“Dad, how come you are having me stay home with Rose while all of you go to Grandma and Grandpa’s for Thanksgiving Day? I won’t even be able to see all of my cousins and…”
“Shayna hold your horses a second and let me explain. Rose is attached to you like no other. Your mom and I asked her who she wants and Rose wants you.”
“Dad but I want to have some fun this break off of school.”
“Shay, I know you do a lot for us with Rose but we will do something for you if you take care of her since she has the flu. Promise”
“Ok, dad I will.” I really didn’t want to but I did it to make my parents happy.
“Thanks Shay. Love you tons. Call us if you have any concerns or if Rose gets worse.”
My dad, mom and TJ all left out the drive way towards my grandparent’s house in Ogden, Utah. Rose was lying on the couch watching her favorite movie Pocahontas. She can watch that over and over and over again.
“Shayna can you hold me? I am cold.”
“Yeah Rose I will.”
I walked over to the couch and held her. Rose fell asleep. I carried her down the hall to her bed and put her there to sleep. She slept for a good three hours.
While Rose was sleeping I decided that I might as well get on the computer. I checked my email, updated my blog, and got on facebook. Big surprise! No one was on chat. Well since there was nothing to do on facebook I decided to just run on the treadmill. I guess I will just get in a work out today. Running 4 miles is my limit right now but I want to get higher in my miles.
After I ran I decided to watch some tv even though there would be nothing on most likely. Good thing Rose came out the instant I sat down.
You could tell she felt a little better. I made Rose some jello. The only way Rose will eat jello is if it is freshly made and hasn’t settled. She loves it when it’s liquid. I am so glad that she drank it because she wouldn’t eat or drink anything at all today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was about 8 o’clock at night when my parents and Ty got home. Rose was a sleep and I was reading my scriptures for the night. You know how you get that feeling that something’s wrong and you haven’t heard of anything yet? Well I’ve got that feeling. I began to get butterflies in my stomach and my heart was racing.
My parents and Ty walked in. They were silent with their heads down and they all looked really sad. I could tell mom has been crying for a long time now. Her eyes were swollen and red. Especially when my mom really never cries or at least I have never seen her cry in front of someone before.
“Dad, what happened? What’s wrong? Please tell me.”
“Robert not tonight. She won’t be able to sleep.”
“Lori it’s ok. She needs to know.”
“Shayna grab your coat and slippers and we will go outside on the front porch and talk.”
My heart was pounding so much as I walked down the stairs to my bedroom. I didn’t want to hurry. I figured my dad could use some time. Anyways I got my slippers and my coat. I grabbed my beanie while I was at it just because there is snow outside.
I went back up stairs and found my dad already outside. I opened the door slowly, standing there as if I was frozen in time, staring at my dad. He was sitting there with his elbows on his knees crying into his hands silently. I finally shut the door, walked over and sat right next to him, putting my arms around him. He turned to me wrapping his arms around me also, putting his head on my shoulder and still cried. I just sat there and let my dad cry.
My dad finally sat up and he looked in my eyes. The twinkle in his eyes was gone. He looked sad, alone, and maybe even afraid. I have never seen him this way before.
“Dad what happened? What’s wrong?”
My dad took a deep breath and said, “Shayna we were on the street driving to your grandparents house and we were almost there and”….my dad paused seeming to stare in space and said…”someone blew up their house by explosives. It was in flames by the time we got down the road. Your mom’s side of the family was there too. No one made it out alive. Forty seven people died plus some of their neighbors were injured.
“Dad… is the people that did this coming after us to?” I said crying.
“I don’t know Shay. I just don’t know.”
Dad and I just sat there for the next couple hours in silence. It was about eleven o’clock when I heard the front door open and then shut again. Neither dad nor I looked. I knew it was mom and that she was going to just let us be alone.
I put my head down on my dad’s shoulder. I closed my eyes and was just thinking about everything that happened. Before I knew it I was asleep.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Chapter 2 - Monday
Chapter 2 – Monday
Well the one thing I hate is having to wake up on a Monday morning at 5:45 a.m. It’s only because you get the weekend to sleep in. Then it is hard to get up that morning so early.
