The reunion....

Reunions are always sweet.  There's the anticipation, the watching and waiting, the "seeing" and the flood of emotion.  When Greg came home this week from being with the WNT in Atlanta and Philadelphia for a few weeks... our little family reunion was all of those things.  The boys and I excitedly drove to the airport, we waited at the gate and watched all the planes come in, got so excited when we actually saw Greg coming up the walkway, and then experienced all the emotion at once- flooding joy, relief, gratitude, and peace.  He was home.

There was an older man also standing at the gate close to us.  He seemed to be alone - I imagine waiting for his loved one.  He was quiet, but kind and asked the boys if they were waiting for their Daddy, to which Ethan responded, 'yes sir'.  A few moments passed, and he smiled a broad smile watching the boys peer down the ramp, trying to see Greg as he got off the plane.  I stood back a bit, taking the scene all in - wanting the boys to have "first go" at him when, indeed, he did come.  As Ethan spotted Greg and the excitement began to build, the older man began clapping.  As Greg swept up the boys, the gentleman threw his head back in an almost loving laughter, and then clasped his hands together under his chin and exclaimed "Yes!".  He was just as excited as we were.  You could see the joy in his eyes.  He got it.

The scene alone of Greg coming home after being away, always takes my breath.  This particular day, however, my eyes burned hot with tears as I watched this gentleman celebrate with us.  Perhaps he, too, was anticipating a reunion.  Perhaps he had been a part of one in the past.  Regardless, he got it.  He understood.  I told Greg I wasn't altogether convinced that he wasn't an angel sent to prick my heart and remind me of another pending reunion:  the reunion where this child will be swept up by her Father and will experience the culmination of all anticipation, the watching and waiting, the "seeing" and the flood of joy, relief, gratitude and peace, all the while surrounded by those who will be cheering for our reunion - surrounded by those that get it.

As our family celebrated, I lost sight of the older man, but I'm so grateful for him:  for the time he took to share our joy, for the way he delighted in our happiness, and the way the Lord used him to  remind my heart to keep focused on what's to come.