10 years...Then & Now

This post has been in the works for quite a few weeks now. But with a three year old, an almost 8 month old, a new job and keeping up with the daily do's of being a wife and mommy, it was put on the backburner. Rest assured, it has not been due to a lack of reminiscing over the weekend and my visits with each of you. To my friends and classmates of Kirk Academy's Class of 2001, I thank you for the memories that we shared and the kinships that we made. I hope that each of you can look back as fondly as I can at the years spent at Kirk. To pigtails and braces, Boys II Men and awkward dances, Jaudon's lab to diploma's in hand, we made it through....and I think we turned out pretty darn good :)

Thanks to everyone who came to help make the night successful; we missed those of you who couldn't attend. Classmates came from Colorado, Tennessee, New York, Minnesota ;) and of course nearby parts of Mississippi. Here's to another ten years of great moments, successful days, and many blessings from above.

I hope that reading this post "made you Look. made you Smile. made you Laugh. made you Remember..."

Both kiddos are now up and running...supper is calling my name and I have quite a bit of laundry waiting for me downstairs. The reminiscing will have to end and greet me again another day. Back to today's moment and reality...

With love,
Carrie

P.S. This song, "Here's to the Night" by Eve 6 -- hit play at bottom of pg if you can't hear music -- was playing on the radio in my bedroom as I got dressed on the night of our graduation

Last month, I flew back home for my ten year highschool class reunion. To be able to see some of my best friends and classmates that I haven't seen since graduation was definitely one of the highlights of my trip to the South. You know, everyone has different memories and thoughts about jr high/highschool experiences. My husband graduated with over 900 classmates; I graduated with 50. Growing up in a small town has its challenges (the main one being everyone knowing your business before you know about it :)) but it also has its sweet moments and I wouldn't take anything for my childhood/youth in good ole' Gtown (as it is fondly referred to by graduates). The memories and moments that I experienced at Kirk Academy, be it good, bad and/or ugly have helped to make me the person that I am today. I truly had been looking forward to this event for months (cheesy, I know...but hey, I was not the only one! Lindsey M. (who drove in with her husband from Nashville, TN) --btw, I will be referring to everyone mentioned in this post by first name and maiden initial--admitted that she had been talking about to everyone for months. We may have been a small class, but for the most part, we were pretty closeknit.

This past winter and spring, during all the preparation and planning with the girls (aka Ashley, Natalie, Terra and myself), quite a few afternoons during the boys' naptimes and my "clean-the-house, do-the-laundry, organize-the-pantry" mommy time I would find my mind drifting to those days at Kirk. Throwing in a load of sheets...thinking about Friday night football games. Ironing clothes for the next day (which I can assure you did not happen very often until recently!)...thinking about Mrs. Bain's Honors English class and Mr. Jaudon's Chemistry Contract and the "Bible." Picking up a pizza for Parker and me for supper on the way home from being out and about all day...thinking about a large group of us in Jr High who used to always meet up at Pizza Hut (next to our movie theater) then on to the movie...afterwards, we'd hit McDonalds to play on the playground until our parents picked us up (well, this happened a few goofy nights until we got in trouble by the McDonalds employees who told us we were too big to be on the playground equipment). Oh, and Homecoming weeks were the best. 

Carrie, Terra, Ashley, Natalie

Jr. High (9th grade)

Funny enough, the four of us were always the class officers except for our Jr year when the guys in our class thought it would be a great joke to put all guys in the spots (who truly could have cared less about the position) ...well, except for the President spot, which Ashley maintained. Our Senior year, when the idea was considered once again, one of the class sponsers spoke up and reminded them that the officers were the ones in charge of Class reunions and quite a few graduation tasks...the guys didn't think that was so funny. They quickly dismissed the idea.) ;)

 Carrie, Ashley, Terra, Natalie

2011

The night before the class events, a few of us girls got together at a local restaurant to grab some appetizers and drinks while we played catch up. What I love about my Grenada Girls is how we can go months without seeing each other, but when we get together there's always laughter, catch-up-on-everyone's latest news and life, walks down memory lane and talks about the future.

