Commencement Ceremony - June 2008

Rashid Cunningham is 18, Elmer Valdes is 18, and Erline Valdes is 18.  (S'Ahmisa Warwick is visiting from Apple Valley.)

**Marchon Cunningham, Valedictorian of The Class of 2008, is 17 and currently attending the University of Riverdale.  He elected to graduate high school early.**

It was a gorgeous Saturday morning!  The birds graced the surroundings with their melodious songs.  The rays of sun warmed the souls of everyone and brightened the day with more sunshine.  

As the guests filed into the quaint auditorium, ushers passed out programs at the door.

Summer Internship - June 2008

Sabien, Sr. is 52, Tomika is 52, Rashid is 18, and AV guest, S'Ahmisa Warwick, is 18.

Summer Internship - Part 2 - July 2008
Summer Internship - Part 3 - August 2008

*a not-so-mini-mini update, I hope you enjoy.*

It was the 2nd week of June, and quite a cool, crisp day for summer time...it felt more like spring time outside.  Sabien watched as the beautiful girl descended the stairs in full Kimikurian dress.  He was thrilled to be hosting his first summer internship with such a gifted student. 

As S'Ahmisa stepped off the airplane, she remained very enthusiastic about her 3-month stay in Simmington Hills.  Although the realization of being away from her family swiftly came over her just as the cool breeze blew onto her face.  This was not another family trip.  She was visiting another SUN hood all by herself.

I can't believe I'm meeting Mayor Sabien Cunningham!  S'Ahmisa thought as her heart raced wildly.  Her knees were a little shaky with nerves, and she concentrated intensely on her Geta sandals, trying not to stumble down the stairs in front of the man she's wanting to impress.

"Mayor Cunningham, I'd like to give you this gift from Kimikura on behalf of my parents, Sazo and Sandy Warwick, we think you'll like it alot."  S'Ahmisa nervously handed Sabien the heavy gift.

"Well, thank you, S'Ahmisa!  I'm sure me and my wife will enjoy it very much.  Thank your parents for me.  I can't wait to see what it is!"  Sabien smiled.

"Aren't you going to open it?"  S'Ahmisa smiled anxiously.

"Sure, I can open it now..."  Sabien fumbled with the paper and the pretty red ribbon.

   "It's a gold-plated Kimikurian Tea Set.  The kind they use in the old temples."  S'Ahmisa smiled.  "There's dry tea bags in there also, to revitalize your senses and make you feel refreshed and energetic."

"Oh wow! How beautiful!"  Sabien exclaimed.  He had a luggage handler place the gift in the car, and turned back to S'Ahmisa.

"I hate to rush you, but we're gonna have to hurry and get changed.  We've got a speaking engagement over in Bluewater Village."  Sabien stated.

"That's no problem, I can change quickly.  I've brought a dress, is that too formal?" 

"No, a dress will be fine.  I'm wearing a suit.  Hey, have you ever been to a military base?  We've just opened the one in Bluewater, and I'm excited to see it."  Sabien asked her.

S'Amisa's thoughts flashed back home, and she thought of her boyfriend, Verde Herendez, and his efforts to pass the physical test at Fort Apple's ROTC camp.  Before she left, Verde had shared his intentions to marry S'Ahmisa with her parents.  She was in no way ready to take such a big step.  She was even questioning whether it was best to stay with Verde, since their lives were taking different directions.

Sabien and S'Ahmisa continued their light chit-chat in the towncar all the way home.  (The highlights of the Bluewater speaking engagement have been reported in the Simmington-Times Announcements section.)

Much later, just north of Cunningham Airport on Cedar Street, Tyisha Masters was opening the newspaper to read the events of the day...

"What the heck is this?!?!"  As she sees the picture of this gorgeous girl from out of town, who's living at the same mansion as her boyfriend, Rashid...and he never even told her about it...

ANBachelor - June 2008

Anthony is 42, Nedra is 35, Kendra is 12, and Kent is 4.  Skittles is their female kitten.  :P

*This is a long one*

Anthony Bachelor moved his family to Simmington Hills to help develop the town's military program. It's his job to recruit young cadets that will successfully defend against future militant attacks.  He's already recruited 15 year old Sierra Spencer into the ROTC program. 

Sierra shows real promise and potential.  This is what she's always wanted to do.  Anthony knows it's her determination to step into what her mother, former Military Advisor, Asya Rasmussen, started, and that's what gets her over that wall.  She told Anthony it was important to her to change her mother's legacy, and it touched his heart.

Anthony will be reporting to a highly decorated officer by the name of General Bruce Peterson, who has recently moved here from Apple Valley and lives in Bluewater Village at the Fort Hills Military Base [FHMB] with his wife, Greta.  (See Simmington-Times Headlines.)

Simmington Hills' military program is in its infant stage, and will take years to become the powerful institution Mayor Sabien Cunningham, Sr. hopes for.

Are You My Daddy? - May 2008

Edward Valdes is 45, Emerita Valdes is 45, Elmer Valdes is 18, Erline Valdes is 18, Mayor Sabien Cunningham, Sr. is 52 , Lt. Tomika Cunningham is 52, Rashid Cunningham is 18, Ray Wilsonoff is 33, Lydia Wilsonoff is 33, Dr. Trinity Dalton is 52.

Last month during lunch in the cafeteria, Rashid Cunningham had slipped Erline Valdes a small note asking her to call him.  She never did.

Surprised?

He was too, when he never heard from her.  It was her moment to find out where he stood with her.  And Rashid was ready to put his heart and his future on the line to step up and be a man...in his way; on his own terms.  He would've told her that he was ready to step up.  But, by the time Erline got home, exhausted from her first full day back in school...the fantasy had died and reality had set in.  What if?  She asked herself.  What if he's not the father?  Why mess with his head?  She'd done enough of that already.

KARaphael - May 2008

Kofi Raphael is 35, Amara Raphael is 34, Chima Raphael is 8, and Ashanti Raphael is 4.  Doogie is their male puppy. (This family portrait was taken when they moved in, before Ashanti transitioned into a child at the end of their rotation.)

Kofi and his wife, Amara, have traveled many miles from CapeSim Town, South Africa; fleeing from a terrible flu epidemic that left them and many of their family and friends with a benign skin pigment disorder.  It's neither life-threatening or contagious, but if medical care is prolonged, the condition can spread throughout the whole surface of a Sim's body.  They needed to leave South Africa quickly to find a good doctor in the SimStates that was properly trained in treating the dry-itchy patches this disorder causes.