Too Precious Not to Post

Just look at this precious face....

Can you guess who his mom is? Click it to pick it!

If you have clicked over to SHS Class of 87's blog, you already know that sometimes the blog has a few problems! Uploading pictures is one of them. I have tried numerous times to add this precious little face to his mom's post, and I have failed numerous times. So if you send an update and/or photos and you don't see them posted, please know that I sometimes have technical difficulties with the blog. Or I may a few updates awaiting to be posted. I may have received a few in one day and with posting one day, you may not see yours for a few days. I'll post them in the order in which they were received.......I sound like an annoying animated telephone operator. If you have already sent in an update and it is posted, but would like to send photos, please do so. I may not be able to add them to your post, but I sure can link them.


Today is a SAD day in Blogger Land........it is the end of the SHS Class fo 86 Reunion Blog. For those of you Panthers who have been reading along with me, we say GOODBYE! I guess they decided to follow Seinfeld's theory and go out when on top. All good things must end so we wish them all well and look forward to their 25 year reunion blog. Thanks, Kris, for the reunion blog inspiration, the laughs and the memories of my Sr. Tiger friends. It has been great!

"Toto....I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore"

Toto and Dorothy may not be in Kansas anymore, but Brian Huddleston and his family are there.

Brian writes:

I was feeling pretty good about myself today until I got an e-mail reminding me that I have been out of high school for almost 20 years. Since my Northshore days I graduated from Louisiana Tech in 92 with a degree in music, and completed a Masters in Christian Education at New Orleans Seminary. In '91 I married Jennifer Warren of Shreveport. We currently live in Shawnee, Kansas a suburb of Kansas City. I work as a software engineer for a company that writes a combat simulation for the army. My wife and I have three kids Benjamin 10, Alison 7, Claire 2 and are expecting our fourth in October. Feel free to put this stuff on the blog, I would love to hear from my panther friends.

Brian Huddleston

I know your panther friends are enjoyng reading about you, Brian. I bet your kids can't wait for the birth of the baby. Girl or Boy? You will have to keep us updated.

If you have read about one of your high school friends and want to get in touch with them, send me an email. I don't think it is a good idea to post your personal emails on the blog, but I don't think anyone minds sharing it in private. If you have a website that you would like to share, I'll be happy to link it from the blog.

Send all information to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

Going Back in History....NHS History

Let's go back in "history" to the end of our Jr. year..... A time where most all of us were trying to act like we were somebody (Or at least I was! I guess I shoud not speak for all of you.) It was at this time when Paul Gelpi came to NHS. I admire him for that. That could not have been an easy move!!??

Paul writes:

I guess a bit about me since high school is in order. After NHS I went to the University of New Orleans where I received my BA in history in 1991 and my MA in history in 1994. From there I went on to earn my Ph.D. in history from The University of Alabama and I am now an associate professor of history at Grambling State University. My wife, Jeannine, is class of '87 graduate of Mt. Carmel Academy (New Orleans) and we'll be married twelve years this December--we met at UNO in '91.

As I am unsure what else you'd like to know, I'll keep this brief. If you need me to fill in any details then I'll be happy to do so. We missed the ten year reunion, as we were living in Alabama at the time and our schedules didn't allow us the opportunity to attend. I am looking forward to the twenty-year one, though, and will mark it on my calender once you have a date set.

Cheers!

Paul


From being a student on the campus of NHS all the way to professor on the campus of GSU "Where Everybody is a Somebody".

I also always admired the male mind for its love of history and its capability to remember it. I enjoyed listening to the lectures in History class, but it was something about having to test on it that I could not do.....

My dad was killed in a car accident during my Summer sememster of taking Western Civ. My professor asked to see the obituary from the newspaper for proof that I was not telling a story. (How I wish...I was 24 and over making up stories to skip classes.) I remember him telling me "I don't want you to use the death of your dad as an excuse not to do well in the class." I wish that was my excuse. I guess he did not realize that I truly stunk in History. Well....that kind of History.

