Surprise! We are here!

My sister Lori turned 40 at the end of January.  A party was being thrown to celebrate this milestone.  Of course I was going.  I don't even need a reason this big to justify a visit.  My mom wanted me coming to be a surprise.  Lori knew there was no way I'd stay away and was expecting me to show up. It was fun though to keep her guessing.  Over the phone, Lori kept trying to get my kids to let the cat out of the bag.    I did surprise her though by bringing the kids with me.  Ian and Samantha showing up at the party was something she didn't expect. 

The timing was perfect as Ian and Sam had Friday and Monday off from school for teacher workdays.  We flew to Orlando on Friday afternoon and flew back on Tuesday afternoon.  The kids would miss only one day of school.  Sweet!

We had a great time.  Not only did we attend Lori’s swanky cocktail party (complete with piano player), but we had wonderful plans for the rest of time in Orlando. We ate breakfast on Sunday at the awesome make-your-own-pancakes place, met up with my friend Amanda and her girls for dinner on Saturday (before the party) and was able to spend the day (12 hours!) at Epcot with one of the kids’ and my favorite families on Monday.  It was an eventful 4 days.  We made the most of every hour.

Our weekend getaway started the day after the show “Parenthood” had their series finale.  I was very much in mourning over this show ending.  Without a doubt, this had to have been one of the best series ever in television history.  Each Thursday, I would check in with the Braverman’s for one hour and be transported to a family who faced head-on all that life threw at them (cancer, abortion, alcoholism, PTSD, aspergers, lesbianism, heart disease, adoption, bullying, fertility, cheating, divorce, etc) with humor, courage, and gusto.   And yes, each Thursday at the ending of the show, I was usually in tears.  It was that moving; that genuine; that fantastic.  The storylines, the actors, the writing were all top-notch.   Who didn’t want a family like the Braverman’s?  Sure there was fighting and many issues among the family members; but they were there for each other.  Always. As Hank once said, “The Braverman’s are like Starbucks. You can’t escape them. There’s one on every corner.”

On Sunday when my family got together (very early in the morning! after a very late night partying the night before) it dawned on me why I was so sad seeing Parenthood end.  We are the Braverman’s!!  I am lucky enough to have my own version.  We bicker, we laugh, we cry, and we are there for each other.  Always.  My version lives in Orlando. I could relate to this tv family and turn in each Thursday night to check in. In some strange way, it was like visiting relatives.  Unfortunately, the show is over and so are my weekly visits.

Thank G-d in real life my family lives on.  We are a crazy bunch, teasing each other, celebrating birthdays, milestones, laughing at the big moments and the little ones, and supporting each other through illness and disappointments.  Just like the Bravermans, we are always there for each other.  No cancellations here.