The bright side of all of this is I get to start my day out with family scripture study. I love how my family and I get to learn more about Christ but also we get to hang out as a family. The best part is I get to have my dad as a seminary teacher, teach us in the morning. I walk up the stairs and see my dad.
“Hi Dad. How are you this morning?”
“Wonderful Shayna. It amazes me how happy you can be to start out each morning this early.”
“Dad you know why. It’s because I have such a loving family, and the love of Christ in my life.”
“And that’s why you’re my favorite daughter.”
After scripture study we had some cinnamon pancakes with white chocolate chips in them. These are my favorite. Each day of the week my mom makes one of our favorite breakfast meals. Monday’s are my day.
Then I had to get ready and leave for school at 7 o’clock a.m. I get to Wallcreek High and go to my locker. I grab the stuff I need for that day out of my locker and then just walk around to find friends to talk to before the bell rings to go to class.
Normal day of school as usual for me. I always have no homework because all of my teachers hate giving it this year.
The most fun part of my day is probably lunch because I get to talk to my friends. But the best part is we always hang out at the seminary building because my dad is there and he teaches my friends. My friends love asking him questions during lunch and basically have a debate class against him. Funny thing is my dad always seems to win on any subject!
Finally school gets out and I get to go to work. Nice thing is I don’t have to drive far to work at all. I work over at the onion factory. Don’t ask me why but my eyes never water from the onions. For some reason they don’t bug me. Maybe that’s because I am always around them.
Basically at work they have me put the onions in boxes so that they can ship them out. I love the job. I get ten dollars an hour, working Monday through Friday and only four hours each day. I get holidays and weekends off.
Today at work we had a party because next week is Thanksgiving weekend. Yeah we did celebrate it early this time but I don’t mind.
I got home from work about 7:15 p.m. Even though during school it might be harder to hold family home evening we still manage to do a five minutes lesson at least. Tonight Rose picked the song and she wanted to sing “Families can be Together Forever.” She doesn’t know the words really but I think she just loves listening to the words while we sing this song. This is one of my most favorite songs in the Primary Children’s song book. It makes me tear up every time we sing it because of us adopting Rose. Also this taught me so much more about why families are forever and it just really touches me.
After Family Home Evening we all went to bed at 9-9:30 p.m. because we get up early to read the scriptures. Rose goes to bed though about 8:30 p.m. She always has me sing the Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Then she always has me read her a book. But today we read a Halloween one. It is her favorite season even if Halloween is past.
“Rose, Good Night! I love you lots. See you in the morning!”
“Night Night Shayna! Said Rose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I walked up the stairs to where I found a light still on. Usually there is no one awake this late but I happened to find my mom up.
“Shayna, How come you are not asleep yet? It’s 11:00 p.m.”
“I just couldn’t sleep. I was wondering what makes Rose attached to me so much? I mean I love her so much. I just don’t see how she is attached to the rest of the family like she is to me.”
“Shayna, it’s because you are so kind. You have such a gentle, loving touch about you. You glow with the Light of Christ. She can see it in you.”
“Thanks Mom. Love you.”
“Good Night Shay.”
Well the one thing I hate is having to wake up on a Monday morning at 5:45 a.m. It’s only because you get the weekend to sleep in. Then it is hard to get up that morning so early.
The bright side of all of this is I get to start my day out with family scripture study. I love how my family and I get to learn more about Christ but also we get to hang out as a family. The best part is I get to have my dad as a seminary teacher, teach us in the morning. I walk up the stairs and see my dad.
“Hi Dad. How are you this morning?”
“Wonderful Shayna. It amazes me how happy you can be to start out each morning this early.”
“Dad you know why. It’s because I have such a loving family, and the love of Christ in my life.”
“And that’s why you’re my favorite daughter.”
After scripture study we had some cinnamon pancakes with white chocolate chips in them. These are my favorite. Each day of the week my mom makes one of our favorite breakfast meals. Monday’s are my day.
Then I had to get ready and leave for school at 7 o’clock a.m. I get to Wallcreek High and go to my locker. I grab the stuff I need for that day out of my locker and then just walk around to find friends to talk to before the bell rings to go to class.
