I got this going, so I guess I'd better put a little something about everything going on in my life. I've been with the Dallas Police Department for 20 years now. It seems like only yesterday that I was walking into the Academy, wondering about how I would make it through the next 19 weeks. I didn't even think to look 20 years ahead. I spent 5 years as a Police Officer, 2 years as a Senior Corporal, 10 years as a Sergeant and the last almost 4 years as a Lieutenant. I'm currently assigned to the Communications and Detention Services Division where I'm helping to implement a computer aided dispatch system. The Department was state of the art with the current dispatch system when it was put into place in 1972, but it hasn't changed since then. My job is make sure that the system the City purchased will work to the best of it's ability. I took over this assignment in Jan of 05 and will be there through it's completion. We are supposed to switch over to the new system in Jan of '07, and I will probably stick around until June or July to make sure that everything is running smoothly.

Cindy and I have been married almost 14 years now. She is currently working part time at our Mother's Day Out program at church and is spending the rest of her time being mother and driver to our two kids.

Lindsey is 11 and in the 5th grade. She is an excellent student, in Gifted and Talented in every area offered. Last year she was the only kid in her school to score a perfect score on the State Achievement test. I told her that it would mean a lot more if someday she scores perfect on the SAT.

Drew turns 6 on Feb 22. He's in kindergarten and has adapted fine to school. We were concerned about his ability to stay focused since at home he can't. Our worries were unfounded. He has done fine at school.

Both kids are enrolled in a Charter School for next year. We have been very concerned with the quality of the education in the Irving schools, especially starting at the secondary level. The school we have gotten them into is designed as a college preparatory school and runs 1st - 12th grades. We have friends who got their kids into it and love it. Because it is a Charter school, there are no behavior problems. Kids who become a disruption in class are simply told to not return.

We still live in Irving, about 2 miles from mom. We'd love to have visitors this summer and make a run to Six Flags, like in the old days. Anyone who is in the area is welcome to give us a call.

Hope to hear from ya'll frequently.

David

From Ronald Wayne

I got this email from Ronald Wayne. Thought I'd put it up for everyone.

David, this is a great idea! It's sad it takes funerals to get us together. Even then it seems some of us are too busy then to stop (talking about me). I hate that I get to see so few of my family anymore and that my kids don't even know many of my cousins or hardly any of their second cousins.

NEWS with me: I'm at Cherry Grove Bapt. Church where I've been for more than 13 years as pastor. We are in the process of fixing (from Rita) and remodeling our sanctuary and educational building. We have a crew coming down from Minnesota next month. My daughter, Alicia, graduates from Fairview High School May 23 of this year and my son, Christopher, will graduate next year. Both are good students. Chris plays right field for the school baseball team, so we are starting to get really busy once again with baseball season. Ya'll take care. I'll TRY to keep you all posted as to what's happening in our lives! Ron

Hello Butler Cousins, From David Smith

I thought this would be a good way to share a little information about what's going on with all the family. After Vernon's death, I realized that I hadn't seen some of you in about 13 years, since Grandpa's funeral. Its a shame to at least not stay in contact some way or another, considering that we all probably have email and web access. I know everyone is busy with their lives and their kids. It'd just be nice to know what is happening with as many as we can get involved in this blog.

I'm gonna send an email to everyone I have an address for, and that's not really a lot of you, and invite you to join in. You can post anytime you want, once I've added you to the list, and I'll try to put together a Butler family email list. I promise I won't flood you with forwards of emails or any type of annoying in-box stuff that you'll have to spend time deleting as soon as you get it.

If you would do me a favor and pass this along to other cousins, aunts and uncles, so that we can gather contact info and try to have a way of sending out news, announcements and chit-chat. My email address is david@dcldsmith.com. Also, we have a family website at www.dcldsmith.com .

Hopefully ya'll will join in this and we can at least know what is going on in our family, even if we don't have time to get together very often.

Look forward to hearing from you.

David