Meet M'Kayla!
At first glance she looks like your average teen/young lady. Happy, healthy, and thriving with life. Looking forward to what life has ahead of her right? This hasn't always been the case with M'Kayla though. I'm here to share her brave inspiring story with you today. A story so many can relate to and I hope can be inspiring to someone struggling in high school like she did.
Senior Session Day
This day was like any other Session day. I grabbed my camera and headed out to our location. The plan for the day was to start at cornerstone church, walk the downtown area and then finish up at Brazoswood High. The unique thing about this session is that it wasn't just for M'Kayla but her little sister M'Kynna would be joining us as well!
M'Kayla isn't just your typical teen graduating with her senior class. Instead M'Kayla is graduating a year late walking with a class a year under her graduating class. The bonus to this is that her little sister M'Kynna is graduating this year also! Not every day you get the chance to graduate with your best friend, your SISTER!
Meet M'Kynna
M'Kynna has dreamed of graduating every sense stepping into the halls of Brazoswood High! She knew she wanted to make graduating a goal of hers but never did she think she would be walking with her big sister on this special day.
M'Kayla and M'Kynna are 1 year apart M'Kayla was born October 4th 1999 and M'Kynna was born a year later on October 3rd 2000. M'Kynna was born only 40 min before midnight. If she had she just hung in there 40 more minutes they would have shared a birthday. Growing up they shared many birthday parties being only 1 day apart. They even had what they called a "Sweet Quincy" On M'Kynna's 15th birthday M'Kayla was still 15 until midnight then she would be 16 "Sweet 16"!
Picture credit : mom
Teen Pregnancy
M'Kayla was supposed to graduate and walk in 2018 but came up just a couple credits shy. M'Kayla was on track passing right along until about 2 years ago when her life came to a major bump in the road. She lost all motivation and will to follow her dreams and finish what she had started. She had her Mom and family on her side rooting her on always pushing her to do her best. Sometimes in life when other people are not going through what you are its hard for them to understand your feelings. When M'Kayla found out she was pregnant I'm sure a flood of emotions ran through her mind. What will I tell my Mom, How will my family react, What will he say? What about school? What will other teens think about me? Plus the unconditional love she already holds for her unborn child. But all those concerns came to a screeching halt. On the devastating day that she found out she had a miscarriage. She said it felt like her whole world was coming to an end. She was even loosing friends she thought were friends. This threw her into a horrible depression. She felt like she couldn't find her way out of.
When she finally decided to pick up the pieces ans dust herself off. She finally lifted
her head and realized Graduating was now a MUST no matter how far behind she had gotten. She wanted to make her Mom and family proud of her. She even Wanted to show anyone who had ever doubted that she could graduate, that not only that she COULD but she WOULD Graduate! She wanted to show the world that despite her struggles she could overcome anything that came her way and make it to that end goal GRADUATION!
Sister Love
M'Kayla Pushed through and got her credits in 2 short weeks but she decided since she didn't get to walk with her own class of 2018 that she wasn't going to walk with class of 2019. M'Kynna on the other hand wasn't taking that as an answer. She worked on her sister and tried to convince her. She explained that walking together would be like anything else they have faced TOGETHER! They would do it together. "We do everything together says M'Kynna. "She is my best friend, M'Kayla has been kind of a protector to me." M'Kynna says sharing this moment with her big sister will be so memorable for the both of them and their whole family. M'Kayla finally came around to the idea that walking for her sister and family and most of all herself was exactly what she wanted to do!
The Girls Mom says that them graduating together marks one of the last things they will accomplish as adolescents together. Becoming adults and setting off into this new chapter in their lives brings their Mom to tears just thinking about it.
M'Kayla may have gone through a lot as a teen but these things have made her so much stronger and has driven her to be more successful in life. She looks forward to what life holds for her in her future.
An Emotional Ending...
As this super fun session started to come to a close on the very steps they once walked up as a 9th grade students confused, lost but ready to take on all that High School was to be. They now sit and realize that they both made it. They both are walking across that stage in front of hundreds possibly thousands of people. As I snap what is going to be the last few shots of the session I realize M'Kayla starts to cry.
As always sitting by her side to dry her tears her Best friend, little sister, partner in crime M'Kynna!
I remember hearing her choke out "I didn't think this was gonna happen."
Their Aunt Erin Giggled saying that She was one of the more emotional ones in the family. I think M'Kynna agrees look at that grin...
All through Family support,Love ,strong will, determination and the unbreakable bond of SISTERS! These two girls have helped each other through some tough times. They have laughed, cried, fought and made up. Having a bond like this is like no other!
Graduation Night!
Congrats
M'Kayla and M'Kynna
Y'all Did It!!!
