Reunions

Happy Fall! I know it technically isn't fall yet but it sure is starting to feel like it. I don't mind fall but it is a grim reminder of what follows: snow and cold. Anyway, the theme of today's entry is reunions. I've had several "reunion" events since my last entry and I guess you could call this posting a reunion- a reunion with my blog site which Ihaven't been keeping up with!

It's been a fun summer. My first reunion was the fourth annual Girl's Weekend held in Hinckley the last weekend in July. My sister started this by inviting family and friends to a rental house outside of Hinckley. It has a huge work room with a table for each of us to set up our gear and leave out for the entire weekend. Most of us work on scrapbooking and it is a huge help to not have to put our stuff away daily. It's four days of eating, drinking, talking, and having great fun! At this rate it looks like I'll be able to go next year as Sophie probably won't be here yet. I do plan to come up for a day the first year she is with me so that everyone can see her. Most of the people in attendance I see only at this weekend so it will be nice for them to meet her!

In August, I volunteered at the Children's Home Society & Family Services annual China Reunion. They host this for the families who have adopted from China through their agency and this year opened it up to families still waiting (like me) to adopt. There are crafts, games, performances, vendors, and lunch. I helped with registering attendees in the morning and with the Silent Auction in the afternoon. It was great to see some of my single friends who have their children and a huge reminder that adoption is an AMAZING thing.

August 16th was my 20-year high school reunion. It was very surreal to be sitting and talking to these people many of whom I barely spoke to in high school or haven't seen in 10 or 20 years. It was nice to see the people who were there and disappointing that some that I had hoped would be there were not. It was weird for me though - it was like two worlds colliding (my past with its high school insecurities and my more successful present). I think the unexpected "shock" of this collision has nearly passed but it honestly left me unsettled for a couple of days. Very weird and totally not what I expected.

The final reunion was the weekend before Labor Day. My brother, my sister and her family, and I took my Dad to Joe's Lodge for the weekend in a belated celebration of his 70th birthday. My dad used to take us kids to this resort about 15 miles east of Bemidji to stay in a log cabin lakeside for a week. Looking back, this annual event was one of the highlights of my childhood.

This time we stayed in a newer, modern lodge home that we could all fit in just off the lake so it was a different experience than my youth. Some fished from the dock, played basketball and tennis, or swam in the lake and played with the water toys. My Dad and I have stayed for a long weekend a few times in my adulthood but for my sister and brother it had been a number of years since they had been there. Although we were there from Friday late afternoon to Sunday morning, we had fun. It was a great reminder of how much I enjoy hanging out with my family and I hope we vacation together next year.

I hope your summer was great and that you had plenty of enjoyable reunion moments as well! I will post the latest on timing in the next couple of days. Thanks for your continued support and prayers!