Normal day of school as usual for me. I always have no homework because all of my teachers hate giving it this year.
The most fun part of my day is probably lunch because I get to talk to my friends. But the best part is we always hang out at the seminary building because my dad is there and he teaches my friends. My friends love asking him questions during lunch and basically have a debate class against him. Funny thing is my dad always seems to win on any subject!
Finally school gets out and I get to go to work. Nice thing is I don’t have to drive far to work at all. I work over at the onion factory. Don’t ask me why but my eyes never water from the onions. For some reason they don’t bug me. Maybe that’s because I am always around them.
Basically at work they have me put the onions in boxes so that they can ship them out. I love the job. I get ten dollars an hour, working Monday through Friday and only four hours each day. I get holidays and weekends off.
Today at work we had a party because next week is Thanksgiving weekend. Yeah we did celebrate it early this time but I don’t mind.
I got home from work about 7:15 p.m. Even though during school it might be harder to hold family home evening we still manage to do a five minutes lesson at least. Tonight Rose picked the song and she wanted to sing “Families can be Together Forever.” She doesn’t know the words really but I think she just loves listening to the words while we sing this song. This is one of my most favorite songs in the Primary Children’s song book. It makes me tear up every time we sing it because of us adopting Rose. Also this taught me so much more about why families are forever and it just really touches me.
After Family Home Evening we all went to bed at 9-9:30 p.m. because we get up early to read the scriptures. Rose goes to bed though about 8:30 p.m. She always has me sing the Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Then she always has me read her a book. But today we read a Halloween one. It is her favorite season even if Halloween is past.
“Rose, Good Night! I love you lots. See you in the morning!”
“Night Night Shayna! Said Rose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I walked up the stairs to where I found a light still on. Usually there is no one awake this late but I happened to find my mom up.
“Shayna, How come you are not asleep yet? It’s 11:00 p.m.”
“I just couldn’t sleep. I was wondering what makes Rose attached to me so much? I mean I love her so much. I just don’t see how she is attached to the rest of the family like she is to me.”
“Shayna, it’s because you are so kind. You have such a gentle, loving touch about you. You glow with the Light of Christ. She can see it in you.”
“Thanks Mom. Love you.”
“Good Night Shay.”
Friday, October 29, 2010
Chapter 1 - My Family
Everything in my life is perfect. Or at least it seems like it. It is the way any seventeen year old would want life to be. Junior year of high school, being tons of fun goofing around, and playing games with friends and doing the craziest things ever. There is no drama between any of your friends. Being able to have friends wanting the same standards as you in the gospel and just life. Always hanging out and eating lunch together as friends. But the most important is my family. They mean everything to me. All of us love the gospel so much. We love the fact that we can and will be together forever. I am so happy!
I guess it would be smart to tell you about my family. My mom is tall with long, brown, wavy hair. My mom is the coolest, nicest, sweetest, and the most fun person to be around. All the neighborhood kids love to play a soccer game with her being on their team. Funny thing is she can’t be on both teams if you play the real way soccer is supposed to be played. Yet she manages to play on both teams. Everybody loves her to death. My mom is the kind of person you can go to, and talk to about anything. She is always there to listen. She always does the little things that most people won’t notice and yet always manages to never have the person know it was her.
Next is my dad. My dad is my hero and I don’t know if he knows that or not. I watch his every move. He always knows if something is wrong or if something is on your mind. Never ceases to amaze me that he will just ask flat out if something is wrong or if you need to talk. He is always helping someone and the age never matters. My dad is so caring about everything and everybody. My dad is a seminary teacher and he loves it with all of his heart. Everybody always says he is the coolest ever. I know that for a fact that this is a true statement. My dad’s name is Robert Benning or as his seminary students calls him, Brother Benning.
Also I have a little brother Tyler James. I also call him Ty and also TJ. But Tyler likes TJ better. Just depending on the moment. He is sixteen and so protective about me and cares how I feel. He always can tell if I am sad or not. TJ also won’t let anyone say mean things to me. But yes TJ can be obnoxious too. The one thing I love doing most with TJ is while he plays the piano I love to sing. He has the most amazing talent at the piano. He can learn a song so fast. I love my brother.
