Some pix of interest

(well, they're of interest to me, anyway...*smile*) Here are a few pix from the White Coat ceremony @ the school of pharmacy that I wrote of earlier. Also, a few gen'l family pix, plus a few others. Note: while this post is large because of the pictures, I didn't write very much. I promise! ;~{)} (<==that's me winking...)

The setting for the festivities inside the Ford Center. (taken by good friend Debbie Kennedy whose niece is in James' class; Debbie & her sister were closer to the stage than we were) This is the same facility that will host the presidential debate shortly. Don't ask me whether the presidential debate or the white coat ceremony is the more significant; I'm quite sure my answer would offend your political sensibilities...*smile*

The students file in. Note the handsome fellow second in line on this row that's entering.The festivities begin. L-R - 1 - Dr. Sparky Reardon, Dean of Students @ UM & keynote speaker for the evening; 2 - President of the Pharmacy Student Association--he's from Petal & is a P4, meaning in his second year of the program; 3 - A Pharmacy professor; she directs the labs for the Oxford part of the program; 4 - Dean of the Pharmacy School (the 2 ladies behind #3 & #4 are some of the administrative assistants in the Pharmacy School; 5 - a regional director w/ Kroger's Pharmacy division.

Signing the code of ethics/conduct for the Pharmacy program. Each student did this just prior to getting their white coat. L-R: 1 - the guy from Kroger; 2 - a classmate; 3 - my favorite future pharmacist; 4 - another professor from the Pharmacy program; this one directs the dreaded/vaunted P5 year of clinicals in Jackson. They're signing the large copies of the statement they just read. One will be on the wall inside the School of Pharmacy in Oxford, and the other on the wall in Jackson where they'll have their clinicals during the P5 year.That's James just after having his white coat put on him by the Dean of the School of Pharmacy. The books they're handing are the history of pharmacy education in Mississippi since James' is the 100th class admitted for study. I'm guessing things have changed just a smidge from 1908 until now...My favorite future pharmacist returns to his seat with his white coat proudly in place.

Coming soon, to a pharmacy/hospital/research facility near you...L-R: 1 - Friend Thomas from Batesville, whose Mom feeds this crowd on occasion since they live relatively close by. 2 - my favorite future pharmacist. 3. Roommate Lamar from Huntsville, AL; both of his folks are Ole Miss grads. 4. Roommate Kevin from Pelahatchie, MS. One always prays for the Lord to grant friends to one's kids that will help take them in the direction a parent wishes, academically, socially, and spiritually. You're looking at part of the answer(s) to that prayer.

The young apprentices with their Jedi Master & Teacher...*grin* (in the middle) legendary pharmacy educator Dr. Marvin Wilson, Assoc. Dean of the Pharmacy School. His intro at the White coat ceremony brought a thunderous ovation; he basically keeps all of the students straight & manages the academic side of the program. He is awesome!The 3 amigos, er, roommates.

"James Madaris, University of Mississippi, Pharmacy Student"

And with his Dad. Uncanny how our ties knots are carbon copies, isn't it? We both prefer t-shirts & shorts; thus, our ties will frequently be a tad off-center. And his Mom. The awesome "Tree House" of friends Jim & Dorothy Crockett out in the country near Oxford. They let Lisa & me spend the night there for white coat time. One of the great, calming,
"chill-out" retreat locations anywhere!
Inside Jim & Dorothy's place.
And again. Doesn't it just scream "y'all come sit a spell & stay awhile...and don't worry about anything!"?

Here's where James, Kevin, & Lamar live. (And Beau the killer dog too!)

My favorite brother and me. (note: I only have the one...*smile*) Jim has stepped up very large this summer in our bend in the road. Ya gotta love his shirt: "I'm Retired...(U.S. Navy logo)...Do It Yourself". Mine was purchased near his home: "Slapout, Alabama...Where You Oughta Be" This is at our house just before he headed east after our shared journey to Houston.Jim & me at his place on Lake Jordan in the suburbs of Slapout and/or Holtville, AL. James & Anne share a tube ride on Lake Jordan behind Jim's place. Lake Jordan is gorgeous & still somewhat undiscovered. If you wish, I can talk to you about an excellent lakefront condo deal there. (Jim's doing the condos...and I'm serious here, btw)My babies. All 4 of them. *grin* This is shortly before James headed back up to Oxford for school. He's holding Beau as a baby; Anne's holding our dog, Sam. Beau views Sam as a really large & cool chew toy. Sam is not completely thrilled with this view.My babies with their Mom.

