Luke Kyle is held by his father in his hospital room at Virginia Baptist Hospital. "When they put him on my chest when he was born I was amazed at how perfect he was. Amazed that I had a baby," says his mother, Jessica Kyle.

Betty Moody looks at her week old great grandchild Luke Kyle for the first time during a family get together at Ian and Jessica Kyle's home on February 23, 2007.

Jessica feeds Luke at around 10:30 p.m. in his nursery after only sleeping for an hour. While feeding Luke continues to fall asleep. "I know if you don't eat now youll be awake in 30 minutes." Jessica finally gets him back into his crib and lays back down to sleep. Only 15 minutes later Luke begins to cry again.

Since Prehistoric times, humans have pierced their bodies for reasons ranging from fashion to religion to social status. Today, ear piercing is a rite of passage for countless girls. It marks a small step toward adulthood, a "tween-age" milestone for girls moving from childhood to adolescence. Stacey Scott looks at the newly pierced ears of her daughter Kaunyia Harvey, in Claire's Accessories. "She just wanted to be a little lady, so I figured this was the next step for her to become a little lady," says Scott.

Kaitlyn Alexander, 11, prepares to be pierced at Claire's Accessories at the River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg, Va.

Brittney Barbour, 6, feels her newly pierced ears inside Claire's Accessories in the River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg, Va.

Hunting remains a deep-rooted tradition for thousands of families in Virginia, passed from one generation to the next. This is the story of an Amherst County boy's frist hunt. After a few hours in the morning Anthony and Steven walk out of the woods to eat lunch during Steven's first hunt with his father on November 3 , 2007.

Steven watches for deer with his father Anthony Browning shortly after sunrise on November 3 , 2007. There were no signs of deer that morning. "We already have a really good strong bond between the two of us....We do a lot together and this is just an enhancement of that," says Anthony of his relationship with Steven.

Steven Browning smiles at his father after taking his first shot at a deer on November 3 , 2007. "This to me is a success. We saw a deer. We saw two deer. We saw two bucks. And he got a shot on his first hunting trip," says Anthony. Steven did not see any more deer the rest of the day.

LEGAL AT LAST: For a year, Allen Addair III counted down the days to his 21st birthday. On May 7, the moment arrived-legal at last. Widely considered a gateway to adulthood, the 21st birthday is as much about newfound independence as it is about the right to buy beer. For Addair, it's a moment to celebrate with friends and family. Allen Addair shows his ID to Ed Marsh, the bouncer at Mudpuppy's in Lynchburg, Va. Addair came to the bar with his best friend, Kyle Schaffner, at 11:45 pm the day before his 21st birthday and waited outside for thirty minutes before he was allowed in at 12:15 am.

Allen Addair celebrates his 21st birthday at O'Charley's during a friends and family dinner on May 7, 2008. He is wearing a hat that says,"Buy me a drink." The hat was given to him by his friends.

Allen Addair III drinks a shot of tequilla with his grandfather Allen Addair II at O'Charley's during his 21st birthday dinner on May 7, 2008.

(From left) Tiffany Oaks, mother in-law Ruth Davis, and Victoria Davis help Christin Smith get ready for her wedding in the basement of the Snidow Chapel at Lynchburg College on July 19, 2008. Smith is moments away from getting married to Elijah Davis, her high school sweetheart.

Elijah Davis waits to go to the altar at the Snidow Chapel at Lynchburg College right before the wedding on July 19, 2008.

Christin Smith (left) and Elijah Davis kiss during their wedding ceremony at Snidow Chapel at Lynchburg College on July 19, 2008. "King Elijah, you may now kiss your queen," says Garry Davis, Elijah's father, who married the couple.

Darlene Palmer has help from her son Ethan Coleman to do a pull up at the Marine Corps Recruiting center in Lynchburg, Va. This is the day that Ethan leaves for boot camp to join the Marine Corps on July 20, 2008. He is the last child in his family to leave home. His two other brothers also joined the Marine Corps.

Inside the Marine Corps Recruiting center in Lynchburg, Va., Darlene Palmer hugs her son, Ethan Coleman, goodbye as he begins his journey to boot camp for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. on July 20, 2008.

Darlene Palmer cleans her son's room six days after he left for bootcamp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. on July 26, 2008.

Lisa Dibble visits her father, Earl Stinnett, at the Medical Care Center on September 20, 2008. Both of Dibble's parents left home to live at the Medical Care Center after being diagnosed with midstage Alzhiemer's in July of 2008. Earl 's health improved and is now well enough to return home. Peggy is still too ill to return home. Earl is staying at home with a home health aide but it is unclear to Dibble how long he will be able to maintain his health at home.

Lisa Dibble takes a moment after a long emotional day of bringing her father home from the Medical Care Center. Earl was intially put into skilled care at the Medical Care Center after he and his wife were diagnosed with midstage Alzheimer's. Stinnett's health improved and is now well enough to return home. Peggy is still too ill to return home. Earl is staying at home with a home health aide but it is unclear to Dibble how long he will be able to maintain his health at home. "It was like you had lost them only their bodies were still there," says Dibble.

Lisa Dibble shows her father pants that she bought for him to wear around the house during his first day home from the Medical Care Center on October 3, 2008. Earl was intially put into skilled care at the Medical Care Center after he and his wife were diagnosed with midstage Alzheimer's. Stinnett's health improved and is now well enough to return home. Peggy is still too ill to return home. "This will be the first time they've really been apart ever....This is going to be a big change," says Dibble.

Becky Shorter drives her buses route for the last time on June 6, 2008. She was a bus driver for Appomattox County Schools for 36 years.

Becky Shorter is surprised by friends and family at the bus yard to celebrate her retirement on June 6, 2008. Shorter drove an Appomattox County School bus for 36 years.

Becky Shorter and her "retirement dog" Dusty wave to bus 16 as it passes her home in Appomattox on the first day of school on August 25, 2008. That was the same route that Shorter drove for the past 36 years.

Leo Klein, 71, listens to instructions on Microsoft Excel during a Thomas Road Baptist Church Comunity Group class called "Basic Computing" on October 29, 2008.

People follow instructions on Microsoft Excel during a Thomas Road Baptist Church Comunity Group class called "Basic Computing" on October 29, 2008.

Leo Klein, 71, listens to instructions on Microsoft Excel during a Thomas Road Baptist Church Comunity Group class called "Basic Computing" on October 29, 2008.

Jennis Johnson gets carts for people while working as a greeter at the Walmart Supercenter in Bedford, Va. on November 6, 2008. Even though Johnson is terminallly ill he still likes to go to work. "I never sit in the bed all day," says Johnson of his active life.

John F. DiStefano, the Chief of Hematology/Oncology, goes over the CT scans of Jennis "Little Man" Johnson's lungs with his wife, Francis and him at the VA Medical Center in Salem, Va. Johnson has battled prostate and lung cancer for the last ten years and suffers from lung disease.

Jennis "Little Man" Johnson rests while on oxygen at home almost seven months being given the prognosis of three to six months to live. "Someday, I know I got to go, and I prepare for it."