ASHLEY GRADUATES

Tonight at North Medford High School, Ashley graduated with the class of 2008. The gymnasium was packed. Ashley's guests included her mom and me, Gordon (Josie stayed home sick), Tom and Ruth, Skeeter and Becky, and Andrew and Ashley.

CAP AND GOWN

Ashley had something like a half dozen tassels hanging from her cap from all the honors she received. The force of gravity pulled the tassel-side of her cap toward the middle of the earth from a particular spot where she stood in our backyard.

THREE GENERATIONS

The graduate with her mother and grandmother.

PARENTAL SUPPORT

The graduate with Mom and Dad before leaving for the ceremony.

PART OF THE GUESTBOOK

From left to right: Gordon, Andrew, Ashley, Skeeter, Becky, Ruth and Tom. The camera took some pretty poor quality red-eye photos, which I tried pretty poorly to correct. The people in this photo with beady, black eyeballs don't really have beady, black eyeballs.

PLAYING IN THE BAND

Before taking the stage, Ashley joined the band for her last time as they played prelude music while people in the audience took their seats.

TAKING THE STAGE

Ashley waits in line as shown in this fuzzy photo. They gave long-stem roses to each graduate as they crossed the stage.