture...great examples they have been to Joel.

 Chatting with Amanda for a few minutes...Clif and Lindsay were having a hard time hearing with all the noise so they skyped again later and we were able to visit.  Ashley was at work and took a quick break to watch him open it, then had to get back.

What an exciting day!  Bishop videotaped it for us.  The person who guessed closest to Joel's actual mission gets a homemade treat from me.  There were guesses all over the globe, but Bishop guessed it spot on. (Even though he was kidding!) He requested bread pudding.  He will get it! What an exciting day!  

When the bishop told our stake president where Joel was going and that his family was moving up there, President Nef decided he better call Salt Lake and just let them know what is going on with our family. They said we are not in the same mission so it will  be fine.  He called Salt Lake just today and Bishop came over tonight to let us know.  Joel was excited to hear that!  (We had to text him at scout camp to let him know the good news...he left this morning to be gone for the week).  I would have felt really bad if they would have changed his mission...We know the Lord is aware of our plans to move and He called Joel to Utah anyway...so there is a reason!  And I promise I will not go driving the streets of Salt Lake to look for him!  We will be in a different county keeping busy with little grandsons!  But we can drop him off at the MTC and pick him up after his mission.  He will never have to board a plane!  

We are so thankful for Joel and the spiritual giant that he is...he will be a wonderful missionary and we can't wait to hear his stories from the field!  Congratulations Joel!

Seminary Graduation...

Sunday, the 2nd of June, one more celebration.  Joel graduated from seminary!  All 4 years...early morning!  He loved seminary and had wonderful teachers every year.  We are grateful for the seminary program and all those who put so many hours into it!  And all those who arrive so early in the morning to start the school day off right...we are proud to have another graduate!

 Joel was asked by President Nef to speak on the program.  He was happy to do so and just got up and spoke from the heart.  Such a natural!  After the diplomas were handed out, there were refreshments in the cultural hall.  We tried to round up his class for pictures...first we got Mallory...

 Then we got Ty and Austin...but Ty was busy eating his dessert...

 We did manage to get him to look at the camera...

 Then we found someone to hold his plate while we took a "real" picture.  

 Now we have Rachel joining the group...

 And last but not least...Amber and Wendy!  What a great looking group!

 We wish more of the class would have been there...but it was fun with the ones that were.  Congratulations seniors...you are awesome we know great things are in store for you!!

 And they were sent off properly with lovely cheesecake slices...thanks Sis. Martinez!

Our Last Clovis High Graduation...

How did we go from this....

 (the first day of Kindergarten)...to this...so fast!?

 Joel, the time has gone quickly, and now you are a graduating senior...congratulations! 

 We had to make "graduate" cupcakes for the occasion...

 Loved the theme of graduation with the awesome cougar on the sign..."May the dreams you dream be the future you find."

 The year is on the football scoreboard...this year the graduates came onto the field a totally different way than our other four kids did...instead of coming through the bleachers and past the audience up to the stand so we could see them, they came from behind the stand and we could not see Joel at all.  Not just because people were standing up in front of us (grrrr) but because it was so far away, it was just too hard to tell who was who!

 And it wasn't until after he walked back to his seat from getting his handshake and diploma that we could see where he was...he's the fourth row up from the bottom, next to the white robed people (the white robed people made the number 2013).

 I did get a little emotional as they entered the stadium...and as I sat next to Ashley and Clark...Ashley was our first Clovis High graduate and it had been 7 years since we were there for Clark's graduation!  We didn't see Joel walk across the stage to get his diploma because they announced his name wrong!  Seriously, how do you mess up Joel McKinney?  Joel MAC-uh-nee.  Really?  We all looked at each other, was that Joel!???  We saw him walk back across the stage and back to his seat.  Bummed that we missed it!  We didn't know where he was sitting, and they weren't reading them alphabetically so we weren't watching close enough (or wouldn't have been able to tell it was him) we were just waiting to hear his name.  Crazy!  And so many people were so loud and obnoxious cheering for their graduate that we couldn't hear all the names being read...it was supposed to be a traditional ceremony...I would have liked a little more common courtesy.  One guy even had one of those air horns...and noisemakers were not allowed in the stadium.  Some people...anyway...I digress!

I think my favorite part is after they have all walked across the stage and are back in their seats, they all in unison switch their tassels to the other side.  Very synchronized...it was very impressive!  Another emotional moment.   At the end of the ceremony they did a cool fireworks show and I got emotional once again.  (yes, it was an emotional evening!) The end of an era at our house...

 So proud of our Joel and the fine young man he has become!  We met up with him in the baseball field afterwards...here is his friend Ty Kennington...who was trying to locate his mom and sister...we ran into him quite by accident.  

 Here is Ashley standing on tipee toes trying to be tall next to Joel...

 Then we got Clark in there too...three of our five children...we missed the rest of the family and wish they could have been there!

 Mom and Pop with the handsome graduate...what a fun and happy night!

 I tried to make a money lei for him (with some rolo candy included) but it needed more dollars (or more candy!) to look better, and getting it all crumpled up in my bag didn't help it much.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts right? And the money will spend just the same!  He didn't wear it long though because people were afraid to hug him and mash it more!  So I put it back in my bag.  It was a good idea...in theory.

