REALITY!

WOW!!! I was definitely surprised this morning when there were two new updates in the emailbox.

Our first update has me empathizing with Marie on the cold hard truth aka "REALITY"!

Marie writes:

Hello Everyone,

It's the "shy" one - Marie Wade. Looking forward to another GREAT time at another GREAT reunion! My life right now is consumed with extremely active, world traveling, and expensive offspring who keep me and the calendar working overtime. They are pretty well adjusted despite their parentage - LOL!!! My daughter Cody is a graduating senior at NHS this year. Thank You Lord! My son Chris is a sophomore.

WOW! 20 years! Where has the time gone? With the rapid increase of gray hairs and an unforgiving births, I have finally accepted the reality that my supermodel days are over. It has taken lots of unprofessional counseling and trips to just about every daiquiri shop in SE Louisiana but I have conceded to the truth. I am still gorgeous though!

I plan on having fun with everyone and renewing friendships and acquaintances. I can't wait!!


She still has a sense of humor. I think she also summed it up well in that in spite of "Mother Nature/genes, birth of children and McDonald's drive thrus (speaking for myself now!)" she plans on having fun with everyone and renewing friendships and acquaintances. Shouldn't that be what reuniting is all about? ............Click if you need a little more convincing.

Information on the reunion can be found here: REUNION INFORMATION

Send updates to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com
Contact information to Kathi at kenelms@bellsouth.net or Susan at sstreets@charter.net

Coming Soon to this blog:

An update on high school sweethearts

Can you guess which ones???

A HERO Among Us....a very modest one at that

This is just another classmate of ours that I searched for, for weeks before I reached him. However, it wasn’t long into my search before I found him. Like most of my searches, I began by Googling his name and like many of you, Jason Yeates has a popular name. ( I guess with a name like Rami Stein, I am surprised to see how many people share the same name.)

Anyway......one link caught my eye. It referred to a Maj. Jason Yeates in Iraq. Hearing from Sam Yeates that Jason could be in Iraq, I quickly clicked on it. This is what I saw...

Not being able to recognize “Jason’s” face in the photo, I looked at the soilder standing in the background. And I thought I recognized the stand?? I first shared it with Kathi, who was as surprised like me. I continued my search for an email address or anything else on a Jason Yeates 37/38. Finally, I found where a Jason Yeates posted a comment on a message board to someone who was doing a little geneology searching on his family. It provided an email address for this Jason Yeates. I emailed it and waited patiently. That same night I, received a phone call from LeGrande, my partner in many of my searches, who I quickly shared what I found on Jason. He studied the stand too, and then said “Hell, I’ll just call Jason’s dad. He still lives here in Slidell.”

LeGrande and I hung up the phone, I checked my emails to find a response from Jason, and LeGrande called Jason’s dad. Jason was found!! Little did I know it could have been as easy as a phone call!! But if it would have been that easy I would have never known that there was a HERO among us because Jason is very modest about it. I know he will want to kill me for posting this because he looks at it as he was just doing his job, and that it was not a big deal. But to me that is BIG!! I want to thank him, Becky and any other classmate that serve our Country so selflessly each day. THANK YOU!

Jason wrote:

Rami, glad to hear from you...Yep, you have the correct Jason Yeates.
Also, yes that was me in Iraq - we were hit by a car bomb and that
kid was wounded and trapped in a burning building. My driver and I
pulled out a couple of wounded civilians. I served 12 months over
there, stationed in Baghdad in a Infantry unit. Glad to make it home
safe though.

Anyway, things are going well for me. After I got back from Iraq in
Sep 2005, I stayed on active duty another year helping Louisiana out
with the whole Katrina/Rita mess. Got off of active duty at the end of
Oct 2006 and started back with my civilian employer, a division of
Baker Hughes. I'm presently married to my wife Jill, formerly Jill
Duncan and have been residing in Lafayette, LA for the past 9 1/2
years. We have an 8 year old son, Grant, and a 7 month old Garrett.
Life is good.

