10.10.10

I finally feel like I can breathe and I have my life back! While I do believe in and try to live the mantra: "enjoy the journey not the destination" -- I cannot deny the relief I feel from today being October 13, 2010.  While I would relive the weekend over and over, I would not want to relive the last 9 months that I have spent planning my ten year high school reunion.

Some thoughts in no particular order:

• I just emptied my inbox of all the reunion e-mails. It was at 309. Now it's down to 68. That felt good.
• I had the opportunity to seize modern technology in it's finest form: the girdle.  Never in my life have I considered wearing a girdle until I realized I'd be 7 weeks post baby at this reunion.  Yeah, the awkward "not pregnant but still look it" phase is...well, awkward! The girdle kept that awkwardness to a minimum. 
• Delegation is a fine art. While I had a great deal of help from many wonderful friends and classmates, I also could have done better to delegate more. Planning something like this long distance requires more local help than I asked for. Life's experiences continue to teach me!
• Kyle remembers my classmates' dates and spouses names far better than I!  I was impressed.
• Unfortunately I did not break even.....but, I'm okay with it. I didn't think I would be if that was the end result and for the last several weeks I'd get sick to my stomach thinking about it.  I even had nightmares. But now that the event has come and gone and I'm in the red still, I can really let that go and walk away from it smiling.
• The venue we had our culminating event at was incredible and worth every penny. I signed a contract with the place with ambiguous numbers from January, and there were several of the people I spoke with or facebooked with back in January who said they'd come that I included in this count, who of course for whatever reason did not end up paying for a ticket come October.
• While I could moan and complain about all the people who didn't show up, I'd rather sing the praises of all those who did. There were nearly 100 people in attendance at Sunday's reunion and they made it a great time, and conjured up a lot of wonderful memories from high school I had forgotten about.
•  Highlights:
• loading the table by the podium full of prizes donated by classmates --everyone was so generous.
• Virginia and Judy gifting me with gorgeous earrings from Tiffany's all wrapped up in the signature Tiffany's box and everything! :)
• Son Lam accusing me of starting a sweat shop (because I have 3 kids now).
• Warren imitating the Steppers {he was good!}
• "So it's cool the first black president has been elected, I just find it weird that it's not DaVonda Burton." --Son Lam
• Avery's break dancing:

-Steppers performing:

• Kyle (to Mr. Donahue, former psychology teacher at Hermitage, during the steppers' performance): You should be recruiting these girls for the wrestling team, don't you think? Donahue: Oh heavens no. They scare me. They've always scared me. They are living proof that we all have this inner, animalistic beast in us crying to be let out.
• Al'Monique falling off the stage (she hasn't changed a bit!)
• Joni Warith requesting 'Nsync's Bye Bye Bye.
• Walter boogying on the dance floor (he used to be this shy, quiet sweet kid. He's still sweet, but definitely no longer quiet or shy.
• A member of the venue staff needed me outside of the ballroom and this was her sneaky way of telling me:

Classy, no? She just shimmied her way on to the dance floor where I was boogying and whispered, I need you in the Adams room for a minute,"

Yes, gotta love Pat. She even held Ruby for a good portion of the reunion for me. What a doll. The entire staff at the Renaissance in Richmond was fantastic.

Friday before the reunion I met with the event planner Tommy who ended our appointment with some advice.
"Honey, there's gonna be some Becky's at your reunion and I'm going to tell you how to handle them. Who is Becky?  A Becky is the name of that person who doesn't help AT ALL with the event, then shows up and starts telling you what you should have done differently.  Instead of reaming into her about how she didn't help, girl, you just gotta maintain your dignity, say, "Thank you for your suggestions," Then turn around and walk away.

I have to be honest. I had forgotten about that part of this thing. There's ALWAYS someone who says, "you know what you should have done? You should have {insert impossibly ridiculous suggestion here}..."  I got kind of nervous thinking about all the Becky's there would be at my reunion and cringed.

Guess how many of the guests came up to me and turned into Becky?

NOT A SINGLE ONE.

It was incredible. Everyone who came was gracious and appreciative of all the hard work. If they had suggestions, they kept them to themselves. And I am sure they had some-- it wasn't everyone's ideal gathering place. The only thing that was mentioned was, "I don't know why more people didn't come! They really missed out!"    I suppose being appreciated is what has made being in the red not so awful after all. That's what makes the difference...

Nikki and I have been friends since the third grade! Dear, dear friend. :)