Reunion

So it was H-O-T (hot!) in Paradise.

And then we went to my reunion and you could see the ocean from the venue and it was still H-O-T (hot!) and all these girls women who had spent like eleven billion hours getting ready were sweating all over the place and it was incredibly charming, I'm sure. But it was a total trip--complete with a DJ who played music from my high school years all night. We had to wear name tags that sported our senior pictures which meant that late 90's bangs were taking over the strap on my dress and yeah, I wasn't the only one who had them and yeah, they were in style or whatever but I still didn't really want them plastered all over my clavicle.

Some people were bigger. Some were smaller. Some had full facial hair. Some were balding. Some were completely inappropriately dressed. And by inappropriately dressed I mean that I saw cut off shorts and a tank top. I probably shouldn't have been surprised since there was beer chugging in the back of a pickup truck because several people were too cheap to buy an 8 dollar drink. Don't get me wrong, I am also too cheap to buy an 8 dollar drink and not a single beverage was provided. I bought two water bottles, one for each of us, and it cost me $5.50 so I had to refill it in the bathroom sink because we live on a pastor's salary and pay legal fees on what can only be described as an imaginary champagne budget. So I get not wanting to spend 8 bucks on a pathetic bottle of beer (plus, let's just say it now. Beer=EW!) but I also don't think I would have hung out in the back of a pick up truck drinking my store bought variety. I mean, even if I'd done it in high school--which I didn't--I think I might have chosen to use the last ten years attempting to grow up but, whatever, to each his own.

(The $2.75 A PIECE bottles of water. I had to take a picture because I'm always thinking about my loyal readers. I knew you'd want to see them. Do you see that they are made of gold? What? You don't? Yeah, me neither.)

Most people looked quite like they used to and they were wearing clothing that suggested that the last decade has been kind to them. I had a great time hanging out with people I haven't seen in ten years or, in some cases, people I've only seen occasionally since graduation. The highlight of my night occurred when a guy who said a total of five words to me in high school and threw a rock at my head in middle school causing my forehead to bleed somewhat profusely earning me a trip to the nurse's office did a double take, mouthed the word wow, and, when he realized I saw him do it, looked me in the eye and said, "I. Just. Wow." At least I think he was the one who threw a rock at my head. Honestly though, it was twelve years ago and I just can't be expected to remember that far back. And alright so I'm a pastor's wife and the highlight of my evening should not have been the fact that someone thought I aged well--especially because this particular someone was pretty drunk by the end of the night and may very well have been on his way when he Ijustwowed me. But it was flattering nonetheless. Especially because someone else seconded his opinion later in the evening.

Several months after graduation The L.O.O.P.S. Time Capsule was sealed. It contained pieces of memorabilia as well as predictions for the future lives of the members. Of the five LOOPS, four of us contributed our best guesses as to where everyone would be in ten years. One member just never sent hers in and we had to seal the capsule without her predictions. Two of us who contributed to the capsule were there and its decade old secrets were unlocked.

(The capsule, in all its glory. I love that when it was finally popped open, Jenni and I took a deep whiff of the air from 1999. It smelled a little funky and I declared, "1999 stunk.")

(Jenni and me with the capsule. Not pictured: Audrey, Veronica and Marissa. Marissa attended the reunion but happened to be the one who was absent from making predictions. Jenni is super cute and pregnant with LOOP offspring number 4.)

Other than the predictions, my favorite thing that was included was a picture of the five of us on the day we ditched school (with parental permission) to go to Disneyland during our senior year. It had hung in Audrey's locker. Although, I also really liked the random fact that Veronica included a credit card that did not expire until the following year.

All in all, I am glad that I took the time to go. I got to talk to so many old friends. It was hot. The beverage selection was pitiful. By the end, my feet were killing me. But, just like high school, the reunion is something that now only lives in my memories. I'm glad it lives there. I'm glad I was able to pop open that capsule and I'm glad I got to share a few laughs over ridiculously priced bottles of water.

(I love this guy. I love that I married him four years after high school was over. I love that we attended his 20 year reunion before we attended my 10. I love that he robbed the cradle. Love it. Please note that my hair started out looking fine and dandy. You will notice that it gets worse and worse as the insanely bizarre La Jolla humidity melted it.)

(Well, okay, so my hair is hiding here. It's ashamed. This is me with Marissa, Jenni and Tamara. Apparently, everyone else was looking at the "right" camera and I was looking at my own. This is the only reason I'm not a famous actress. Every director in Hollywood knows that I would stare directly into the "wrong" camera while delivering my lines. I'd be all, "Hey, camera. Here's looking at you, kid." And the director would be all, "What is wrong with you? Don't you know anything?")

(Here it is. Bad humidity. Bad! Look what you've done to my hair. But I love this picture because these are dear friends of mine. Jason was my boyfriend during my freshman year of high school. Then we were good friends. He sang at my wedding and then married his beautiful wife, Heather. So I love this picture. Except my hair. It has fallen and can't get up. Freakish boiling hot coastal weather!)