Thank you to all who have been helping make this blog worth reading each day :-) It would not be without you.

Send your history of the past 20 years to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

In the Palm of "Her" Hand

When I started the blog I reached out to few that had left their email addresses on the NHS Alumni website. John Savage was one of about five of them. He was quick to respond with his address info and a message letting me know that he'd check the blog often. I am glad he is a man of his word, and I am soooo glad that he has sent his 20 year update for us to enjoy.

John writes:


Hi Rami,

I have been enjoying reading the blog and figured I would throw my two cents in.

After NHS I spent a fun but not so productive year at SLU. The same one that Chris Kughn mentioned. I then got motivated to go to the maritime academy at Texas A&M in Galveston and I graduated in 1993. After graduation I spent several years working on cargo ships. I have made trips to Northern Europe, the Med, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and South America. My time spent at sea was fun and seeing the world was great but being away from home for months at a time is tough on the home life. When things started getting serious with my now wife Kelly, I took a job ashore with a tugboat company here in Galveston. We now have a 7 year old daughter Abigail whom I just adore. We just finished our second year in a father/daughter dance routine which is a blast. The picture is our signature put up / sit up trick. Kids are the best.

My Mother still lives in Slidell and I get over to see her a couple times a year. I was in shock when I came to town 2 days post Katrina to check on her house. Fortunately, she had little damage and no flooding to her house in Willow Wood but I was in disbelief about the widespread damage. Like so many others, our old house in French Branch was trashed. My thoughts are definitely with those of you that have had to, and still are dealing with the mess.

Thanks for your hard work in keeping the blog updated and I am looking forward to coming next year.

Regards,

John Savage

I think it is safe to say that although the picture looks as though Abigail is in the palm of her daddy's hand that in reality she has him in the palm of hers. It is a beautiful picture....my favorite on the blog. Keep up the routine!

I can't wait until we all meet again. Kathi is having GREAT success reaching most of you on Classmates. Thanks, Kathi! I know how busy our days are with all the adult responsibilities we have now, but I hope when you get a chance you take a minute or two to share your life with us on the blog. Send update information and photos to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

If you have just found the blog, I don't want you to miss a post. In the right margin you will see "Previous Post" which consist of the last 10 post. That is not all of them! To enjoy all post, scroll down a little more to the "Archives". Under "Archives," the months are listed. To view all post for that particular month, simply click on the month and scroll through each day.

Please feel free to send your favorite post a comment. You will find a comment link under each post. Just click it and a new window will pop up for you to leave a comment. Please no anonymous or negative comments. Choose other and type your name. The comment then gets emailed to the blog email address for varification. The blog is linked from NHS's Alumni website so I am trying to keep it PG.

Enjoy!

"Beth, I Hear You Calling......"

For some of you only one face will look familiar in this photo (John's) and for others it will bring back fond memories of our dear friend, Beth Shipley (red shirt). It is a crazy story how I contacted Beth via Classmates, but thanks to my good friend Kim and her Classmates account, Beth responded back to me.

Beth writes:

Where to begin...I left NHS during Spring Break of my Freshman year so I didn't get to graduate with all of you, but felt like we grew up together attending Boyet and having many friends from Clearwood. Weren't those the days? I ended up graduating from high school in New Philadelphia, Ohio. I then went on to graduate from The Ohio State University. Home of the fighting Buckeyes! I worked for a couple years and then decided I needed to find my nitch in life. I moved to Houston to live closer to family and went to the University of Houston and got my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. I then taught Kindergarten for 6 years and officially "retired" when Easton was born and I've been a full-time mommy since.

I am living in Katy, Texas with my husband and two beautiful children, Easton Riley (2 1/2 years) and Peyton Frances (7 months). Even though I didn't graduate from NHS, I would love to make it back to the reunion to catch up on those friendships that have been on pause for several years. Look forward to seeing everyone!

