Brooke (Hatchett) Monroe

Though I can’t say the high school years were my favorite (read: awkward), I am thrilled to see what everyone has been up to and how we've all changed. I hope more people write in, Sharon! Great job putting this together.

So after high school, I went to Ole Miss because my daddy always told me I could choose any college I wanted, as long as it was Ole Miss. Seriously, I liked it. I miss Oxford. While there I interned for the PR department and worked for a teeny tiny newspaper in Cleveland that worked me like a slave. It was great. Except the no sleeping part. That was not great.
I graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in journalism. My parents moved to Houston, Texas while I was in college, and I felt God tugging me this way, too. I moved here in 2007 and took a job as a business/feature/city hall/whatever-else-they-wanted reporter with the Houston Chronicle. The job was cool and all, but it was much cooler when God brought along His other reason for bringing me here—my hubby. Jim was the media specialist at the church I had been attending, and we met at singles Bible study. Oh yeah, singles Bible study. He initially insulted my inner gamer during a Halo match, but we worked through it. We married in December 2008, so I left the Chronicle in early 2009 to stay home and eat bon-bons and watch soap operas. Not really. Life was just really tumultuous at the time. Sadly, my parents separated about a month after Jim and I married, Jim’s grandmother was ill, and we bought our first house, which needed a bit more TLC than we bargained for. I describe the before pictures of our house as, “It looked like Mexican restaurant threw up all over the walls.” I can paint like a boss now.

In November 2011, my son Ezekiel was born. We call him Zeke, and he is the cutest thing ever. That is, of course, a completely objective statement.  Shortly after, we felt God was leading us to make Jim’s side business his full-time job. He’s a videographer with a focus on wedding films. I’m going to shamelessly brag on him here and post his website so my fellow girls can ooh and ahh over his beautiful work—www.monroeweddingvideography.com. Anywho, I stay busy playing stay at home mom and finishing up my first book (hopefully that will actually happen sometime this summer).
I’m pretty sure I wrote way too much, and I hope some of you who haven’t posted yet will, too. Bye!

Brittany (Weeks) Hill

  10 years has flown by for me.  After high school, I started off at Northeast CC. I met lots of great people that I still consider good friends.  Then after two years I headed off to MS State to study Accounting.  My years at Mississippi State seemed to be really busy, but we made plenty time to relax at the pool too.  My senior year, I went through the recruiting process for a job that was two years away, it was stressful and fun at the same time!  I ended up with a Big 4 Accounting Firm, KPMG, that let me do an internship in Memphis second semester of my senior year.  Loved it and decided that is where I wanted to be.  I graduated with my Bachelors of Accountancy in May 2007, then I continued to Graduate school for the next year at MSU.  Graduate school is where my love for State grew even more!  I worked in the Office of Admissions as a Campus recruiter.  I got to learn so much more about the school than I ever imagined and got High School seniors just as excited about campus as I had been.  I also ended up meeting a really great guy named Benjamin who slowly made me fall in love until I couldn’t deny it anymore.  We traveled together, enjoyed MSU sports together, but most of all we loved breaking it down on the dance floor at every wedding/bar/event we attended. 

 

After a busy year of grad school, working, and studying for the CPA exam, I finally graduated in July 2008 with a Masters of Professional Accountancy, moved to Memphis, TN and added CPA to my name.  I worked with KPMG for a year and a half before moving back to Tupelo to join the Accounting department at BancorpSouth.  In August 2010, I married my dancing partner and moved into our first house.  Two became three when we adopted Jiggy, the craziest boxer puppy I’ve ever met.  I love him dearly even though he is extremely stubborn.

 

 

Benjamin and I lived through many renovations in that house before we sold it in 2012 to move to Pontotoc where he is from.   We are now currently building my dream house on a lake (ready in July) and I’m so ready for this next stage in our lives! 

Lauren (Young) Warrick

I have to warn you - this could get a little lengthy...as some of you know, I have moved around A LOT - living in 5 states in the last 10 years, but HERE GOES!

