What are you doing here!?

Over the years I have tried to surprise my family by showing up in Ohio when they least expect it. I've been unsuccessful every time. Every time. I guess I always made the mistake of telling someone in my immediate family, thinking that I needed a ride home from the airport, only to have said person blab it to someone else, thinking that they needed to know... Most the time, I'm just too excited and have to tell my mom or dad.

Our family reunion happens every year the first weekend in August. We've been going to Camp Wesley Woods for as long as I can remember, and for longer than most of the kids have been alive. I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it this year, and I sent an email letting everyone know.

But then a series of rather fortunate events took place, and I found myself with a plane ticket in to Columbus and no direct reason to tell my immediate family. The game was set. I was going to surpise my family, and this time, I wasn't going to tell anyone.

I told my cousin Chloe and she arranged a way to pick me up at the airport. We drove -- and by we, I mean, she did. I slept for probably two out of the four hours to Kentucky -- and ended up at Wesley Woods at 4:15 a.m. We almost didn't get lost at all. (Turns out Old Ruckerville road is a LOOP! Who knew?!) Aunt Elouise had been nice enough to have our bunks all set up and ready, and we literally got out of the car and fell in to our beds.

When we woke up in the morning, I casually walked out and everyone was like, "Wait a second, you aren't supposed to be here." But Brad and Mackenzie's faces were priceless, as they recognized me and couldn't believe that I was there.

My parents and Amy came later that afternoon. And it couldn't have been planned better. It was raining and so they were trying to quickly unload the van. All I did was walk up to my mom, who was looking down, and put my finger out and said, "So I have this thing on my finger..."

(A red spot that has been irritated for the past week, and that I had told her about on the phone a few times.)

She looked up and practically yelled, "What are you doing here?"

I think there were tears in her eyes. She really had no idea that I was going to be there and I had even called her while she was driving down and threw her off her guard.

It was so fun to actually get away with surprising everyone -- and I'm so glad that I made it to the reunion!