Senior Banquet

Leyden

This past Friday was Leyden's Senior Banquet and Senior Prom. It was a lovely evening, and I'm so grateful that her school hosts this formal affair to celebrate the seniors and their accomplishments. 

Leyden with Mom & Daddy

Leyden with MawMaw

Jarrett & Leyden with Papa Jim & Meme

The evening started with dinner, then the Headmaster and the Vice Principal recognized seniors for different achievements. 

The National Honor Society members were recognized and given their honor stoles, and students who have maintained a 3.5 GPA for their entire high school career were introduced and given honor cords. The Valedictorian and Salutatorian were announced and presented with medals. They are both amazing students, and very deserving of their positions.

The Who's Who nominees were recognized, and our sweet Leyden and her date were voted "Friendliest" by their classmates!

Leyden & Jarrett - Friendliest

The seniors in the Homecoming Court were introduced, and Leyden received a certificate for serving as Senior Attendant. 

Leyden - Senior Homecoming Attendant

After the awards were distributed, a family member for each senior stood up and offered a blessing over them. There were lots of tears as emotional parents stood and offered their hopes and dreams for their children. I promised Leyden I wouldn't cry when I gave her blessing. I kept my word, but I had to stop for a few seconds and take a deep breath before I started. 

Our Senior Blessing for our precious Melodie Leyden:

I found this poem, and I knew it was perfect for you. I think the author must have known you. 

It Couldn't Be Done
By Edgar Albert Guest
 
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a BIG, BIG grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Leyden, with God’s help, you’ve already tackled things that cannot be done. There is nothing that you and God can’t do. You have amazing strength, faith, and compassion. You truly are a miracle. You're my hero, and you know that. We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see where God leads you! We love you!

I got emotional when I got to the last line of the poem because my sweet Leyden has seen more than her fair share of obstacles and struggles, and yet here she is, standing on the mountaintop, victorious over the valleys. By the grace and power of our Almighty God, this child has conquered and overcome, and I am SO EXCITED to see what God is going to do in her life!

Jarrett & Leyden (laughing, as usual!)