Kyle's Senior Prom

Yesterday he was still Keri's little "bubby", today he's all grown up and goin' to his senior prom - - -

Boutonniere for Kyle


Wrist corsage for Brittney


Ready to "step out"


Ryan and Kyndra join Kyle and Brittney.

Hollywood Nights

Was the theme of this year's prom. It was held at the Meshingomesia Country Club - - - -

Kyle and Brittney "on site"

The "Scene"

On the "set"


Quelle Ambiance!

Red Carpet

No Hollywood event would be complete without red carpet and paparazzi! Family and friends made up the paparazzi and here come some of the stars:


Kyle and Brittney

Keaton and Ashley

Todd and Whitney

Dane and Kali

And One More - - -

John and Laura

The Bouncers - - -

No Hollywood Red Carpet event would be complete without them!!


Throwing out a persona non grata!!! (No ticket, no gown, and way too old!!!)

Shannon's Baby Shower

Some ladies at College Church gave my friend and co-teacher, Shannon, a baby shower on Saturday. Can you find Shannon in this first picture? (Hint: She's the pregnant one!!)

Normally I would list names of those pictured - - -

But since I don't KNOW everyone's name - - -

I'm afraid to start. :-(

Jaena or Deb, maybe you could help me!!!

It was a lovely shower, and a good time was had by all!!

The LCS Family Waits - - -

For the return of our Ecuador travelers.

Pretty much ALL these people are LCS family - - -

Parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends of the LCS seniors gather at the Indy airport to await their return. I think we were a bit overwhelming!!!


Ole and Sven (known to each other as "Gregie" and "Markie") CAN do more than fish - - - - here they are waiting for their offspring to return.


My friend Diane's son, Connor, and her parents.


Greg, my TA Brittney, and Kyndra a Biology student. These two girls rode to the air port with us.

Rachel, one of my Biology students and Katie, one of my Anatomy students - - - waiting for their friend Kali to get off the plane.


John and Joy, parents of the twins Jessie and Jewel, who are part of Kyle's class.


Center is Cherie who works in the business office and is the mom of a world traveler. She is surrounded by four of my students; Christine, Brianna (Cherie's daughter), and Lacey are all in Physical Science and Shandalyn (white t-shirt) is in Anatomy.


Andrew and Shelby, Biology students, Andrew's sister was on the trip.

And Here They Come!!!

Our first glimpse of the world travelers.

Do you see the green t-shirts scattered in this mob? Those are Kyle and his classmates. I think MAYBE I can see Kyle's head in all that crowd. (I was standing up on a bench to get this photo ;-)


Brittney and Kyle.


Laura, small but mighty. Ole's fishing buddy Sven's daughter.


The LCS art teacher, Senior Class Sponsor, Kyle's friend Keaton's mom, and my kindred spirit - - - Diane. I'm glad you're back!!!


Waiting for luggage

Bahama Breeze

On the way home we stopped for lunch at Bahama Breeze. Really cool atmosphere, great food, "OK" Key Lime Pie (well, it is Indiana after all!)


Kyle and Brittney.

Korie's World

We stopped to see Korie on our way back to Marion from the air port.

Korie couldn't meet us for lunch because she was working at ONE of her jobs, teaching at the beauty school. (The look on her face is because I was being Aunt Alice Mae with my camera)


Korie with one of her students. (Totally a set up picture for me, but cute anyway, don't ya think?)

Kyle and Brittney sit in Korie's class room and "soak" it all up.

Korie and Dee. Dee calls me "Mamma Kee Kee." Until today we had only met by phone. Aren't they the cutest??!?

Candace who asks Korie about me even though she doesn't know me cause she thinks my name is unique. Candace, I have a NEWS FLASH - - - it isn't just my name!!! ;-)

One of the students, Nikki Lou, is also Korie's house-mate.

No Wonder Korie loves her beauty school so much!!! Look at the wonderful social circle she has there.

Look Who Came to Visit

Keri and Mackinley. But this wasn't just a "fun" visit, little Macky has a fever and had to come to town to see the doctor.


The fever made him thirsty.

Poor little guy didn't have much appetite, so Papoo gave him fruit bites.