What a beautiful family. I know he is proud!

Jason thinks he will be heading back to Iraq in 2008 or 2009, and that our troups will be there for a while.

Jason, keep us updated on that and we'll keep you in our prayers.

Again, thanks to all reading who serve our Country!

For reunion information, see the REUNION INFORMATION link in the right margin of the blog. Send update infomration for the blog to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

Questions concerning the reunion? Contact: kathi at kenelms@bellsouth.net, susan at sstreets@charter.net, or rami at ramiparker@yahoo.com

Congratulations.... Mrs. Roy McFarlane

I believe we have several newlyweds among us.....pictured here is Mrs. Roy McFarlane aka Becky Lowe McFarlane. For weeks now I searched for a few of those still on the missing list. LeGrande was helping me too. We never imagined there were so many Rebecca L Lowes in the world or Rebecca McFarlanes. Then one day I received an email from a former panther that moved after our sophmore year, Edie Schwaab. Edie had found the blog and was kind enough to send me information she had on Nicole Holtcamp, Shannon Cutrer Morgan, and Becky. As you see, I got lucky with Becky. Thank you, Edie!!

Becky writes:
I moved to Missouri after graduation with my dad. I was not ready for college so what did I do? I joined the Army and went to Germany. I got married and had my daughter, Jacqueline, who is now 15 going on 18. It is scary to me cause of the things she knows about now I did not know when I was 17. I got out of the Army and went to college to be a teacher, moved to TX, then Boise, ID and had my son Troy James now 6. Then I moved to Olympia, WA. I joined the Army Reserve after 9/11, and I was mobilized for two years at Fort Lewis, WA where I met the love of my life. Saying I would NEVER get married again--we got married on 10 June 2006. So now I am Mrs. Roy McFarlane and have a stepson--son--Ryal 12. I am Unit Administrator. I take care of 140 Soldiers in my Bn, pay-promotions-training-whatever they throw at me and still in the Army Reserve.

We are season ticket holders for the Seahawks--GO HAWKS!!! But I still like the Saints--WHO DAT? I thought of Slidell after Katrina and was shocked at what I saw on TV. Amazing. I am so glad to be in touch with Class of 87. Every time I hear Never Say Goodbye, I laugh: Prom night, homecoming, the Super Bowl Shuffle, Keywanettes, the crazy drama teacher, Lisa Lipps Madden (I don't remember why I called her that), Michelle Fields, Sarah (I think of you every Sep 25), Amis and Carolyn, Pezzie, when Shannon and I were yelling at each other in the McDonalds parking lot, "Becky is getting in a fight", track meets, football games, our hair cuts and lots of other memories.

Thank you for the blog. It is great.

Thank you Becky for your update. Without updates like yours the blog would be nothing.....like it has been for months. Just think how great it would be if ALL YOU SECRET READERS would send in an update.

Funny story.... A wife of a SHS tiger from 87 writes to Kim and Heidi to tell them that her husband is on the missing list and doesn't want to be found. However, she finds the SHS blog bookmarked in his favorites. LOLOLOLOL!! What a good wife... she kept her husband's identity a secret. It just makes me wonder..... How many of you are closet readers?

Nicole and Shannon, I am still trying. There are a lot of Shannon Cutrers too and even more Shannon Morgans. I found one other Nicole Holtcamp.....age 67.

Send your updates to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com
Haven't received an invitation to the reunion yet??? Check with Kathi Easter Nelms at kenelms@bellsouth.net to make sure she has your latest address.

Click here for the reunion information.

Oh....I don't want to sign off before "CONGRATULATING" our other newlywed, Nancy Orr...Congratulation!!!!!

And LeGrande Ferguson on his recent engagement.....Congratulation!! Remember for my invitation, my name is spelled with only an "i"........no "e" like the cotton!

And Congratulations to Jeanne Beinvenu, a SHS Class of 87 friend featured here on our blog in many photos, on her recent marriage.