After graduating from Tupelo High School, I moved to Knoxville, TN, where I attended the University of Tenneessee (GO VOLS!) majoring in Community Health Education.  While at Tennessee, I joined Alpha Chi Omega where I was able to meet a lot of great friends, since I knew no one and was 9 hours from home.  After my sophomore year, I was told they were canceling that program, so I moved to Johnson City, TN and transfered to East Tennessee State University (GO BUCS!) where I was able to graduate with my Bachelor's of Science in Public Health.  During my last year at ETSU (2007) I went to Cocoa Beach, FL for Spring Break and while I was there I met the love of my life (only I didn't know it then).  At the time, my husband, Nick Warrick (born and raised in Spokane, Washington) was in the Pararescue (PJ) program in the United States Air Force Special Forces.  Nick was in Cocoa Beach doing some water rescue training and although it wasn't necessarily love at first sight, it was definitely love at 2nd glance. :)  A couple of months later, I graduated from ETSU and move back to Tupelo, MS to complete an internship with North Mississippi Medical Center's Department Community Health.  Then in the fall of 2007, I moved to Birmingham, AL where I attended The University of Alabama at Birmingham (GO BLAZERS!), and completed my Master's of Science in Public Health: Healthcare Organization & Policy.  While in Birmingham, I had my first born and no, not a child, but my Boston Terrier, Binkley!  After graduation in the fall of 2008, I moved to Seattle/Tacoma, Washington where my then boyfriend, Nick, was stationed.  While there, I worked as a Health & Family Services Manager for Head Start (a fedearl early childhood eduation program for low income children).  While I enjoyed seeing a different part of the county - the rain definitely got to me!  Nick finished his time in the USAF in Tacoma and we moved to Austin, TX (summer of 2009)!  My family owns a business in Austin, so Nick and I worked with them for several months.

While in Austin, we rescued our second born, our Boxer, Ginger!  After our time in Austin, we moved to Washington D.C. (early 2010) where I had found a job managing group homes for adults with intellectual disabilities and Nick worked in Animal Research at Georgetown University.  After a few months in D.C., Nick asked me to marry him and of course, I said "Yes"!  We married 10 months later (March 11, 2011) in the very place we met for the first time....Cocoa Beach, FL.  

We stayed another year in D.C. and then realized that we were ready to FINALLY settle down, be closer to family, and plant some real roots.  In May of 2012, we moved back to Nick's hometown of Spokane, Washington.  I got a job with Amerigroup, a managed care company that provides coverage for on Medicaid/Medicare/SSI, as a Senior Communtiy Relations Representative.  I love my job - I get to work with vulnerable populations providing Health Education/Promotion, and have finally found my "thing'.  Nick currently works as a supervisor at UPS (no, he does not have to wear the brown uniform...lol).  Ginger & Binkley have made all of the moves with us and they are definitely our children...although we don't have human children yet, it is something we talk about - maybe in a year or so.  Even though I am 3,000 miles away, Tupelo definitely holds a special place in my heart and I visit 3-4 times per year.  A lot of you knew my mom, Ms. Jeanne Jones, who was a teacher at Milam and THS while we were there, and she just retired last week and she always talks about our class and how special we were.  I look forward to seeing all of you at the reunion!

Natalie (Wallace) Carraway

After graduation from THS, I attended college Mississippi College in Clinton, MS. I started out with a major in Biology, but changed to nursing the semester prior to starting nursing school. While at Mississippi College, I was actively involved in Swannanoa Social Tribe. Attending nursing school at Mississippi College was a life changing experience. I was involved in the Student Nurses' Association and Baptist Nursing Fellowship. Nursing school consumes your life and those who have been through understand what I mean. Luckily, I was able to meet my wonderful husband, Jason, while we were both in nursing school. He proposed at Ballard Park on July 4, 2007. We both graduated from Mississippi College with Bachelor of Science in Nursing in December 2007.

We moved back to Tupelo, MS and both started working at North Mississippi Medical Center on the same day in January 2008. Not long after, Jason and I got married March 15, 2008 and have been married over five years this year. He is not only my best friend, but also my calmness in the chaos.