Papoo says, "Macky, leave that purse alone!!!" But Macky thinks it looks like a great toy!!

Puttin' on the shoes - - - time to go home!! Get better soon, little guy!!!

k-mail!!!!

That's short for Kyle e-mail from Ecuador. Here's what he posted to the school web page after working on projects at the church all morning:

We varnished for many hours and my skull turned to flame. After the fires subsided, we played birthday games for Lycia that involved collecting trash, which I believe sent a mixed message about our feelings for her, but they were well received. My team won noggys which we soon realized were the nectar of some higher being.

Keaton, Ryan and I talked to Carlos (the hotel attendant) and his friend Edgar for quite a while in the night. I was amazed by how much we could communicate and even make small talk. The connection we made with those guys was incredible. I was amazed to see how many things transcend culture and language.

Words Will Hurt - - -

I don't usually put an editorial on my blog, but I am today.

If you live in America and are not in a coma, I fail to see how you could have missed all the furor this week over words spoken on the public air-waves by a prominent radio talk show host.

I don't think the point of all this is really whether or not you like the talk show host, or whether or not other people or groups of people have ever used ill-advised language. I don't think this is simply about racism or the use of racism as humor. I don't even think the point of all this is whether or not reaction this week has been too fast or too "knee-jerk."

I DO think the point of this IS words. Once spoken, they cannot be taken back. Once spoken they are "out there" to help or to harm. Makes what words we use of utmost importance, doesn't it?

Remember the old adage we yelled at another child, with tears streaming down our face, when we were 8? "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will NEVER hurt me." It wasn't true then, and it isn't true now.

Even though less poetic the phrase should have been:

Sticks and stones may break my bones which will eventually heal and not bother me to speak of later, but words WILL hurt me now and continue to hurt me on a level that will never completely heal and that I will never forget.

They're Off and Running - - -

I think!

Kyle and the other members of his class are off and on their way to their senior missions trip. Their destination is Ecuador.

I have no idea exactly where they are tonight, and there's a story to go with that!!!

We were scheduled to have a chapel today at 1:30 p.m. to commission them, pray for them, and then send them off to the airport in time to catch a flight tonight at 8:00 p.m.

Just before 1 p.m., they were called to the airport to try to make a 3:30 p.m. flight because the evening ones were being canceled due to a severe storm front that was predicted to pass through.

Chapel was canceled. Parents, pastors, students and teachers gathered in the parking lot to offer a brief prayer, share parting words, release helium balloons, and give farewell hugs. By 1:30 our kids were on their way.

Grapevine has it that they missed the 3:30 flight, but were going to be sent to "somewhere" before the storm hit. They will spend the night in "somewhere" before continuing on to their final destination tomorrow. I hope "somewhere" has lots of beds ;-)

What stories they will have to tell when they return!!!!

As my grapevine gives up more information I'll keep you posted.

Easter 2007

It's not often that all six members of this family get to go to church together, but that's just what happened this morning. Kelly arrived first, and began texting his siblings to make sure they were on their way. Jason, Keri, and Mackinley were almost there when they got Kelly's text. Next to arrive were Kyle and his friend Brittney, followed shortly by Korie. That pretty much filled a pew!!

Now - - - lest you think our offspring are johnny-come-latelys, let me tell you that much of their tardiness was my own fault. I didn't realize our service was starting at an earlier time today and gave them wrong information.

Following service, we had a small cousin reunion in the foyer when Paul Gene, Jo, Doug, Mary, Ryan, Matthew, and Sarah joined us.

All the 9's who could, Aunt Alice Mae, and Helen then met at Dad's for lunch. Misti and David couldn't join us from Florida, but we did give them a call. Aren't cell phones the best?!?

Easter Fun With Mackinley James

Kelly had to return to Fort Wayne to work, but the rest of the Broyles crew came to our house after lunch to visit, nap, and be entertained by our family "star" - - MJ.

Knowing he'd fall asleep if he stopped for a moment, little Macky played (and entertained) all afternoon.


Chewin' on Mr. Noah. Where's your ark?


Pullin' Papoo's little red wagon.


Hmmmm, let's see, what should I do next!?!


Batter up!!


And now the little guy is plumb tuckered out!!!