Love is surely in the air!!!

Reunion Weekend Important Information

The first set of invitations have been sent. At the last hour we needed more so if you have not received it and we have your mailing address, please be looking for it soon.

In the meantime, this post can fill you in on the important details of the weekend..........

• Reunion's Main Event
• Hotel Accommodations
• Friday Night's Meet and Greet
• Sunday Morning's Coffee and Beignets
• Deadlines and Fees

John James Audubon Riverboat
Saturday, June 9, 2007

The reunion’s main event will be aboard the John James Audubon Riverboat for a two hour cruise on the “Mighty Mississippi River”. So put on your dressy-casual summer attire, grab a cool summer drink and meet us on the Aquarium Dock. (located at Canal Street and the River)

· Registration/check in for boarding pass and name tag to board the boat will begin at 6:00 pm at the Aquarium Dock. It is very important that you prepay by the deadlines if you are attending. We will be unable to accept payment on the boat.

· Boarding will begin at 6:45. At this time everyone attending must have their boarding pass. The cost is $60.00 per person prior to April 15, 2007. You must pre pay!! Money can not be accepted at the door.

· Boat will sail promptly at 7:30 with a Cash Bar, New Orleans Style Dinner Buffet, and the Best of the 80’s Music.

· More information on the Riverboat and parking at the Aquarium log on to....
http://www.steamboatnatchez.com

· For those staying in the French Quarter, it is in walking distance.

Hotel Accommodations
Hotel Monteleone 214 Royal Street French Quarter

Call 1-800-535-9595 to reserve your room today. Only 25 rooms guaranteed at this rate. Room rates apply to reservation made prior to May 8, 2007.

· $119.00 per night with a two night minimum stay for this rate (Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday)

· Plus 13% tax and a $2.00 occupancy fee

· Covered valet parking is available at $27.00 a night for cars and $32.00 a night for SUV’s

· Reference Northshore High School Reunion when making reservations. Please contact us at nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com if you have any trouble getting the rate prior to cut off date, May 8, 2007.

· Airport Shuttle available at airport for $12/$13 a person

· All events in walking distance from hotel

Check out the hotel at www.hotelmonteleone.com for a tour of the hotel

Pat O’Brien’s 718 St. Peter Street French Quarter
Friday, June 8, 2007

Let’s start with the weekend out with a casual, fun filled night at New Orleans Historical Landmark, Pat O’Brien’s.
Plan to meet in Jackson Square in front of the St. Louis Cathedral between 8:30 and 9:00. (Look for the NHS signs.)
At 9:00, we can all stroll down to Pat O’Brien’s for a night of singing in the piano bar or lots of chit chat in the courtyard by the famous fountain.
Can’t wait to “Have Fun!”
· No cover charge
· Cash bar
· Group photos available for purchase .......

Coffee and Beignets @ Café du Monde Decatur Street
Sunday, June 10 2007

Café du Monde
for
Coffee and Beignets
Sunday, June 10, 2007
9:00 am
Located on Decatur Street
at the
French Market

Deadline & Fees:
MUST PRE PAY!!!!

Now—April 15,2007:
· $60.00 per person for Reunion
April 16 - May 15,2007:
· $70.00 per person for reunion
May 8, 2007:
$119.00 Special Hotel Room rate

Please contact Kathi Easter Nelms for her mailing address to send your reunion fees prior to the deadlines. We still have not made the minimum number of people required , but feel confident that the responses and money will start rolling in now!!! You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations..........do that now!!! Don't wait or they will be booked.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:

Kathi Easter Nelms kenelms@bellsouth.net

Susan Ramke Streets sstreets@charter.net

Rami Stein Parker ramiparker@yahoo.com

Send all blog updates for posting to nhsclassof87reunion@yahoo.com

We look forward to seeing you in June. We have worked hard to plan a very casual fun weekend for all of us to get together and have some fun... don't miss it!!