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.