Class Reunion = Family Reunion?

I had a lot of time to think while addressing invitations.   Part of my brain was focused on correct spelling, perfect handwriting and keeping the rows parallel.  The other part of my mind was wandering.  Or wondering.  Of course I wondered about all of you.  I wondered which invitations would come back with a wrong address, who would register first, who would be surprised to find it had been twenty years, and whether I can correctly abbreviate all 50 states.  I also thought about my parents.  Why?  Random.  Well, not really.

You see, my mom started dating my second dad (I don't use the term "step dad."  It just doesn't work for me) after their 30th high school reunion.  Many of your will remember my dad, Larry.  He and my mom divorced when I was a high school freshman.  I could insert another entry here about my wonderful father who passed away in 1997, but that is just depressing.  And also, this is a light and airy blog, not my diary.  Back to the story... Two years later, my mother attended her high school reunion in Oak Ridge.  After two evening events, my mom was DONE.  Reunions are exhausting work.  But my sister and I guilted her into going to the final picnic so that we could spend some time with our grandparents.  I don't know the details of how Gigi and Big Dad (this is what happens when you become grandparents...new names) reconnected.  After all, I was seventeen and loathed the very idea of my mother dating.  But I am awfully glad that she did.

With this family history, it makes sense that while addressing invitations, I had to ask, "Could love bloom at our reunion?"  We have many eligible, wonderful, fascinating classmates and there is much to be said for a shared history.  Are you still sceptical?  My parent's story was Exhibit A.  I now present Exhibit B.

Alexis and Sherif have been friends ever since Sherif carried Alexis’ books up the hill their freshman year.  Their families became friends and kept up, periodically, through the years.  Alexis and Sherif bumped into each other in Knoxville in the fall of 2008, when Sherif was in town from Kentucky. Not too long thereafter, Alexis called Sherif to see if he would be in Knoxville the following weekend and told him about a new place that she thought would be fun to go to.  When Sherif said he was not coming into town that weekend, Alexis was not deterred.  She called Sherif back and said, “I don’t think you understand.  I’m asking you out on a date.”  Sherif said, “Well, in that case, yes, I am coming into town!”  And the rest is history. 

That's right...Alexis and Sherif are married.  Two classmates.  One reunion invitation.  I rest my case.