Senior Pictures and Graduation Memories

Hey Friends,

This is Odie writing today. I hope you are having a great Saturday. I am doing well. When I consider my life, I think of the song Life Is Great and Gettin' Better. Click here to see Jeff and Sheri Easter perform the song on YouTube. Here is the chorus, it makes me smile.

"Life is great and gettin' better 

Every day His grace shines through the stormy weather

Got my family and friends and when you put it all together

Life is great and gettin' better"

I can not mention this song without giving my cousins, Lisa and Deidre, a shoutout. We have fun memories of jamming to this song in Lisa's car. I am pretending that we are in the car, on a sunny day, with the windows down and sunroof open. Sing it loud and proud, girls!

Senior Pictures Memories

Today I am on a trip down memory lane. I have lived 34 years and memory lane has turned into a long lane. Not long ago my Mom was going through things in the BoggsMobile. She brought me my senior pictures from their hiding spot.

I was 17 when I graduated in 2003. Senior pictures were a long awaited accomplishment for me. I was excited to reach that milestone. I had loved my friends' senior pictures and I was determined to get my pictures taken by Mark Bush at Marx Studio. He did great work! My parents were awesome and helped me get my desired pictures!

We had to make a special trip from where we had been preaching in Florida to Kentucky to get the pictures taken. Thanks to Bro. Duane and Sis. Annie Allen for inviting us to stay with them while we were there. I know we enjoyed some of Sis. Annie's delicious cooking too.

It really turned out to be a wonderful day! Mark had a great studio in his garage and we were extremely pleased with the finished product.

I was able to scan the photos and now I can share them with you. You will see I was much smaller back in 2003. Food did not stick to me as much when I was 17. This was a few years before glasses were a permanent fixture on my face.

Graduation Memories

I graduated in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The first Saturday of May 2003, was the big day. My family and friends made me feel very loved. I will never forget their kindness to me.

Mt. Vernon Christian Academy is where I started my school journey in the fall of 1991. We had no idea that I would complete the journey there too. Eagle Heights Academy was the homeschool division of the school. Thank you, Bro. Rickey Searcy, for always believing in me! I appreciate your friendship to me and my family! We love you!

My diploma

Here is the program for my graduation service. There was also a surprise not listed in the program. The Crafton Trio sang a song and it was great! Thanks, Bethany, Anna and Callie, for singing for me. I love my Crafton sisters!

I found this newspaper clipping with my pictures. I had forgotten that I made the big time in The Western Star! Thanks to my grandparents and parents for making me "famous". I still have not made it to college, but life is not over. 

Well, I will end this trip down memory lane right there. Thank you for riding along with me.  There are many more adventures waiting ahead. See you next time.

Odie

Congratulations Deidre Boggs

Hey Friends,

It is Odie reporting in once again from Arizona. We have had a wonderful week. God is helping us in revival this weekend at Bethel Church in Phoenix. We are enjoying getting better acquainted with Pastor George and his wife Sis Binu. These are super great people.

Last Saturday I told you about my whirlwind trip to Missouri to surprise my cousin Deidre Boggs. Deidre completed her four years at Ozark Bible Institute. She majored in Christian Education. I am super proud of her for persevering and working so hard!  

I was thrilled to be in Neosho, Missouri last Friday and cheer as Deidre's name was called. We had a whole pew full of family and friends there from Ohio cheering for Deidre.

Deidre, I love you my, "Sister" Cousin! I can not wait to see what God has ahead for you.

I also had several other friends graduating from Ozark Bible Institute this year. It was great to see them graduating too! Congratulations to all the 2016 Graduating Class of Ozark Bible Institute! All of your hard work has paid off.  

Below are the rest of pictures from my trip.

Thursday night 

Deidre, Me and Lisa Isaacs 

Friday during the day

Papaw Eugene

Lisa Isaacs, Tara McCoy and Karen Boggs

Me and Uncle Steve 

Me, Uncle Steve, Papaw and Mamaw's bunny ears

Waiting for the crowd to come and the graduation to begin.

Deidre with her Pastor Kelly Rogers and Levi Rogers

Me and my friend Selah Shoemaker 

It was great to see Julie Martin

Also I had a quick visit with Brentni Hrepeck 

Deidre shared some of her pictures with me. I was unable to get pictures of all my friends that night. 

Deidre and Ivy

Deidre and Selah

Ben and Deidre 

Aunt Karen and Ben Shoemaker 

Deidre and friends 

Four year graduates 

Now it is time for graduation

A portion of the crowd. The church was full to overflowing. 

President of OBI Pastor Danny Taylor 

Class speaker Jeremey Margeson. Jeremy is a fellow Ohioan and he did a great job!

Tassels changed, now an official OBI graduate 

Choir 

Praying for graduates 

I was thrilled to see our long time friend Sis. Mary Kimbal

The Lutz from Colorado 

Selah and Lisa

Me and Sis. Shoemaker 

Me with Papaw and Mamaw. It was wonderful to get to spend a little time with them. 

Saturday 

Thank you, Aunt Karen and Uncle Steve, for picking me up and taking me back to the airport so very early in the morning. I appreciate all your help to make this trip a success!

Flight from Joplin, Missouri to Dallas Fort Worth Texas

After a quick plane change it was on to Phoenix. 

I have to close with a picture of my delicious lunch. This was the picture I sent to my Uncle Steve letting him know I was "home".  There is nothing quite like a burrito from Humberto's. 

Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic weekend. 

Odie