For the time...in a long time.

This whole trip/reunion idea started about four years ago at our first "reunion."  It was mid-Covid and someone in our Babylifter group had the idea of having a ZOOM call so we could at least see each other and talk.  

We had no plans in place as far as getting together even though we knew it would happen eventually.  There was six people on the call.  Kouy, John and Christal were there, along with Mary and Lois Ower (Thea's mother - look back at previous blogs for his story).

The ZOOM call was the first time any of the other babylifters had spoken to another one except me for well over forty years.  There was of course a sense of something special happening, as well as the expected uneasiness of speaking to someone who you should know, and in a way you do know, but also have no idea about.  

The conversation went all sorts of different ways, asking about each other, getting a little more back story on our story.  Lois was very helpful in that space, she was the only parent on the call and was able to answer many of the questions we had.  

I think the call lasted about an hour and at some point someone suggested we should plan a reunion, maybe in three years, which would have been several of our 50ths birthdays... but not much was said after that sort of side comment.  

Periodically, in conversations in our FaceBook group the idea would raise up, or in personal conversation it would be asked about but nothing remotely solid.  

As the target date came, I started to think maybe this is something I should start looking into.  I contact Tree and asked about the possibility and a little while later he came back with an itinerary and an estimated cost.  We picked the dates after some negotiation, and that was it.

Jump back to the morning after the kick boxing and we were getting set to start later that evening. We'd had the opportunity to sleep in a little, but still being jet lagged, normal sleep wasn't in the cards. 

The kids and I went up to breakfast kind of early.  Expecting everyone would be sleeping late as they came in super early that morning.  The kids ran back to the room and I walked.  I think I arrived at the room about two minutes after the kids. By the time I entered they were all out of their clothes and all in their beds looking at their phones. 

I don't know how they did that so fast, but I'm guessing its a Tik-Tok trend?  I don't really know what that is either so maybe not.  Rest did sound like a good idea after the full nights sleep, moderately physically taxing breakfast and the mad dash down a flight of stairs.  

I figured that John and Christal would be up eventually and would go to breakfast and I could meet them there. I didn't want to disturb them, so decided to go and wait by the elevator doors outside the restaurant.  I'd surprize them as they got off the elevator. 

The wait seemed to be extending as I stood there, not fully creepy guy but also not not fully creepy guy...mostly because the pool is just outside and I think I was standing facing the pool, because facing closed elevator door is weird.  It probably was weird that I was standing outside the elevators, not getting in when they would open and not touching the down button when they were closed.  Also looking out at the pool...but not really focusing on anything in the pool.  

With a stroke of genius I thought, maybe they are up stairs already eating and I missed them some how.  My intuition was right again.  John, Christal and her two daughters Ashley and Emily were sitting at a table talking.  When we saw each other, it was a very powerful moment.  As far as I know, this instant was the first time in nearly 50 years that more than two of us had been together, and it was a dream come true for me.  I will never forget the feeling of looking over and seeing two of my siblings sitting together.  

I felt a great deal of pride, we had done it. We had started the reunion process.  You might ask, did I cry? ... No of course I did not not cry.  All of the work, and worry and concern and planning was worth it.