I also have a sister Rose. Rose is four years old. The reason for the big gap between our ages is that my parents adopted her two years ago when she was 2 years old. Her parents died from a drive by shooting. I didn’t know why it happened. All I could think is they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rose is my favorite. She loves to come with me everywhere and loves when I play games and read her books. She has the most pretty black, tight curled hair ever. I am so jealous of it!
But I guess it is about time I should introduce myself. Hi, I am Shayna and I am seventeen years old. I am a junior in high school and it’s only been two months since school has started. Actually today is my Birthday, October eleventh and I am finally eighteen years old. I am so happy. Some of the things I love to do is sing and play the piano. I also love to run! Running is my passion. It is something I will always do. If you got stuff on your mind it lets you forget about it. If you have a lot of stress it relieves some of it. Mostly because I just feel free. Free from everything in this world. My life is just great. I don’t think it could get any better because I have all I ever need right here and now!
This is my life story.
I guess it would be smart to tell you about my family. My mom is tall with long, brown, wavy hair. My mom is the coolest, nicest, sweetest, and the most fun person to be around. All the neighborhood kids love to play a soccer game with her being on their team. Funny thing is she can’t be on both teams if you play the real way soccer is supposed to be played. Yet she manages to play on both teams. Everybody loves her to death. My mom is the kind of person you can go to, and talk to about anything. She is always there to listen. She always does the little things that most people won’t notice and yet always manages to never have the person know it was her.
Next is my dad. My dad is my hero and I don’t know if he knows that or not. I watch his every move. He always knows if something is wrong or if something is on your mind. Never ceases to amaze me that he will just ask flat out if something is wrong or if you need to talk. He is always helping someone and the age never matters. My dad is so caring about everything and everybody. My dad is a seminary teacher and he loves it with all of his heart. Everybody always says he is the coolest ever. I know that for a fact that this is a true statement. My dad’s name is Robert Benning or as his seminary students calls him, Brother Benning.
Also I have a little brother Tyler James. I also call him Ty and also TJ. But Tyler likes TJ better. Just depending on the moment. He is sixteen and so protective about me and cares how I feel. He always can tell if I am sad or not. TJ also won’t let anyone say mean things to me. But yes TJ can be obnoxious too. The one thing I love doing most with TJ is while he plays the piano I love to sing. He has the most amazing talent at the piano. He can learn a song so fast. I love my brother.
I also have a sister Rose. Rose is four years old. The reason for the big gap between our ages is that my parents adopted her two years ago when she was 2 years old. Her parents died from a drive by shooting. I didn’t know why it happened. All I could think is they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rose is my favorite. She loves to come with me everywhere and loves when I play games and read her books. She has the most pretty black, tight curled hair ever. I am so jealous of it!
But I guess it is about time I should introduce myself. Hi, I am Shayna and I am seventeen years old. I am a junior in high school and it’s only been two months since school has started. Actually today is my Birthday, October eleventh and I am finally eighteen years old. I am so happy. Some of the things I love to do is sing and play the piano. I also love to run! Running is my passion. It is something I will always do. If you got stuff on your mind it lets you forget about it. If you have a lot of stress it relieves some of it. Mostly because I just feel free. Free from everything in this world. My life is just great. I don’t think it could get any better because I have all I ever need right here and now!
This is my life story.
Shayna's Life Turn
This is the cover I like for my story! Thanks to my friend Carina Brown for letting me use this picture and helping me get the blog Started! She took this at Antelope Island with some friends!
Welcome to A Crystal Clear Story
Hey Everyone I am starting to write a story! I decided to place it on here so if you want to follow along you can. Also feedback would be great to hear how my story is turning out!
My Story is called, "Shayna's Life Turn". It is about an 17 year old girl name Shayna and she thought life was just perfect. Then something happens that she thought would never. It tries her Faith in what she believes and she tries to work through it!
My Story is called, "Shayna's Life Turn". It is about an 17 year old girl name Shayna and she thought life was just perfect. Then something happens that she thought would never. It tries her Faith in what she believes and she tries to work through it!
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