I've sent a photo of the kiddos. I've really enjoyed e-mailing with Rami because I've gotten to see lots of photos of everyone's children. What a fun way to catch up. Thanks Rami for doing such a great job!

Beth Shipley Hays


Just a few weekends ago at one of our Pokeno games, Becky was telling a story of a crazy prank a few of them played on the teacher in Home Economics class. She did not even have to tell me who was involved because the prank had the making of Beth Shipley all over it. I look at Easton's eyes and see the same mischief and fun that I remember in his mom's eyes. We all hated to see Beth go, but look forward to seeing her again.

The other girl in the photo is Michelle Mock who also left us our Freshman year. Last we knew, Michelle returned to New Orleans sometime after high school. Who knows? Maybe we will reunite with her as well. Her date was Jack Mitchell...SHS.

Please know that the reunion is not just for those who walked the night of graduation.........it is for ALL of us who spent many school years together. Let's get together, laugh and celebrate the fact that we are no longer teenagers!

Send information to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com


One more thing.....I hope you forgive me for the extra corny title. I guess I was having a brain melt down on this one. The song kept popping up in the back of my mind. I will admit..... I have it and a few other KISS songs downloaded. They are on my boys' mix sticks (Disney's version of a MP3 players). They call this one the "sad" song. I don't guess you're ever too young to appreciate good ole rock-n-roll. It's priceless watching them sing some of the classics.

"Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man"

Look close and you just may see the mom of these three precious children. Look at their eyes and there is no denying that they belong to Kathi Easter Nelms.


Kathi writes:

After graduation, I went to Louisiana Tech for a year, then I transfered to Texas A&M. I searched the school catalog every week looking for a new major, but never followed through with a change. I graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. I worked for Texaco in the huge town of Sour Lake, TX for about 2 1/2 years. I married a Mississippi boy in 1994, who took me to Dallas where he was beginning Law School. This was not the best situation for the 1st year of marriage but luckily, Stefanie Duley was our neighbor and while Johnny studied Stef and I got to hang out. I worked for an international oil company, Triton Energy. When Johnny graduated, we moved to the Biloxi/Gulfport area. We are now happily settled in Gulfport and will probably be here forever. Lawyers don't tend to move around much. We have 3 kids. Alex, who is 8; Patrick, who is 6; and Rebecca, who is almost 2. I am very happy staying home with them just being a mom. I am sending a recent picture of my kids and I am looking for a recent picture with me in it, but there are not very many. I guess I'm usually the one taking pictures.

Rami and I are having fun hearing from everyone. I think Rami is doing a fabulous job with the website!! So y'all keep her happy by sending her emails and reading her posts!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone next year!

Kathi Easter Nelms

I contacted Kathi when I began thinking of our reunion (after being inspired by the SHS 86 blog), and she was thinking about it too. Since then she has been working very hard - late night/early morning hours finding you and creating a database. So it is important that you send your updated information if you have not done so already. nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

I am proud to announce that I have finally recieved enough updates that I have them lined up for posting. As of now, I have a new post for everyday through the weekend. Some of you must have gotten the sense that I was on the verge of posting one of my "desperado" posts. Please keep them coming!

As for now , stay tune for tomorrow's update!!

Un Plaisir de Francisco de San

It is funny how somethings I can remember like it was yesterday and somethings I can not remember at all. I guess I'll never forget when Chris Kughn first came to Boyet. All of my friends, including myself, had a crush on him. So you can imagine how happy I was to open this in my emails.

Chris writes:

I live in Marin County, outside of San Francisco, where I have been for the last ten years. I moved here to pursue a graduate degree in psychology and am currently working as the supervisor for the Psychiatric Emergency Services in Marin County.

I have two beautiful boys, Terran who is 3 1/2 and Jaden who is 1 1/2 and a wonderful wife named Liz. After I left NHS I attended SLU ever so briefly and then transferred to the University of Pittsburgh where I finished by bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in French. I lived in Paris for 9 months in my last semester of school and loved living there, but I needed to come home and finish my degree. I lived in Pittsburgh for five years after school trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. Then I knew I had to return to complete my education in psychology. I came to San Francisco and met my wife two weeks later, the rest as they say is history....