And with their Dad.Again. Note carefully that Sugar--our neighbor's dog--has come to visit. Sugar is a cutie. She looks like she got up under a pickup truck that was leaking oil real badly. In fact, that's her regular coloring. When Sugar is running or walking, she has about a half-inch of clearance before her chest drags on the ground. Very amusing to watch her run; and rather confusing to Sam...
My girls. Aren't they gorgeous??
Me & my favorite HS senior. Those of you with little bitty kidlings at the house, make sure to enjoy each stage of the journey, for verily, it goes by oh-so-fast...*heavy sigh*
The HS senior with flash directly in her face.
A Boy and his dangerous, killer dog (shhh...Beau the dog [short for "Beauregard"] doesn't know he's a squirt!...*grin*). Beau is a miniature pinscher. Regrettably, as already noted, he (Beau) sometimes doesn't think he's a "miniature" anything...thinks he's a big tough guy. He's a cute as he can be, with a great little sassy personality. BTW, Beau is about as big as he's going to get. He might've added another pound or so, but he'll always look like "Honey, I shrunk the dog..."

Beau as a baby. When James first bought him, Beau would fit completely in his hand.As I say, Beau thinks he's a tough guy. I think he was barking at one of our cats here. Pretty scary & intimidating, huh? *smile*All played out; he had been all ferocious with Sam's chew toy until he just had to go to sleep. So he did, right where he was. If you ever (God forbid!) find yourself recovering from high-dose IL-2 Immunotherapy you'll need long naps multiple times a day. Get yourself one of these (the dog...not the chew toy); they are great nap-helpers, as shown in this picture. Beau & I took many a nap in my 2 recovery season from IL-2.

Me & my girls at our house just after my most recent journey to Houston.

One of my all-time favorite pics of James. We were up there for a quick day-trip visit that included visiting with the head football coach (see below). As we were walking by, we noticed that (a) Vaught-Hemingway stadium was open, and (b) nobody was watching the gate. So, naturally, in the interest of academic research, *clears throat* we were compelled to walk onto the field & take a few pictures. Something about forgiveness v. permission...*grin*

Standing in the end zone, near where James & other students encourage the Rebs on home game Saturdays, and...*searches*..."discourage" (yeah, that's a good & kind word...) the visiting team's players at the same time.

Rebel football player Chuckie Mullins was severely injured in the late 80s while making a tackle for the Rebs and never walked again. He lived several more years and was a huge inspiration to many. This is where the Rebs enter the field on game day, walking past Chuckie's "Never Quit" motto.

I don't think this will get me in trouble w/ my alma mater, given the compelling story of Chuckie Mullins, but I'm not sure about that...*smile* Funny, I don't recall putting on the flack jacket under my shirt that day. *sigh* Rest assured, there's less of me now than there was then. Still a work in progress, getting back down to, um, my "playing weight," let's say.

A very, very cool picture of James & me with Rebel head football coach Houston Nutt taken in Coach Nutt's office. My dear friend Eddie Baker had the meeting set up with Coach Nutt for purposes related to our church's Upward flag football program. Eddie invited James & me to tag along; after praying about it for a second and a half, we agreed to go. *smile* I did not tell Coach Nutt that I'm a 3-time Bama grad & lifelong fan of the Crimson Tide; I did wish him well and tell him that James is a junior @ Ole Miss. Whatever one thinks of Coach Nutt is fine; but here's a simple little photo-op that he didn't have to be part of and that will always be viewed as really cool by James & me. James was already a fan since Coach Nutt is now HC of the Rebs; I'm a fan because James is a fan, and because of this photo-op. As I told James, I hope the Rebs go 11-1 every year...*grin* Wait...they lost yesterday, so let's call it 10-2 this year.

Happiness is not having to go here...*points up* (But we are so very grateful for what that place means to us, and what they have done for us this summer)

So, now you know more than you wanted to about how I spent the latter part of my summer vacation. (Hey, at least I didn't include pictures of surgery wounds, IV bags & poles, me in support hose, and other more unsavory images of my summer...*smile*)