Baby Mel and the Street Youths Graduate

Mel with grandma and grandpa Hunter

The Street Youths hug and cry after taking pictures

The first EVER picture of all 10 of them together: Ani, Isabelle, Megan, Parker, Kobi, Levi, Mel, Makei, Scott, Kaleb, and Brooke

Mel and Kobi, BFF's since junior high. Mel was afraid of Kobi in elementary school.

Mel and me. The worst, but only picture. Allie would only take one.

My grilled cheese eating kids. Back Row: Megan, Parker, Kobi, Levi, Mel, Makei. Front Row: Brooke, Ani, Isabelle, Kaleb, and Scott

Manila 2nd Ward graduates recognized at youth activity. L-R: Brittany Palmer, McKenzie Nebeker, Scierra Clegg, Melissa Smith, Alexa Petersen, Kayleigh Bowden, Noah Clemmens, Anna Burnett, Melia, Joseph Chang, Ethan Adair

When Mel told me she was taking her senior pictures at Taco Amigo I thought it was a great idea. She lives there. Her favorite: a hamburger kids meal, complete with a drink and rice crispie treat. Photo credit: Makei Tupou

Her graduation announcement made the Trump's bulletin board

On Friday, May 27, Melia and all her friends graduated from American Fork High School. It was a great day. I went on my usual walk and had time to leisurely get ready. We left at 11:10 to get mom and dad for the 12:30 graduation at UVU. Getting into the parking lots of UVU was horrible, though. Thanks to dad's handicap parking permit, we got in and took the first spot we found, then walked a bit to the venue. Great speeches. Beautiful music that even had religious undertones. Brave! We had a nice time. Then we went outside to take pictures and to wait for all of Mel's friends, aka the Street Youths to gather for pictures. These 10 kids have been great friends. Some of them already have mission calls (Kaleb going to Chile and Scott going to Germany), others have plans for college. Fantastic kids that I'll miss. I told them they can still come to my house and eat grilled cheese sandwiches. I guess they go to the Watkins home a lot and eat copious amounts of cold cereal.

After pictures, we went to eat Indian food at Indian Palace in Provo. Keenan couldn't join us because he had to go to the doctor for some follow up. He had a build up of fluid in his lung cavity and had to have it drained. They took out 2 quarts. He was quite wiped out for the rest of the day and on Saturday.

Mel then went to her grad night party at Boondocks and came home around 6:00 am. Then she slept for a lot of Saturday. She did go to a swimming party last night. I suppose I'll see more of her starting tomorrow. It was a great week and I got her t-shirt quilt done. I've made one for all the kids upon graduating.

Last Sunday Mel also graduated from seminary with her 4-year certificate. Mom and dad came up for that. I guess she can now go on a mission to Brazil. That's one requirement for a mission call to Brazil; one has to have completed 4 years of religious training. Mel is set!