I missed the 10 yr reunion, didn't know we had one. I have returned to Louisiana only a couple of times since I left in 89 but I do still call it my home, however, I don't think I could ever move back. Thanks for putting all this together and I hope to be able to come back for the 20th....I will send some pics later.

Chris

I am so glad we found you in time for the 20th reunion.........Thanks to Carolyn, K-Teri and Ashley. Hearing from you sure has been "Un Plaisir de Francisco de San"....that is French for "A San Francisco Treat" (Or at least that is what the translation website said.) Hope to see you next year!

Remember we are still in need of everyone's help. If you have an idea of where we can find some of the 100+ of our missing classmates, email us with the information. If you have their information, send it to us or tell them to send it to us. Photos are always great too..........old and recent.

Send information and photos to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

Mad Scientist's Local #181

YEY!!............It is becoming contagious! Either that or Susan did some threatening when she urged Rob Moore to submit his update. What woman! I am grateful to her and to you, Rob. It is great to see that you' re in the "atmosphere"!

Rob writes

Moving right along, I have not yet created my "bigger and better bomb." Since the last reunion I have moved out to Denver, CO for eight months. That just did not last long though, and my wife, kids, and I moved to New Orleans. There I taught high school math and science at Crescent City Baptist School, but the school started having some troubles and rather than wait to get unemployed we all picked up roots and moved back out to where my wife is from in Georgia.

This also had the serendipitous effect of sending me back to school. I planned on getting my teacher certification in general science, math, and social science, but found out that the Physics Department was looking for a lab coordinator. This was the department I graduated from, and my old professors, so I jumped at this. So for the past year I have been teaching astronomy and physics labs and keeping the department in the equipment that it needs as well as supervising a lot of our student workers. I should soon be working on the graduate degrees that I have been putting off for about ten years. All in all it has been a wild ride.

Please feel free to post this little note, or just drop it in File 13, but certainly keep me on file for updates about the reunion.

Rob Moore

Drop it in File 13? ...........No way! I think everyone is enjoying reading everyone's updates. I know I feel so lucky to be able to read them before anyone else. It is my goal for when we meet again for us to feel like we just left each other.

Remember, send all updated information to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

You Scream, I Scream, We all Scream for ........

"You scream, I scream, we all scream for Eric Epperson!" I am so glad you found the blog. And I must admit that I was glad to see that you spent most of your work day reading it!!! We won't tell anyone......I just hope it did not delay my LLBean package. LOL!

Eric writes:

Cheers Rami –
Yesterday was very unproductive for me at work - Kathi sent a link to the blog and I spent way too much of my day traveling back in time through the postings and photos. It made me miss Slidell, and specifically our senior year.

For me, our senior year was all about the girlfriend from SHS- she worked at Swenson’s in the mall and we met the summer of ’86 (all the waffle cones I could eat baby!). I spent every free minute of my days and weekends with her. Unfortunately it meant I missed out on important opportunities to strengthen friendships and be a part of many of the NHS memories that have been archived in the pix throughout this blog. I’d be lying if I said I had no regrets about how I managed my priorities back then, but at the time I was convinced it was absolutely the right thing to do. She wound up dumping me for a security guard at the mall named Luke (OK Chuck Murray – you were right).

After graduation, several of us took a senior trip to Gulf Shores (Chuck M., Chris Hill, Chuck Spano, Ferlin (Andre) Smith and a couple others – I’m trying to track down some photos for you). Two weeks after returning from the beach my family moved to Memphis, and within a year I’d pretty well lost regular contact with all of my NHS friends. I’m getting ready to cross a milestone in my life– next year I will have lived more of my life in Memphis than I did in Slidell (factoring out my four years at Ole Miss). I’ll always tell people I’m from Slidell though.

