The BIG SURPRISE

If you read my last post, you may know that Papa has been out of town for 5 days. And, if you know Papa, this is quite unusual for him. Over the years, I have been the one much more likely to fly off around the country for a weekend (for speaking engagements, etc...), while Papa stays home with the kids. This year, however, Papa got a weekend away ... and he didn't even know it was coming.

Papa phoned home on Wed., during his lunch break, to ask what our plans were for the day (how many baseball games, etc...). I told him that we didn't have much on the calendar ... just one ball game at 6:30. He let me know that he wanted to go work out at the fitness center after school ... I said, "That's fine with me."

Upon his return from school, I nonchalantly said, "Oh ... plans have changed. Janie phone and asked if we could meet them in Seattle for dinner. They're going through some tough stuff, and I thought it would be good to talk with them about all of our adoption stuff, too." (They have adopted 3 children in the past 5 years.) "So, Jeremiah is going to get Elijah to his baseball game, while we head to Seattle for dinner."

We usually meet our Puyallup friends (where we used to live) for dinner in Everett, which is about the 1/2 way point. But, I told Jim that since Larry had to work later than we did, that we would actually drive to South Seattle (2 hour drive) for dinner. While driving there ... I said, "I hope this is okay. We have talked for so long about meeting them for dinner ... and tonight happened to work for both of us." Papa's response ... "Well ... it wasn't exactly what I had planned for this evening." I smiled ... Jim still had absolutely no idea what I had planned for the evening. :)

We enjoyed a WONDERFUL dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. (We'd never been before and ... WOW ... they serve amazing food!) After 2 hours of great food and fellowship, I asked Jim if I could borrow his phone for a minute. I placed the call ... got an answer ... and handed Jim the phone.

On the phone was our dear son, Gregg ... just returned from Iraq, but still at his base in Georgia. Gregg asked Papa what his plans were for the weekend, to which he replied, "Well ... we're going to play a little paintball, and do some things around the house." Gregg said, "Maybe we could do something this weekend." Jim laughed and said, "That would be pretty hard, with you there and me here." To which Gregg responded, "Why don't we go to a Nascar race?" Jim had a complete look of confusion on his face, until he looked around the table and the 3 of us were grinning ear to ear. Gregg told Jim that he'd better head on over to the airport, because Gregg was planning to see him in the morning.

Well ... the restaurant we "happened" to be eating at was just about 10 minutes from the airport and I had a suitcase all packed and stashed in the back of the car. So, we said our good-byes to Larry and Janie, and I took Jim right up to the airport and left him standing in the security line (still a bit unsure as to what had just taken place). Five hours later ... Papa arrived in Atlanta, caught the shuttle to Ft. Benning, and was reunited with his eldest son (after a 14 month deployment as a sniper in Baghdad).

Papa and Gregg spent all day Thurs. "hanging out" in Columbus, GA. On Friday, after Gregg had attended a mandatory class (or meeting?) in the morning, they drove up to Charlotte, NC. There, they have spent the past 2 days fully engrossed in Nascar.



This photo was taken yesterday, on Gregg's iPhone ... and sent to me via. email while they were still watching the race. They had GREAT seats!

Tonight ... as I write this ... they are driving all night back to Atlanta, to catch an 8:00 a.m. flight to Seattle. "The Boys" have had a VERY fun weekend. While I was the one that pulled off the "surprise" aspect ... Gregg was the one that fully planned and funded this amazing time with his Papa. I can't imagine how much fun the two of them will have this summer, when Gregg returns to live at home, after being gone 4 1/2 years. Welcome Home, Gregg!