Authorities are still looking for a 17-year-old girl who went missing on New Year's Eve.
Family members say Ashley Marie Ryan, a senior **** High School, went to the movies with friends at Mayfaire cinema and walked out the back door of the theatre.
They say she then went to a pawn shop to trade in an iPod she got for Christmas. She used the money to buy a bus ticket to Kissimmee, Florida, just outside of Orlando. A spokesperson for the Wilmington Police Department said Ryan is most likely a runaway.
Her parents have gone down to Florida to try to find her. In the meantime, family members here are devastated.
"Ashley is seventeen. She's naive. She's a sweet little girl and we just want our kid back," said Ahley's Aunt. "She's just a kid. She's just a little girl. And we want her home. We want to get her where we can help her."
Anyone with information on Ashley's whereabouts should contact the Wilmington Police Department at 343-3600.
Thank you Hampstead and Wilmington for all your prayers, and thank you WWAY for your accurate reporting. We received calls today that she was reported found, but sadly that is not true. Please continue your prayers and good thoughts for Ashley. Yes, we checked her computer. She is traveling alone.
http://www.wwaytv3.com/missing_teen_considered_runaway/01/2008
This young girl belongs to our local band director. This is the first sign of her sighting. Hopefully it IS her and not someone using her identity or debit card.
I know the teacher wasn't in school on Monday and I suspect he isn't today either. Miss T confirmed that. I didn't say anything to her about why he wasn't at school.
Now if she hears anything, I can tell her the bigger picture, not the one of "abduction" and fear of murder/death; but one of a runaway thinking "life is greener on the other side" or having been lead astray by God knows who.
Of course we will discuss both sides of this story in theory only. We do not know the whole picture. I do know that the father, the teacher, is a loving man....loves kids and his community.
He was probably the "worst Dad" in the world - you know the one - he makes you "eat brocolli" and "brush your teeth" and "be home at a certain time" etc.
Thank God for "worst" parents like that! I'm one!
I'm just going to come out and say it!
My kid is perfect.
OK, now let's get real.
Miss T had a friend over last night "M". I don't care for this kid much. She's one of those ....you know the kind. Spoiled-er and not as mature acting as T is.
I had an issue with this kid some 5 years ago....seems "M" had talked T into a compromising situation and T said she "just didn't know what to do".
So last night they're reeeeeeeeeeal quite, playing with Barbie dolls (something "M" never was interested in doing before). No TV, no music. Just quietly. This M is never a quiet kid.
Yep, I kinda figured that! One of those "let's play house with the dolls" kinda thing.
I called Miss T out on it this afternoon....said "....like that game you and M were playing last night that you probably really shouldn't have been doing in the first place, right?"
Another "talked me into it" answer.
So we've had the talk about "just say NO and walk away".
I know Miss T doesn't like fights or confrontation, but she's gonna have to learn to say NO. That it's OK to say no.
Also overheard last night was "I don't have to, I'm the guest" when it was time to clean up before starting another activity. I walked into the room, T said "she's not helping" and I said "well, then she just doesn't get asked back ever again".
THANK YOU!!
I know how very awkward it can be to be asked to do or say something that you're just not comfortable with. Many times in my youth , hell, adult life too, I wished I'd had the gumption to "just say" something without fear of rejection or being embarassed.
Miss T has begun to "bud" a bit since beginning school. Before long the inevitable relative "Aunt Flo" will be doing her monthly rounds. Hormones will rage. She already has temperment!
"No" is going to HAVE to find a home in her vocabulary when it comes to friends.
One night when I was, oh, 13-14, I was asked if I wanted to go to the drive in movies with a girlfriend. Little did I know I was gonna be "left" in the car with the older brother - I had never met this guy before. He thought he was gonna put the moves on me. No way. I was set up! I think his sister's were off somewhere probably "watching" to see what happened.
They wasted their money is all I can say. And I resented being put in that situation. Plus when I got home, my Mom had called the other brother's house wondering when we'd be home - the one the sister's and I were supposed to be with - he knew nothing about it. Mom was not happy.
Neither was I....I explained to her how I did not have any idea that it was the OLDER brother going with us and not the one she had called (he worked for them). Lucky for me she believed me.
Never again did I go out with this crew. Although one of their cousins ended up being a good friend, and still is to this day. I was his study buddy - so he could pass Physics.
Why did they call History Physics?