My wife and I have a 9-year-old son (I brought him to the picnic during our 10th reunion when he was 6 weeks old) and a daughter who turns 5 in August. I’m director of communications for FedEx and my wife stays at home. She probably doesn’t know how to make a waffle cone but she’s a great mother and has absolutely no interest in hanging out with security guards.

Thanks for keeping us all organized and I hope I’m able to make it down for the 20th.

EE

I hope you can make it down here for the 20th as well. I'd love to meet your wife and children. Isn't it funny how there is just something about Slidell (well, Louisiana) that is easy to call it HOME? I'll be looking for the photos. Post just aren't the same without them.


nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

"Where the STREETS Have No Names" No...They Have Quite a Few!

Well, unlike U2's 1987 hit song, "Where the Streets Have No Name" these "Streets" have quite a few names in their family. That is Doug and Susan (Susan Ramke) Streets. Doug and Susan are just one of a few of NHS Class of 87's marrying sweethearts. Susan found the blog via the Classmate's website.

Susan writes:

At the last reunion our son, Reed was about a year old. Now we have 3 boys: Reed is 9 (about to be 10), Derrick is 7 (about to be 8) and Nicholas is 5 (won’t be 6 until February). Doug’s career, he’s a mechanical engineer, took us out of Louisiana for a bit. We were in Ottawa, IL for about 1 ½ years. Nicholas was born there - he’s my Yankee baby. Couldn’t take the long, cold winters - told Doug to take me home or I’d make his life hell. So we’re back in Slidell. Doug works for ConocoPhillips at their Alliance Refinery in Belle Chasse. It’s a bit of a commute but he likes the job and enjoys those days when he gets to take his motorcycle. Reed will be going to Little Oak in the fall. It’s amazing but they’ve still have teachers teaching there that I had at Boyet. Hopefully, they won’t hold that against him. He’s into sports. Mostly baseball but soccer’s up near the top of his list too. He just made First Recommended Black Belt in Tae Kwan Do. He’ll be a full First Degree Black Belt after his next testing. Derrick is on to Honey Island in the fall. Soccer’s his favorite these days. He is also taking Tae Kwan Do - he is a senior green belt - about half way to his black. Nick starts kindergarten at Cypress Cove this year and I am sooooo ready for that. He’ll be trying soccer this fall for the first time. Nick is a green gator in Tae wan Do. He’s in the younger kids program and has a bit to go yet. After many years working in the legal field, I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past 7 years. Most days I love it - but I am looking forward to more time to ride my motorcycle, play guitar and actually finish some of the projects I’ve started.

Like most people in the area, we did have some damage from Hurricane Katrina. We had about 20 trees down in the yard. One landed on the roof above the kitchen. We also had about a foot of water in the house. We are finally back in the house but we’ve still got a bit to do. We had started remodeling the house just before the storm and, now, Doug still wants to do most of the work himself. So it’s taking a bit of time.

I’ll admit, I have been lurking around your blog for a few weeks now. It was your “Calling ALL...Heads, Jocks, Geeks, Punks, Skinnies and Fatties” entry that convinced me to write. You’re right. Here we are almost 40 - time to get over high school. I am still in touch with a few people that we graduated with, Rob Moore and Jean Hoover. I have passed on the info to them. Hopefully, they’ll both respond. I think I may be able to track down a few others. I am really looking forward to seeing everyone - and who knows, maybe even make a few new friends that I’ve known forever.

If you have been reading, you know how thrilled I was to receive this update.

Thank you, Susan! You made my day, my week and maybe even my month. I will be looking for you at the Open Houses for the boys' schools if I don't see you before then. I hope you and/or Doug can make the reunion planning meeting we are planning on having in the near future. I'll send you details when they are finalized.

Remember...send your information to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

Blog Appreciation Day

Today is "Blog Appreciation Day"! Who knew that there was such a day?

I know in past post I mentioned getting quite a few email from SHS Tigers. It is nice to know that they are reading too and responding!! Thanks, Tigers!