Kathryn, Meagan, Terra, Carrie and Ashley

Topics of our conversations may have included (but certainly not limited to)...a 22 and 38 special complete with a proud TN armed license permit holder, a special roommate and an odd situation, potential burglars and husbands who can't hear worth a darn toot, raw shrimp, Kirk memories...and maybe another 2 1/2 hrs worth of random topics that lifelong girlfriends might be caught getting chatty about. I love these girls with all my heart and are so thankful for their friendship.

...the picture below may have included the part of about the raw shrimp...but I could be wrong. Ashley is going to kill me for posting this pic..but it was either this or Kathryn proudly flashing her new license (with her whole wallet and important personal details showing, half the picture would be blacked out for fear that some crazed maniac would look her up and attack her...not sure why I'm worried about her though...she's the one with the guns and the license to use them) :)

Saturday morning we were out at Kirk's playground for our class picnic...
photo below taken by Jan Moody

Class Picnic at Kirk Playground

...and our families

Miss Terra and myself :)

We toured the elementary and highschool buildings...they've changed a little bit in the last 10 years...still brought back plenty of recess, sidepocket, and achievement test memories though :)

Parker and his buddy Case were hard at work and play Saturday morning...

thanks for snagging these pictures of the boys, Mrs. Jan!

Photo below taken by Jan Moody

The precious new additions to Aleesha J's family...are these girls not adorable?!

Cooper tuckered out about midway through the morning.

Saturday night it was dinner and a band at First and Green in Downtown Grenada.

At 5pm the downtown square was quiet...

...not so much at 10pm...leave it to these guys to liven it up a bit...
Who needs a band, dancing, flowers, lights and food?

"Just bring on a tailgate, friends and a cold beer and we're good to go!"
So, the officers have all talked and next time we're saving everyone some money (and Ashley a whole lot of time in planning!!) and having a crawfish boil outside...on someone's tailgate. ;)

Well, at least Chad F and Meg broke it down on the dance floor...these two were precious to watch!

Well, Ashley, Terra, Natalie and I never made it outside to the tailgate party but we had quite the time chatting it up inside with our feet propped by the end of the evening. ha ha!
Thankful for this sweet fellow for flying in overnight just to be with me at this special event.

Funny how much things change over ten years. Back then we worried about what we were going to wear to the movie on Friday night or how we were going to finish Jaudon's contract in time. Now, most of are married with kids and are wondering how to get our little angels to sleep through the night so that we have energy for the next day of work. (Lindsay G, I think we're almost over the constipation thing...sleep training has started so hopefully, we'll be slumbering peacefully around here soon..I'll keep you updated) :)

7 hours later...mommy mode again...on a flight headed back to Minne...more than a little tired.

During the flight attendant's announcements, the hair pulling and the sleepy yawns, I might have drifted back into "KA memory mode" and smiled a few times. Here's to the Class of 2001 and the memories yet to come for each and every one of us!

"Made You Look"

One bright and shining moment,

when life seemed fresh and new,

With courage and determined steps,

we walked these halls anew.

Adventures waited anxiously,

to celebrate our days,

To laugh, to cry, to dance,

to sing, a time of wondering.

These ever-present memories,

captured in pictures of the mind,

Fashion a bridge to look ahead,

and all that’s left behind.

Within the hearts of each of us,

there lies a tie that binds,

Some quiet, gentle whisperings---

we look that one last time.

And looking , reach—and with one touch,

become unsung heroes tried and true,

We follow dreams and leave a past,

for those who surely follow, too.

With Him, our Guide, beside us----

age to age and heart to heart,

Our memories once again enrich,

though we are far apart.

Made you look, made you think,

made you bid farewell,

Made you face a new tomorrow---

embrace, embrace it well.

Written by Terry Jones

for Kirk Academy Class of 2001 Yearbook "Made You Look"