20-Year High School Reunion

It's all over Facebook.

Plans for our 20-year high school reunion.
Yes, I graduated in the year 1993.
A group has been created and old pictures are being posted left and right.
Some of which I'm going to be sharing in this post.
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My first reaction?!

I'm going to go!

I didn't go to my 10-year reunion because I didn't really care much about it and honestly, I didn't want to spend the money.

Not to mention, I didn't keep in touch with anyone I went to high school at that time.

(that was before Facebook and all the social media that there is now)

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First off, let me give you some background.

I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

From age 4-years old until age 15.

That's when we moved to Arkansas.

Hot Springs, Arkansas to be exact.

My parents hometown. Where they had grown up and all of our family, to this day, still lives.

I was in the 10th grade.

So, I went from being with kids that I knew my whole life and thrown into a high school full of people who had known each other their whole lives.

I was the new kid.

I did pretty good. I had tons of friends and hung out with the 'in crowd.
But you know what?
When it was all said and done none of the people I hung around with in high school ended up being life long friends that I have kept in touch with in the last 20-years.
Yes, there's the Facebook posts and a couple of them even came to our wedding reception we had in Arkansas but for the most part my chilhood friends in Louisiana and college friends are my core group to this day.
That doesn't mean I don't still love the friendships I had in high school.

They were great.

Memories I'll have forever.

But the more I have given thought about going to my 20-year reunion, that is taking place this June in Hot Springs, the more I think I'm going to skip out again.

Why you ask?
I'm just not sure I care enough.

The money Brad and I would spend on plane tickets, a rental car and other travel expenses we could use to take a vacation somewhere we were really excited about going!

I initially thought we could use the reunion as an excuse to bring Shelby to see family but many of them are coming here this next month.

And, my Mom brought up a good point.
If you're going to spend the money to go anywhere you should use it to go down to Louisiana and bring Shelby to meet my close friends and my family(brother and his kids)down there.

So, as much as I would think it would be fun to reminsence about my high school days and the bad outfits, big bows and crazy talent shows I participated in(see below photo).

I'm not going to do it.

No 20-year high school reunion for me.

I'll just have to read about it and see all the pictures on Facebook instead.

I think we'll take our money and head to the beach instead.

True American Hero

All over the state of Arkansas flags are flying at half-staff today in memory of Navy Seal and former high school classmate of mine, Adam Brown.

I got the word last week that he had been killed in action while serving our country in Afghanistan.
Everyone has been remembering Adam on Facebook. He was such a fun loving guy.

This was Adam's 8th tour of duty overseas and this was said to be his last. I am truly blessed to have known him and have hung out with him. It's his service that allows us all our freedom.

He died protecting his men -- Adam's best friend in high school is also a Navy Seal -- and has told family and friends that Adam's platoon came under heavy enemy gunfire and it was Adam who deterred the enemy to save his fellow soldiers.

Adam's body was flown into the Hot Springs airport yesterday and was welcomed by hundreds. Many of whom didn't know him at all.

My cousin's grandfather went to the wake last night and said it was a mob scene and that the men in his platoon were all there guarding his casket.

Adam leaves behind a wife and two children. You see them here in this picture. He also leaves behind siblings which included his twin Manda.

Adam was a big football player in high school and went on to play at Arkansas Tech - then joined the Navy. When stateside he helped coached his son's football team.

Adam is being laid to rest today in Hot Springs. I am sure that people will line the streets to see his procession.

Sorry for the grim post - but it has been on my mind. Thanks again to Adam and the rest of the men and women of our Armed Forces for your service!!

All these images were taken from Hot Springs newspaper The Sentinel Record.