I want to share this Tiger's email with you. It is a testiment that we aren't the only ones with fond memories of Mike Paulsen. This email is one of two I have received from SHS (within a day of each other) learning of Mike's passing for the first time from the post "Remembering Mike". I hope when you get a chance to email me with information, you have a fond memory of Mike. This email is also one of a several that I've received that have expressed their appreciation of the information in the blog as well as encouraging and supporting it. Thanks readers and responders! I am so glad that you're enjoying it.

Hey Rami!
My name is Matt Blackford and I went SHS. Was supposed to graduate in 86 but didn't make it until 87 due to illness. I ran across your blog the other day and wanted to say thanks for doing what you are doing and making good old memories seem like yesterday.

I don't know if you knew me back then but I vaguely remember seeing you around (parties and things like that).

The other day I was reading your blog and saw the posting of Mike Paulsen. He and I used to live across the street from each other before his family moved out towards Cross Gates. We were pretty close and often times inseparable. We were typical little kids racing "big wheels" and playing mischief in our neighborhood. I even remember that he dropped a brick onto my head from about 20 feet in the air when we were building a tree fort in my backyard. Funny how you remember the painfull but funny memories of a person. I was shocked to see that he had passed away.

I used to run into Mike every now and then while "cruising" or just making rounds at functions. We always greeted each other with a hug instead of a handshake.

I just wanted to say thank you for bringing up some good memories and keep on blogging. I know you will find most of your classmates- just keep trying!
Take care,
Matt

ALSO a GREAT BIG THANKS to Charlene Cafarelle (SHS 87) for taking the time to read my post on "Calling All......" and responding to it via an email to SHS blog and inspiring the post on Labels...Do They Still Exist? Click to read!

A little bird has also told me that Brian H. knows about the blog along with Chris K. I have Chris K's address information, but need confirmation on Brian H's. So Brian......I hope to hear something from you via the blog. And guys, a nice update from both of you would be great to post.

I often (well everyday) check out SHS Class of 86's blog. Today there was a picture posted of Amy D. and her husband, Rick N. Amy, I found you by being nosey so if you find us... contact us. Or if we don't hear from you, we'll be calling. I hope the address and phone number I found are correct, and we hope to see you at our reunion.

Remember to send all information to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com. Also, we need your help with locating others. Let us know who you still keep in touch with.

Calling ALL...Heads, Jocks, Geeks, Punks, Skinnies and Fatties

LABELS........that is what high school is all about! While some of us have the fondest of memories, others can not shake the labels, isolations and clicks. It is sad that this was part of our past, but our high school would not have been a normal high school without it. I would even bet that it goes on still today. The names may have changed, but the differences are all the same.

Twenty years later this may have one asking the question “Why would I want to go back and reunite with my old classmates?”

Well, I would like to think that twenty years later things of this nature would not matter to us anymore. But then I remember the question I was asked a while back by one of my long time childhood friends. For privacy, I will call her Jane. I mentioned to Jane that I had ran into another long time childhood friend (I will call her Sue). When I told Jane about Sue, Jane’s first question was, “Is Sue skinny or fat?”. I was shocked at the forwardness of the question. It had me thinking that if this is what old classmates want to know, I am in big trouble and better stay home the night of the reunion.

What are reunions really about? Are they about.......Who is fat? Who is skinny? Who is bald? Who has crows' feet? Who drove up in the Mercedes? Who’s wearing the Rolex watch and the 2kt platinum diamond ring? Who never married or who has been married 3 times? Who has partner instead of a spouse? Who has children or who doesn’t? Who works at Shell the gas station or Shell the fortune 500 company? Who has been in jail or who puts people in jail? DOES ALL OF THIS REALLY MATTER?

