I thought it was a whale...

There have been rumors swirling around my house about a "surprise" for the last couple of days.  I'm not necessarily one for big surprises; I get caught off-guard and feel uncomfortable and then have to worry about being nice and polite and, well, lately, my politeness button seems kinda stuck in the "off" position (I could blame the steroids; I should probably just grow up and take personal responsibility, but where's the fun in that?)

My daughter, S, asked if she could come and visit on Sunday, and I was very excited.  She works for a large corporation and supports corporate taxes and, well, you know what time of year it is.  She often works long hours with minimal time off, and knowing she would spend precious downtime with me really lifted my spirits!  Then my sister Mary mentioned she too was going to stop by, and I started to wonder why - she lives an hour away, why pop on over on Sunday evening?  But, okay, I just figured I'd go with the flow.

My son M called in the afternoon and asked if he could come over and grab a few of his belongings - sure, why not?  "Your sister and aunt Mary are coming over, so let's make it a party!" I said.  Then I laid down to take a nap because I was so tired, and beginning to wonder what was really going on.

Facebook - the hub of all worldly knowledge - informed me that S was actually in Chicago with her friend C.  At the Sears Tower, taking graphic and frightening pictures of the world below.  She noted having to pick up my surprise at 3:00, and then would be driving back to Jackson.  What in the world could she be getting in Chicago that she couldn't easily find closer?

Mary, Ken and I speculated as to what the surprise could be.  I suggested a puppy - but really, a Chicago puppy would be so bored living in Jackson.  Okay, Chicago - maybe S went to Shedd's Aquarium and smuggled me out a whale!  That's it!!  We'll put it in the bathtub, throw in some kosher salt, feed it squirrels and mice and cats (oops!) and it'll be happy.  That's it - I was going to get a whale!  Bonus points to S for being creative!

Of course, my sister and husband knew what was up.  Michael knew, too, when he arrived, but all were equally mum and suspenseful.  And now they were texting S, who was furiously driving (the only way she knows how) back from Chicago with my whale tied to the top of her little car.  I just hoped it wasn't too cold. 

Finally, S arrives safe and sound, and brings in my surprise:

My sister Amy (on the left).

Amy has lived in a relatively remote area of Alaska for the last 15 years.  Getting to and from her area requires puddle-jumper flights, ferries, and sometimes trains.  It can takes days instead of hours, and if the weather is significant (as it has been lately in Alaska), travel can be impossible. 

And yet, somehow, my sister was standing in my living room.

She made it down to California, and from there flew into Chicago, where S picked her up.  (Interestingly enough I had ventured a guess that Amy was my surprise, but I never truly believed it; Mary almost spit out her drink and Ken, smartly, pointed out that it would be easier for her to take a train into Jackson than to be picked up in Chicago - good cover job, honey).  When I ventured a guess that it was a puppy, S suggested to Mary that she tell me it was an Alaskan Malamute.  My family - crazy and funny as ever.

So my sister has arrived for a 10-day visit, the first visit in many years.  She kept telling me she was coming, but I knew it would be difficult and so I wasn't expecting it right now.  I wanted so much to see her, to just sit and talk, to catch up, to do all the things you want to do when you don't know what tomorrow will bring.  But I never expected it would really happen.

Today, we all get to make one more surprise visit - to my parents, who don't know that Amy is in town.  Another life-affirming moment in a time of uncertainty.

Thank you to my family for being, as always, supportive and generous and kind and loving.  And surprising.  Because not all whale's need a bathtub - some just need to be hugged and kissed and loved.