Fresh & Refresh: 2013

Well, about a month ago now, I posted a facebook status about Kenna's reaction to her mac & cheese lunch, and my encouragement: "This is not the disappointment of a lifetime. It's lunch. React appropriately"

My good friend Audra commented that it reminded her of something her Mom said to her when she was five: "If you think this is heartache, just keep on living" (I will SO be using that one someday! As Audra said, perhaps a little harsh for five...but true:-), so this started a "comment conversation" between us old friends (also including our pal Erika). After 20 or so comments, another old friend jumped into the convo (obviously spying on us, haha;-P) and said our convo reminded her of the good old days...like she was listening to us chat in the finance office. So that started us on an old HQ tangent...

I (and all in that convo), worked for Bill Gothard at his headquarters in Chicago for many years. We started joking and laughing and teasing...Erika, perhaps regretfully, comments "That's it, we need a reunion". (That status generated 70 comments!)

That was like waving a magic wand! Reunion? Done! Sandi got the ball rolling with a "secret" fb group...within days there were 1100+ members, all excited for a chance to get back together again. And now we have an un-secret fb page too:-)

So I am on a planning committee of 12 people, in charge of getting this thing off the ground. I know most, but not all of those 12. So far we work well together, and we're all pretty opinionated:-) I will not spill the beans about everything that is in the works, but this will be awesome, promise.

 So far we have settled on the following details: This reunion is open to anyone who worked at any training center for ATI or IBLP in any era and will be a family friendly affair. This reunion is in no way associated with the Institute in Basic Life Principles or any of it's affiliations. We just all happened to have met there. Will the Duggars be there? Nah. They haven't served in training centers, even though they are currently in ATI. I'll guess we'll have to miss our chance to be on TLC:-)

Don't you love how our logo goes from navy & white to full colour? Perfect!

We have a title, and a logo...and after extensive polling...a location! Chicago, 2013. We have members of the planning committee flying to Chicago in a few days to check out and secure our reunion location,  I can't tell you about the exact date or location yet...but it'll be great!

The logistics for pulling off something this huge, and with all of the things we have to consider...it'll be no small feat, let me tell you. But we're all experienced. Hey, we did this for twenty thousand people every year when we were in our late teens and early twenties...how hard can it be now? :-) And yes, more than one person suggested we rent out the University of Tennessee again. For old times sake. No thanks.

Obviously it's way far away, but I'm sure I'll update a little here and there as we plan away. The first major hurdles were location and date, and we've got that one well under control. We think.

Let the good times roll.