Surprise!

Going waaaay back to January...

Devin and I left Thailand mid-January and ended our travels in Scottsdale, AZ where my dad was attending a conference and the rest of the family was vacationing.  We  planned this little rendezvous back in October while in Cambodia, with Dad and Pete in the know but led Mom and Jill to believe that we would be traveling abroad until the early February.

 We surprised Jill and Brendan at the airport first, as they landed about 20 minutes after we did!  Giggling, we watched them get off the plane and hid in a corner trying to figure out how to surprise them.  In the end, we just walked up to them while they waited at baggage claim.  Jill looked at Devin with a funny look on her face and after she saw me she just started saying "What the F*#k!? What the F*#&!?" as we got closer.  I'm not kidding, she kept saying it, and not quietly.  The first thing I had to say to her was "shhhhhhh" as I gave her a bear hug.  I love my little sister.

We surprised my Mom a bit later outside the hotel lobby as we pulled our packs from the trunk of the car.  It was dark, and even though she saw 4 people collecting bags, she thought that a random couple had taken the car as well.  Then she looked closer at Devin, then at me, who she had mistaken for Jill, and back at Devin again.  And then, as the tears welled, started repeating, "Is this for real?!?  Is this for real?!?"  It always feels so good to be hugged by your mom, doesn't it?

Dad and Pete knew all along, but it was still wonderful to see them and for us to be in one place at the same time!  The last time we'd all been together outside of Minnesota was for a friend's wedding in Montana back in 2006, and that was just a quick weekend.  We hadn't had a true family vacation since 2000 when I met them in Hawaii after studying in China!!  Yikes!

So, some pictures from Arizona:  

 

Such pretty girls.

No comment.

 

Before.

 
Not only were we able to spend time hiking, relaxing, and enjoying the beautiful weather, but being in Phoenix that weekend gave us the chance to cheer for Jill, running her SECOND HALF MARATHON!!

She did really well and we had a great time watching her work her butt off while we hung out!  :)  We're proud of you Jill!

After.

Jill's cheerleaders, sans Suz, who took the picture.

There's the Suz!

That was a peak into our stay in Scottsdale, Arizona!  It was a nice, relaxing way to ease back into the States!  Thank you Mom & Dad for such a great week!  (For the life of me I can't get this to format the way I want it to, and I don't want to spend more time trying to figure it out.)

On our way back to MN...winter.

P.S. I'm writing this as sit by a pool in Arizona...kinda funny how that worked out.