Reunions
By Judy Collins

Hangzhou ‘95- 5th Reunion, South Yarmouth, MA

By Ashley, Brittany and Maddie's mom

Five years, can it be? Just five short years ago 9 families embarked on the journey of a lifetime, to become parents and to travel halfway around the world to do it. Nine families thrown together by circumstance came together again to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the homecoming of these treasures from the east. Each year we commemorate the anniversary of becoming a family by getting our girls together. We take turns hosting this much awaited event and this year it was OUR turn. Our travel-mates from New York and Connecticut and Massachusetts ventured to Cape Cod for a weekend of fun. Each year we marvel at the changes in our children, how they have grown, and we share stories of their life, sometimes joyous, sometimes sad.

We had started thinking of things to do when it would be our turn. We are one of two families from Massachusetts who travelled to New York each year for the reunions. We used to joke half heartedly that we probably wouldn't get everyone to come to Massachusetts until the girls were old enough to share the driving. We wanted to make it a memorable experience for everyone so we planned an old fashioned New England Clambake and a weekend on the beach of Cape Cod. As the time drew near, Mother Nature grew impatient. We became weather channel junkies, convinced that we would be rained out during our special weekend. Well, we planned for that, at the very least there was an indoor pool. The clambake on the other hand, would have been a soggy one. It was nothing short of a miracle that for the first time in a week, the sun shone the day we all arrived and didn't stop shining until we left. I call it divine intervention. Even mother nature could not disappoint these cherubs.

Once we all arrived, the children picked up where they had left off nearly a year ago. It's like they have always been friends and the older they get, the more they enjoy each other's company. The conversations were different this year. Instead of playing house they were talking about Britney Spears and tooth fairies, and taking polls on whose teeth were the loosest. They are no longer babies, our children are now young ladies, all entering Kindergarten. How could this have happened right under our noses. These tiny babies with their coughs and sniffles are now going off to school. They said it would be fast, that children grow up in the blink of an eye. They were right.

The kids had a great time, splashing in the pool and showing off their diving techniques or in some cases, their bellyflop technique. They were plotting together, we could tell. There was the "pink team" who was planning to over-throw the evil mommy and daddy regime. There was the blue team, plotting to over-throw the pink team. And right in the middle of it all were us parents. We watched our girls in wonder. I am sure we all had similar thoughts as we watched them play with each other knowing all too well the common bond that will keep them friends, hopefully for a lifetime. They are all so different, but oh so special. I wish I had the foresight to video tape the parents as they watched their children. Even without knowing what they were looking at, the looks on their faces would have given it away.

It was such a nice surprise that Filis Casey and her husband could join us for this reunion. By the way, Filis is a playdoh pro and was able to keep 12 little girls mesmerized with the stroke of a playdoh worm. It's a gift!!!! Filis, I know you could feel the magic that was there as our girls surrounded you on the sand dunes.

We are so thankful to have each of these families in our lives. Even if our time together each year is brief, our memories will carry us through the year. Brittany still asks how many more days until her reunion. We started counting down at day 350. She is looking forward to seeing her friends again soon and so are we. Anna, Gemma, Teri, Brielle, Emily C, Emily B, Kara, and Holly (who we missed this year) we love you (and your little sisters too)!