Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

We landed in Greensboro, North Carolina, late Friday night, and after getting off the plane and talking to my mother a little bit, it was clear our secret was still safe.

My husband, son and I flew back home to celebrate my mother’s retirement. We surprised her with the idea a few days before in her birthday card. Little did Mom know at that time, that my two sisters and their families were also traveling in from their homes in northern Virginia and Toronto, Canada, and were planning on meeting us at a restaurant for lunch the next day, before taking part in some other activities and my mom’s retirement party later that night.

Now, if we could make it through the two-hour drive from the airport to my parents’ house in Virginia and then wait a few more hours in the morning without the surprise getting spoiled, we’d be able to pull off a great surprise.

We invited one of my good friends to join us for lunch, and all was running smoothly until we got a message about an hour before we were slated to meet that one of my sisters was running a little late, and we would need to stall 15 minutes. At that point, my father and I decided it was time for us to drive around a little and look at some of the new construction in the area and my old high school.

With each turn my dad took in the car, you could tell my mom’s curiosity peaked. After a little while of stalling and with noon approaching, my mom started asking questions. We told her my friend was running late, and that bought us a few more minutes.

Finally we got the go-ahead from my sisters that they were at the restaurant and we’re all waiting on the front porch there. Mom would be able to see everyone standing there as we pulled into the parking lot.

As we drove in, my mom looked toward the restaurant one or two times before looking back again and realizing what was happening.

She couldn’t believe it.

“A mother can always hope,” she said, of all of her children being gathered again after a time away. It had been about 8 or 9 years since we had all been in Virginia and about a year and a half since everyone had been together in Albert Lea.

The afternoon continued on after lunch with a visit to a transportation museum, photos and then the retirement party.

We all attended church together the next day and then enjoyed a family dinner at my parents’ house before my sisters and their families headed back on the road. Though it was only a few days together, it was a great chance to enjoy each others’ company and reconnect.

The secret was well worth it after we heard the excitement out of my mom’s mouth when she realized all her children and grandchildren were together. Hopefully it won’t just be a once-in-a-lifetime gathering.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Tuesday.