I think reunions are about celebrating one’s happiness with old classmates. Celebrating the fact that as adults we’ve matured to the level where there are no more “labels” that divide us in the commons area. And that we can see that the once so called “head” just may have turned in the Ted Nugget shoes for a court room suit, that the once so called “jock” vows each new year to loose his/her love handles, and that the “geek” you once cheated off of in Science should be on the cover of GQ or Vogue Magazine. Regardless of who we are and how we look when we reunite, let’s just be happy with the fact that we are no longer 15 years old in high school. I mean ...come on now! We are almost 40!

I also hope those of you who for some reason did not walk with the graduating class of 87, but attending school with us know that you are welcome as well. And those who for some reason left us early are also welcome. Just send us your updated information at nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com No one remembers nor do we care........we want to see you!

And as far as Sue being fat or skinny........she is simply BEAUTIFUL!

"I'm Lost and I'm Found....."

I received a copy of the database that Kathi has been working on since the blog began in late May. And boy, do we have our detective work cut out for us! I 'll be hitting the phone book over the next few days to see about those still in town. I think so many of our classmates families moved here from other places, and that after high school, they moved on. I don't think NHS had that many true Slidellians going to it???? Most of the true, blue Slidellians lived in the heart of Slidell and went to Slidell High. Maybe that is why they are having great luck finding most of their class, and their class is a lot bigger than ours.

With all that being said.........I think if those of you who have found the blog find or contact one other person and they find or contact one other person and so on............we just may have some luck with finding our classmates. I add finding at least one person to my begging for your updates! Give them the blog address www.nhsclassof87reunion.blogspot.com

If you are just finding the blog, you will not want to miss any of the post. To the right of the post in the margin, you will see the "Archives" of the months past as well as the present month. To view all post in that month, simply click on the month and scroll down. The "Previous Post" can only display so many post before they are archived under the month in which they were written.

Lisa Madden and I had a mini reunion with Shawnna Ryder this past weekend. I can not tell you how fun it was to laugh with her and to catch up on her exciting life. It was great to pick up right where we left off in college. She has now vowed to stay in touch. It has also motivated her to search for Camilla. So why don't you give the people finder a shot? It feels so good to chat and laugh with an old friend that you will want to find another one.

If you are reading and have yet to send your address, email, and phone number to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com, please do so, so that Kathi can update your information in the database. I would also love to post your update with old and/or new photo. Post are not the same without a picture!!!!! Don't you agree?? Or if you're not up to the update and have a website that you would like for me link from the blog, I'll be happy to do so.

Have a great day!

No Where Else I'd Rather Be

I guess it is hard for me to expect you to send me your update of your past 20 years when I have not even shared mine. Like everyone else has said so far.....where does one begin and what does one include? Surely I will only include the important highlights, and I'll spare us both the hard lessons learned! However, for me, it is the lessons learned that has made me the person I am today.

When I left you 10 years ago at our 10 year reunion, I had graduated with honors (believe it or not!) from SLU in Elementary Education. It had taken me a long time, but I did it. I had even been recognized by my professors as an Exemplary Student in Education my last semester there. After graduating in 1996, I married Kenny Parker. This August we will celebrate our 10 year anniversary.

Since then, I had our first son in 1998. Teaching school and being a mom to one child seemed to work well for our family. I still had time to be creative in the classroom as well as at home with our son. I had even had one of my classroom management techniques published in popular teaching magazine, The Mailbox. (Honestly...not that big a deal. I just thought it sounded good to add that to my update.) It was not until 2001, when I had our second son, that I quit my teaching career for the job that I am most proud of........"Stay at Home Mom". The pay still stinks, the hours are long and the duties are hard, but the rewards and benefits out weigh any honor society, award or magazine publication I could ever brag about. And just when I said "I would turn down $1,000.000.00 before I would have another child", I was pregnant with baby number three. Yes, I have guilt when I think of that statement because she is such a blessing to our family.

God has blessed me with a great family and the wonderful job opportunity of being a stay at home mom. This job allows me to be involved with my children and other children at school via being a PTA Board member and a room mom to my children's classes.

Sure there is a lot of yada, yada, yada in between like us passing on a move to London and relocating to Houston. It just seems right for us to stay here to raise our children with family near by to enjoy watching them grow. I also enjoy my children going to school with my school mates' children..............not that too many of you are still around.