 With his friend Duncan Nankervis...

 And with his diploma (cover only...they get the "actual" diploma when they turn in their robe).  

 Sharing a laugh with his good friend Austin Kincade...

 Now a pose for the camera...we never did see any of his girl friends...I know they were there!  We missed having picture opportunities with them.  One friend, Mallory, is the first to graduate in her family and her little brother was hit by a car going into graduation...so her family missed the entire thing!  I felt so bad for her.  Thankfully her little brother only had a concussion, but he had been knocked unconscious so he went to the hospital in an ambulance.  I hope someone got some pictures of Mallory for her mom!  

 And last but not least, turning in his robe to get his diploma.  They get to keep the hat and tassel.  Notice the young man at the front of the picture...his money lei looks the way it's supposed to!  We saw candy leis too, and one girl with so many flower leis around her neck it's a wonder she could see and breath!  Lot of balloon bouquets and flower bouquets too...it's fun to see what people do for their graduates.

Congratulations Joel!  Well done!  Now on to even bigger and better things!  We love you!

My baby is 18!

May 24, 2013...my youngest turned 18!  It was a low-key celebration...maybe we are in denial...maybe he is just a quiet kid that doesn't want a lot of hoopla...either way...it was a quiet evening!  Clark came over (Ashley had to work) and we had pizza hut (big surprise) and oreo ice cream cake (another big surprise ha ha)...it was all delish!  

 Oh, and Elder Ashcroft joined us again for pizza!  Isn't he a great friend!?

 Seriously, wasn't it just yesterday we were celebrating his first birthday?  We knew our family wasn't finished until Joel joined us.  He has been a huge joy and blessing in our lives.  Love you Joel!  

On another note...how many ladders does it take to paint the eaves of a house?  Apparently 3!  Dave spent the weekend finishing up this huge project.  Many thanks to Clark who did a lot of the painting and ladder climbing for us!!  We are trying to get it done before it turns too hot...and it is done!  Yay!

Court of Honor...

On Saturday, May 18, 2013 we held a Court of Honor for our Eagle Scout Joel!

 Here's the cake table, just waiting for the cake...

 Water itself is not impressive, but the beautiful dispenser borrowed from DeAnn and the Scout table cloth borrowed from Teri looked especially nice...

 I made red white and blue funfetti cookies...

 And Ann helped me dip the strawberries so they were red white and blue also...a big shout out to my friends who helped me pull this all together...

 We made a display table with Joel's Eagle picture...

 and his shadow box I finished that very morning...

 and of course his scout album from Cub Scouts to Eagle...

 I thought it looked nice and there were cards for people to write on if they wished...

 The Cake!  It turned out great - thanks to Jennifer Lai of For Goodness Cakes...

 Joel with his cake...looking good!

 And of course the program, which my boss printed for me at work for free...another nice helper!

 Scott conducted the court and he did a find job as always...

 He called the Eagles to the nest...

 A great group of leaders and former leaders (Scoutmaster Budge never seemed to be in the nest when we took pictures!)

 Shawn Olsen, our former hometeacher and Joel's former scoutmaster was our guest speaker.  It was fun hearing him talk about Joel and their experiences together. 

 John Bush explained the "Trail to Eagle"...

 Craig Saunders, another former scout leader gave Joel his Charge and Pledge...

 He then had all the Eagles renew their pledge...

 It was nice to hear them do it...

 Then it was Scoutmaster Budge's turn...that was fun!  He has a great love of scouting and the scouts themselves...he is a wonderful leader and we have appreciated him so much!

 Joel was presented with his flag which flew over the nation's capitol in his honor...and also a few congratulatory notes/certificates from important people like senators and former US Presidents.

 And then there's the actual Eagle patch and pin...

 Scoutmaster preparing the Eagle Neckerchief...

 And of course Mom and Dad get their pins...I call mine the Nagging Mom Pin...

 And lastly, pinning his Eagle award on him...truly an honor...

 Joel and Scott Olsen, a true mentor in the scouting program...he has been a big help all along the way, for all of our boys!

 The ever fun Scoutmaster Budge...we love and appreciate this guy a ton!

 And Shawn Olsen, another mentor (a lot like his dad!) and great friend.

 And look who  joined us from his mission in Montana!  Joels' friend Devin!

 Looking good Elder Ashcroft!  Sorry we forgot to move you to the Eagle's nest...but it was great having you in attendance!  

 Craig Saunders...another energetic and fun leader who has had a big impact on Joel's life...

 Joel's friend Nate...we appreciate him coming...he was the only friend of Joel's that made it that day...thanks for your support Nate!

 And we can't forget Chad Knudsen!  Another former leader and awesome man who has helped Joel along the way.

 Grandma and Grandpa came from Folsom to spend the afternoon/evening with us.  It was great to see them and have them here for this event.  We went to dinner at Red Robin afterwards to celebrate and visit with them.  

Last but definitely not least...Ashley and Clark...we loved having them there too!  Clark was the photographer for us and we appreciate him capturing it all...Love my kids!!!

It was a great day!  Congratulations Joel...we love you!  Once an Eagle, always an Eagle...