 

 We don't have any children just yet, but we have some "furry" ones! Below is a picture of Allie, Sake, and Jack. With my mom, we also own four horses.

I have been working as an Emergency Room nurse for the past 5 years. I have met some amazing people and been able to save/change some lives. Just this year, I had the honor of being nominated for Nurse of the Year Nursing Excellence award. I was also nominated for the Emergency Nurses' Association 2013 Nursing Practice and Professionalism award. Even though I did not win, it is just a huge honor to be nominated. I serve as a member on the Shared Governance Nursing Education Council, which allows me to have a voice on several issues that impact my nursing career.

I have been fortunate to gain a wonderful "second family" with my work friends. Because of these friendships, Jason and I have been able to do a lot of traveling over the past couple of years. We visited Las Vegas, Virginia, and Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri, just over the past year. We also picked up a fun hobby called geocaching. It's a great way to stay active and be outdoors, all while spending time with friends. I have been doing a little photography as well, just as a hobby in my spare time.

We are looking forward to closing on a house in June! We can't wait to have a place of our own to call home. I cannot wait to see everyone in June at the reunion!

Jessica (Golebiowski) Richardson

After graduating high school, I attended LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I graduated in December 2006 with a degree in anthropology. Quickly realizing that I needed a master's degree in order to do anything, I attended graduate school where I received a master's degree in historic preservation through a joint program at Clemson University and the College of Charleston. I spent the summer after grad school in Jamaica as an intern through an international preservation program, which was awesome. I then lived in my parents basement for a very short two weeks before making my way back to Baton Rouge. I was lucky enough to find a job shortly after heading back south working with the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation (state office). I have been working there since December of 2009 where I work with historic rehabilitation tax incentives (rehabilitating historic buildings) and local historic districts throughout the state. My job has given me great opportunities to travel throughout the state and the country and every day is a new adventure.

In May of 2011, I married my high school sweetheart, Sean, after eight years of dating. He owns his own film and photography business and is often mistaken for Zac Brown or any of the cast of Duck Dynasty much to his chagrin. We have a handsome and sweet dog named Kevin, who is our only baby for now. We just recently purchased our first home and are very excited to keep growing our roots in the Red Stick.

And as Alexis already said, GEAUX TIGERS!!!

(Jessica is unable to attend the reunion as she will be attending her sister's wedding that day).

Kami Smith

After THS, I journeyed up to Pittsburgh, PA to attend Carnegie Mellon University. I received a B.A. in Professional Writing there with minors in Vocal Jazz Performance and Drama. After CMU, I moved to Boston to pursue my Masters in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory. I graduated in 2009. I became a member of Actors Equity in 2010, and have been performing professionally in film, television and theatre throughout New England since that time. I also teach performing arts, choreograph, and work in arts admin. I recently ventured into producing new work of my own in a project that I co-founded called The Cabaret Series. We feature all original music of Boston area composers and will have our first full length show run this June.

 

(Kami is also unable to attend the reunion in June. She is glad she can reminisce via this blog, and is excited to see everyone's pictures from the reunion!) 

Brittney (Smith) Thomas

Life after high school has been great for me! I went to Ole Miss and majored in Accounting. While at Ole Miss I pledged the Lambda Sigma chapter of  Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and was active in various organizations. I also met my husband, Brandon, at Ole Miss who was a linebacker on the football team. I graduated from Ole Miss with honors in May 2007. Right after college, I moved to Memphis where I worked in public accounting for HORNE LLP.  After living in Memphis for over 2 ½ years, I moved to SC with Brandon (his home state). I currently work at a digital media company in Augusta, GA as an accountant.  In March of this year, I gave birth to a sweet little boy named Barren Malik Thomas. He brings us so much joy!