So when you see me toting three kids around town in my SUV wearing a baseball cap, no make-up, a tee shirt, jean capris, and a pair of $1.00 flip flops, know that I love what I am doing. There is no where else I 'd rather be 20 years after high school.
And in between bottles, dirty diapers and PB&J sandwiches, I bring you this blog. I hope you are enjoying it and find a minute to share your update with all that are reading.

The pictures are a glimps at a day in the life at our house. I would have posted a nicely posed picture for you to view, but need I say more. We tried......and tried.........and tried again until we had all had enough. We did have a few good laughs. It was the 4th of July.

I heard from Peezie Leininger. She is looking forward to reuniting with everyone. Hopefully she'll be sending us an update soon!!

Send your contact information and an update to post on the blog to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com Your contact information will not be posted just your updated information. I welcome all high school photos as well as recent ones.

...My Feet on the Ground

Everyday as I check the blog's email for ANY emails from you or any comments, I check the blog as if I weren't the one posting all of the post or uploading the pictures to it. I guess I think that the "Blog Fairy" may have posted something on it while I slept. No such luck with a fairy, but great luck with Michelle Fields Pierce.

Michelle writes:

Like most of you, I can't believe it's been 20 years. It doesn't seem like we graduated yesterday, but 20 years?!

After graduating, I attended USM in Hattiesburg, MS. I was on a music track there and decided I didn't want to continue on in that field of study. I talked a good friend of mine from grade school, Heidi Burch (SHS class of '87), into moving to Disney World to work. We packed up and moved to Florida, eager to find great jobs and have fun. We found an apartment in Kissimmee, Florida--a short drive to the park. After a few months of handing out beverages at Epcot, I decided to work a little closer to home, so Sea World became my new employer. I worked as one of the animal educators, taking tourists on behind the scenes tours. By October, I was homesick and realized I missed the college atmosphere. So, I moved back to Louisiana and began attending SLU the following spring as a psychology major. After completing my degree, I pursued a M.A. in health (also at SLU). I moved to Dallas, Texas in the summer of '95 to work an internship at the American Heart Association. I enjoyed living and working in Texas and began searching for a permanent position. I met a flight attendant in my running group who informed me that her company (American Airlines) was in the process of hiring flight attendants. On a whim, I applied and went on an interview. I wasn't sure how I would complete my master's but I was curious about what the rest of the world was about and thought it would be a great experience to travel while finishing school. On November 10, 1995, at 7:00 p.m., I was flying to my new home in New York City. Living there was an incredible experience! I spent my time off at the NYC library frantically trying to complete the two projects necessary to fulfull the degree requirments. During the 9 years with the airline, I lived in NYC, Boston and San Francisco. On the morning of September 11th, I was on a flight departing from Newark to Dallas. I had just spent the evening prior in NYC. Like so many, my life drastically changed that day. I had spent time and worked with Boston-based crewmembers who you've all seen and read about. The events of 9/11 hit entirely too close to home for me. It helped me to re-prioritize my life and to appreciate the people in my life a great deal more. I knew then that it was time to keep my feet on the ground.

I enjoy reading, listening to music (I still play once in awhile), and jogging. I'm sure I will, once again, enjoy traveling by air. But, for now, I love roadtrips!

In 2002, I married Michael Pierce. We had developed a friendship over 9 years! We have a 17 month old boy, Brendan Michael Pierce. I now teach health and wellness classes part-time at Collin County Community College in Plano, Texas. I am also a freelance writer/photographer. Although being a mom keeps me on the run, I hope to eventually publish some of the projects I'm currently working on.

Thanks Michelle! It so good to catch up with you.

Brooke, if you are still reading...you've had the most request for me to forward email addresses to you, but I don't have your email address to send you the requested information. ?????

Remember......send all updated information to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com Please let me know what can be posted on the blog. I'll only put what you say is okay.