20th High School Reunion

Well the long awaited weekend of my 20th high school reunion finally arrived!  It is so hard to believe that twenty years has past since I wrapped up my high school career.  So much water has gone under the bridge since then, yet I still look back at my high school experience with such fondness.  I had a fabulous group of friends, was taught by some wonderful teachers, and enjoyed many extracurricular activities.  Although I had some serious reservations about going to this reunion, I am grateful for my dear friend, Kristina, who twisted my arm and informed me many months ago that I didn't have a choice and that I was going.  And I want to thank my wonderful and devoted parents who watched my baby for me that night and personally drove Ella out to Seattle and met me in a parking lot across the street from the reunion so that I could nurse her before she went to bed for the night.  Now that is devotion!

We started the reunion festivities a day early by meeting at The Boarding House restaurant in Gilman Village for lunch on Friday.  Both Sarah and Kristina had flown in for the event and it was so much fun visiting with everyone--especially Sarah who I haven't seen in 14 years!

After lunch, the four of us made the five minute drive to visit our alma mater--Issaquah High School.  Although the school we attended was torn down a few years ago and replaced by this fancy, modern building it was just fun to be back on those hallowed grounds.  Since they have a closed campus policy, we weren't allowed to  wander around the school, but we spent some hilarious minutes in the main office pouring over their staff picture board.  We giggled like high school girls again while we were in there!

After saying goodbye to Ron, Lia, and Logan, I drove up to my parents' house in Issaquah with Ella on Saturday afternoon.  Kristina met me there and we actually got ready together like it was prom night all over again.  To make the experience complete, we even had my mom take a few pictures of us in front of their house before leaving.  Classic.

We arrived at the Palace Ballroom on 5th Avenue in downtown Seattle right before the reunion started at 7 p.m. and stayed until they shut the place down at midnight!  It was one of the funnest nights I have had in loooong time.  It was so good to see so many friends from the past and reminisce about the good ol' days and get caught up on life.  Here I am with three of my long, lost buddies--Jeff, Ross, and Bridget.  I have known Jeff since I was three years old, I went to three high school dances with Ross, and Bridget and I were in three high school musicals together.  Talk about a theme of three!

This is my favorite picture of the night--posing with most of the ladies from my group of girlfriends that came together during my sophomore year of high school.  We had soooo much fun together during those three years of high school in class, on the weekends, and in musicals, choir, and student government.  Such wonderful memories!  From left to right:  Sarah, Nicole, Bridget, Kristina, Kellie, me, and Jessica.  

Joking around with Nicole and Heather.  Nicole was my lab partner in chemistry during our junior year of high school.  She was both smart and hilarious and made for some good times in Radmer's 6th period class!

Another group shot with some of the ladies.

Jess, Kristina, and me with Heather photo bombing behind us!

When Kellie was saying goodbye to me, she put her name tag on my dress.  As the evening wore on, more and more people copied her.  By the end of the night, I was covered in name tags.  It was kind of funny...especially when we ended up at the bar/restaurant across the street after the reunion ended. 

Our good friend, Tyson, who we all lost touched with a few years after high school was bartending at the restaurant across the street from the reunion.  Since he didn't take the night off to join us, we all ended up over there to see him at the end of the night.  He was one of my closest friends my senior year of high school and it was so good to see him again after all these years and get caught up on his life.  Here is Tyson with Jeff and me.  Oh, what a night!