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The mother is sitting quietly in church, waiting for service to begin. The past couple of days, for no particular reason, she’s really been missing her now grown-up and married daughter, who, a year previously, had moved far away to the city of Toronto.
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Mother, daughter, and dog, at airport, after surprise visit |
Then the mother looks up... and there is her daughter coming in! “Surprise, Mom!” At first there is an astonished and uncomprehending pause, then hugs and copious tears are the order of the day.
The visit home was Rachael’s idea. My responsibility - like that of many a father before me - was to pay for it (and keep it a secret!). The surprise was absolute.
Rachael flew in from Toronto on the Saturday. She was met at the airport by her brother, Troy, and stayed at his home overnight, to be delivered to St. George’s in time for the morning service. Her dog - Annabelle, a “teacup” Pomeranian - came to the church with her, but didn’t attend worship (she waited in my office in her purse-sized travelling kennel). During the church’s coffee-hour, it was hard to tell who was the greater hit, the proud mother showing off her surprise visitor, or the dog.
Three days of family visiting ensued, and of course a chance for Rachael to catch up with a few of her Winnipeg friends. A couple of times, mother and daughter went prowling in stores together, and there were a number of restaurant meals for all of us. All told the Mother’s Day visit was a resounding success.