Class of 1999

I work for Your Day, a catering company, on the side. It is one of my many side jobs and one that I love. Sometimes I help with food, and serve, sometimes I just serve. Tonight I did both. I helped and served. It was for the graduating class of 1999. I was glad to get to do this because I had a lot of these guys in my class. Many of them I have not seen since graduation night. Others I see on a regular basis. Jill, my goddaughter, was one of the coordinators for this shindig. It was held at the Elks lodge. The food was simple yet it looked so elegant. We had fruit(my display was fabulous), we had a variety of cheeses and crackers, spinach dip, pasta salad, chicken salad croissants, bbq, chicken fingers, pimiento and cheese and bagel chips(they are my favorites). There was lemonade, tea, water for the non-drinkers and a cash bar (run by the Elks) for the drinkers and they went through some alcohol. The meet and greet began at 6 and dinner was served at 7:00. Will Boos was there. He was one of my sweethearts in high school. His sister Beth was Kats best friend and her roomie for a while in college. He was with his wife Tai and they have a precious little girl named Bella. Some of these kids have really made a name for themselves since they left me in high school. There were Environmental Engineers, People who work in Huntsville for Redstone Arsenal and travel to places like Africa, trial lawyers in B'ham, mommy's, mommy-to-be's (one is due any minute and Jill is due in January). It was a great evening for me...even though I worked my tail off and am dragging right now. I was reminded by my sweet friend Nancy Bice(her husband Dr. Tommy Bice was the principal of the school when this class graduated) that I had not posted in a couple of days...but this post was already formulating in my mind. I wanted to talk about these kids. I knew them when they were 14 - 18 and they had such grandeous ideas then....they all wanted to be doctors and lawyers and pilots...Adam actually became a lawyer and is a pilot...but some never fulfilled their dreams....or at least the dreams they had then. They are blue collar workers, on welfare, good ole boys, fishermen, mill hands....but there they all were tonight...together again...and having a ball. I am reminded that not everything turns out like we thought it would when we were 18. At 18 I never dreamed I would be a teacher...I never thought I would have a Master's Degree from college. Who knew? God did. I guess that is what is important...that no matter what dream we have....God's dream is what we become. I have to admit...after sharing an evening with the class of 1999 I am glad I am teacher. I touched those lives...and they touched mine...and we will be part of each other....forever.