Alexis Rather

A decade seems like quite a long time, but for me, a lot has happened in what feels like a short period. It seems like just yesterday we were walking across the stage at the BancorpSouth Arena. Shortly after we all graduated, I made my way down to Baton Rouge to attend Louisiana State University. During my five years there I managed to get my undergraduate degree in Journalism with a minor in Business Administration and my Masters in Sports Management, all while playing for the LSU Tiger golf team. Immediately following my time with the Tigers, I made my way back towards home for a few years. I was the assistant golf coach at Ole Miss for two seasons before heading back down to LSU to take the assistant coaching job back down here. I'm finishing up my third year back with the Tigers, as we are getting ready to enter postseason play. During my time back at LSU, I've had the pleasure of coaching the 2011 NCAA Individual Champion and both years our team has finished 3rd in the NCAA Championship, missing out of a National Championship last year by just two strokes.

God has blessed me with so many wonderful opportunities over the past 10 years. I have been able to see some wonderful and amazing places. Through college golf I have been able to go to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Germany, Italy, and Denmark, among other places. I've also been to meet some amazing people and many have become great friends. Life is only as good as the people you are able to spend it with and I was lucky to spend most of my school years with you guys. Can't wait to see you all soon. And GEAUX TIGERS!

 

Will Fow

 After graduating high school, I joined the Army and was a Medic for approximately 4 years until I received a BS from George Washington University. I was deployed to Iraq in 2005, and Afghanistan in 2007. When I got out, I worked at the United States Army Medical Research Institute for infectious diseases until 2009. I met my wife, Kay, in 2007 while on leave in Orlando. I now work for Florida Hospital and Nemours Children's Hospital as a medical technologist in Orlando.  We bought our first home a year ago this week and love it. We have three dogs, Rebel, Tank, and Diesel, and life has never been better.

(Will is not able to attend the reunion in June, but is happy to be able to, in a way, catch up with everyone via this blog. Thanks, Will!)

Kimberly (Corbett) Jeffares

After we graduated high school in 2003, I settled into Starkville, MS where I pursued my engineering degree at Mississippi State University! Love, love, love my Dawgs! Made some great friends and memories there! I met my husband (Bo Jeffares) during a FCA event. It was love at first sight. A year and a half later he proposed to me on a safari in Kenya. We got married in June 2007; and in December of 2007, I finished my degree in Mechanical Engineering.  After we graduated high school in 2003, I settled into Starkville, MS where I pursued my engineering degree at Mississippi State University! Love, love, love my dawgs! Made some great friends and memories there! I met my husband (Bo Jeffares) during a FCA event. It was love at first sight. A year and a half later he proposed to me on a safari in Kenya. We got married in June 2007; and in December of 2007, I finished my degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After 3 years of working in Starkville for a sales engineering firm, I decided to come work for my dad in Tupelo at Corbett, Legge and Associates. We design mechanical systems (HVAC and plumbing) for commercial buildings. I live in Starkville and commute to Tupelo every day.

Last April Bo and I were blessed with a little girl! Elizabeth “Lea” just turned one, and we are having a blast raising her. We also have a Godchild named Gladys Wangui in Limuru, Kenya that we support and visit as much as we can. I have a heart for Kenya and love going to visit!

I am also the children’s minister at our church in Columbus, MS. I love teaching and interacting with the kids! They teach me so much! A fellow classmate of ours, Jay Armstrong, is our worship leader. Small world! My husband is the pastor of the church, so that makes me a preacher’s wife… haha. Don’t know if I qualify, but God is good and His grace is enough! We are just normal (or should I say not so normal) people with the same problems everyone has trying to get through life and share God’s love. I’m still the same nerd from high school and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in June!

Lauren (Weeks) Reid

Life has been an awesome adventure since our 2003 graduation.  Looking back over the last ten years I'm reminded of my two years at ICC where I danced as an Indianette. I may have been a "dork in the band" but I loved every second of it.   After moving to Starkville to attend MSU I became a Bulldawg for life! It is truly one of my favorite places on earth--which is why I stayed in school an extra year. (Something like that at least) :)  Hail State!

