We decided to trade off my birthday for a family reunion Saturday. The reunion was wonderful with family and good food. The reunion was held on a 20 acre farm owned by Vanessa and her husband. We were going to celebrate my birthday Sunday afternoon with our daughter and her husband and John and Tracey. Sunday morning, while in the shower, my wife comes and drags me out, telling me to get dressed and come into the living room as my "birthday present" was being delivered. It was Rob. Our son had driven in from Manhattan [ driving all night] to surprise me. I was without words. I won't get to see him at Thanksgiving or tr Christmas, so I was resigned to waiting until sometime in February to see him. It is/was the best present I could get.
Even though we talk once a week, there is no substitute like looking in his eyes or seeing his reactions to reassure us that he is OK.