(ps...check out the other ME journal link on my sidebar)
http://www.keen.com/Lady+Astra
Now x-roomie. Check her out at the above link.
Some have asked me in the past about her. No, she doesn't "read" me or us. Unless I ask lol....and I don't ask.
Except one time a couple 3 years ago I did get a call from her one night while Mr Man was "missing".
She said "hmmmmm......I see the number 4."
Then she said "and some kind of bird, large bird" and that's when I knew where he was.
4th and Swann........and it was on his arrest warrant when I got to the jail.
She studied in the parapsychology dept at a prestigious university; has a nursing license and an extremely high IQ.
Do I question the "why and how" of it all? Sure. Has she ever given me a heads up.....yes. Do I always listen? No.
Remember April of 07 when Mr Man pulled one of his all nighters with his so called pals? and after that he was going to TX to "think"?
She had given me a warning. Did I listen????
Anyway she's really a sincere gal, totally trustworthy.... a real great friend. Would be here in a minutes notice if I needed her.
While here she helped out a lot! Cooking, cleaning, helping with homework, groceries etc. I was glad to be able to help out while she was in between.
Miss T is missing her terribly.
Mom called around 1pm to say that my stepDad had gone to his cardiac rehab appt and the nurse there did not like what she was seeing. Therefore she was taking, yes, taking him to the ER to be checked out.
Mom called back to say that they offered to admit him if he agreed, and he did, and run tests often. Seems his heart enzymes were up a bit and an EKG showed some difference. He will see a Doc Connoly on Sat and then Doc Holt (the last surgeon) on Sunday then possibly a cath on Monday.
Angry? You bet. This Holt doc is the one who before the latest bi-pass was reviewing the "wrong chart" and telling them all was "good" then his "ooops" when he realized "wrong chart". Now here we are again, in the hospital, less than 3 months after the surgery.
When your car is tuned up or the engine is replaced, don't you expect another 100thou out of it?
I know stepDad has been back to his daily routine as much as possible knowing that they told him it wouldn't be a normal 6 weeks recovery...more like a 3-4 month one. I also know that he has admitted to having 1or 2 cigarettes since surgery.
My Mom was hurt and furious at that one. So were all us kids.
We are also ANGRY that this is sounding like malpractice and that our family is being HURT again by the fact that our Dad is suffering. We expected the recent bi-pass to "fix" everything.
I can only HOPE that by Monday all goes well with the weekend tests and Monday's catherization. I HOPE that this cath won't be like the last one --- leading to emergency surgery.
I HOPE and PRAY that all is well.
2007 was not an easy year. I so want 2008 to be GREAT!
X-roomie (who is a RN and a psychic as well) has said "doesn't sound good". I don't want to believe that we could receive bad news.
Would you all mind if I said I am so glad that 07 is outta here?
I'm hoping that '08 will rhyme with Great!!
Florida.........such a delight. It was such a pleasure to get away from the aggravation of hubby etc and really "get away" with the girls. Meeting Angie, Martha and Shelly was just as I had expected. Authentic women....real and loving people, which I already knew that from "just visiting the life and chaos of a Roxy world".
How refreshing to be with these ladies and their families on the beach just chillin without a care in the world. I would have never left! That's just how wonderful it was. I wanted to reach out and envelop each of them and just hang on to the moment. It felt good to be surrounded by their love and friendship.
Saturday was an early start for me and Miss T as we meandered down I-295, over the "enormous skyway bridge" with a stop for pictures of course. We checked in to our hotel and took off for "Pops" by the water to meet the gang. I was first to arrive....then Martha & kids, then Angie, then Shelly & daughter. All the "boys" arrived later on the beach (except for Martha's 2 who were already with us).
These families are beautiful people.....inside and out. And I mean that. I love you all!!!
The sound from the Drum Circle was mesmerizing and soothing. The water equally as tranquil. And the colors of the sunset here at Casey Key overlooking the Gulf of Mexico was gorgeous.....much better than up by FIL's.
I did notice that the sand felt and looked very different from ours on the Atlantic Coast. Our sand is more fine and golden....theirs light and course. Martha - I think Miss T and I found something of yours on Sunday --- see if you can find it in the pictures above.
There was buried treasure, er I mean, boys....hula loopies....champage toasts, a ball of light, foggy spotted pictures, pink shoes, laughter and lifetime friendships bonded that night.
It is certainly a tradition I want to keep for many years.