Traveling became one of my passions. I have had amazing opportunities to visit to Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the Cook Islands and even lived in New Zealand for a period. I plan to keep adding to that list for as long as I can.

For the last 3 1/2 years I've been in Birmingham Alabama, where I met a crazy guy who wouldn't take no for an answer. Ian Reid and I just got married in Cozumel (destination wedding of course) and it was the best day of my life. Cliche-- yes, but it was!

On top of all that I also just started a new job with the Autism Society of Alabama as a Fundraising and Events Manager. 2013 has been a whirlwind and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years brings!

Mandi (Pittman) Barnett

I have definitely taken a different path than I ever thought I would after high school.  After graduation, I spent four semesters at ICC, one semester at Northeast, and one semester to just basically have fun (which included a short six week stay in Austin, TX).  Upon my last year at ICC, I met my future husband in Booneville, MS, where he was a fireman.  After a very short six months together, we got married in March 2006. In July of the same year we moved to Memphis, TN. 

In Memphis, I continued my education at University of Memphis.  I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in English and a minor in Legal Thought.  Although I had strong aspirations of attending law school after undergrad, my plans were changed for the better as my husband and I had our first child, Lucas, in September 2008 (a mere three weeks after my college graduation). I decided to become a teacher after my son turned one because I knew that it would allow me to be at home with him more than other careers.  Teaching students has definitely taught me something.  It has become my passion and my calling.  I taught in Memphis City Schools while I worked on my Master’s degree.  My husband and I had our second child, Hailey, two months after I received my Master of Arts in Teaching from University of Memphis. 

For the past year, my family and I have been living in Panama City Beach, FL.  However, we are in the process of moving back to Tennessee in order for me to continue my calling as a teacher in inner city Memphis.  I am also currently working to complete my Masters in English from Morehead State University.

All in all, I could not be happier with where I have ended up in life.  I am married to the most wonderful man and have been blessed with two amazing children.  I have a career that is incredibly fulfilling, and each day is filled with surprises. 

Sharon (Hall) Matulewicz

I cannot say I have anything grand or out of the ordinary to write about. I haven't won the lottery, invented the next big thing, or become famous in any way shape or form. I am lucky, however, to be able to say that I am married to my high school sweetheart, live in a place of grandeur beauty, make a living doing what I love, and above all else I am happy. 

After graduation, I completed a semester of college at ICC until I could decide what my next move in life would be. Many of you may remember my hockey playing yankee boyfriend, Tim, who came to Tupelo from Michigan. In 2004, I decided to continue college in Michigan at Northern Michigan University. NMU is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the shores of Lake Superior (yea, don't worry, I also never paid much attention to the fact that an Upper Peninsula of Michigan existed until I met Tim). It took one visit to this place to know it would be a win win to move here. In my mind I assumed Tim and I would finish school and move somewhere in between our two families, but I utterly fell in love with this place - Winter and all (OK, in all fairness, loving winter took a few years...several years). I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in Psychology and a Sociology minor in 2008. Directly out of college, I began working for the State of Michigan in Foster Care case management, and Child Protective Services.  After two years, I made the very difficult decision to leave the position and focus on doing something more uplifting for a living, which so happened to be something I loved. Photography. Night and day, but I now own my own photography business, and also work full-time for a larger company shooting school portraits (Yup! I'm that person you remember "Sit up nice and tall...BIG smile...Perfect!"). It has been utterly refreshing to make kids smile on a daily basis, rather than seeing them shedding heart wrenching tears.

Tim and I were married in August of 2010. We purchased our first home a few months prior to our wedding, and it still keeps us busy as we renovate and continue to make it our own. Tim is a Packaging/Process and Manufacturing Engineer for a company that manufactures medical devices for worldwide distribution. This past year we celebrated 10 years together, and our second year of marriage. We do not yet have children, as we are still far too selfish with our free-time, and can fully admit that lol.  But, we do have a kickass German Shorthaired Pointer who is my shadow and our pride and joy! She lets me do things like this to her for work :)   I am excited to see everyone, and to roam around my hometown after so many years of being away!