I Love It When A Plan Comes Together

In the 80s, The A-Team was a cult classic on TV.  Faceman, Murdock, BA Baracus, and Hannibal Smith.  At the end of each episode, Hannibal would light his cigar, and say "I love it when a plan comes together" as if he had known that all the chaos was just a smokescreen - the outcome never in doubt.  Well, I am about to light a cigar!

Since the early planning stages for this event, Lynn and I have spoken about the trip to Colorado, and how it would be great for the finish on Friday, August 27th, and the subsequent competitor awards dinner that night, if we could bring one of Emmah's parents there, to be a part of the celebration.  I know for years they have vacationed as a family in Colorado, and have a special affection for Colorado Springs, and visiting the Garden of the Gods, where they would take a family photo outside a gift shop there.  They've even had dreams of moving to Colorado someday.  Dreams that have been replaced perhaps by life's stark realities.

Months went by, but the plan was finally put in motion in July, when I reached out to Jeff and Julie via email to make the offer.  Fly one of them out, while the other stays in Joliet, IL to watch the kids.  Have that person take a rental car 2 hours to Beaver Creek on Thursday night, so midday Friday they can be at the finish line to be a part of what is surely to be an emotional moment.  That was the plan. 

I didn't hear back from Jeff or Julie for 3 days, and was wondering what they were thinking.  Little did I know, they were working on their own plan.  Their response was that rather than one of them fly out....both of them would be driving out for the finish.  Apparently neither of them likes to fly. Jeff's brother, Brian, and his girlfriend, would fall on their sword to watch 5 kids for a few days (say a prayer for them!). 

So, Jeff and Julie will leave Joliet sometime on Wednesday afternoon, August 25th, when the kids get home from school, and start an approximate 19 hours drive to Beaver Creek.  If all goes well, they have a hotels waiting from them along the way, and they should be at the finish line in plenty of time on Friday to see not only the leaders come across midday Friday, but Lynn and I (hopefully champions of the 80+ mixed category - ha!), sometime Friday afternoon.  And then they get to join us at dinner Friday night, where I hope all the other 118 teams will be aware of their journey, Emmah's story, and our friendship.  It is for sure to be one of the many highlights of the next two weeks - but this one will be the culmination of my plan that started nearly two years ago.

Ah...I love it when a plan comes together!  Where's my cigar?

KEIYH