Totally By Surprise

Caught One!!!

May 1, 2006 was my Husby's and my 30^th anniversary.

Rather exciting on many levels.

But, because we had celebrated our previous anniversary in a more exotic locale, and were still paying off the bills, we opted for a quiet celebration with just the two of us.

At home.

That was the plan.

Then our youngest daughter announced that there was going to be a banquet for her College graduating class on that date.

We were excited to observe our daughter's special time.

It would be a dress-up affair.

Ooooh!

With free food.

That someone else cooked.

Life just didn't get any better.

My Husby and I could celebrate our anniversary on any date about or near the actual date.

So we happily dressed in our best and got ready to go.

It had been a busy day already.

Our daughter, Caitlin and her husband, Steven had borrowed our music equipment to do a dance for some friends.

My Dad had come up for the weekend.

He was on the board of his housing development and needed to see their lawyer first thing on Monday morning.

So he had decided to make a weekend of it and stay with us.

I was happy to have him there.

He didn't visit often enough.

Just before we left for Tiana's dinner, we made certain that Dad was able to visit with relatives while we were gone.

He left.

All was well.

Then Tristan, our youngest son, announced that we needed to stop at the Church on our way past.

They were rehearsing a play and he had promised them a costume.

No problem.

We drove into the parking lot and our two youngest got out and went inside.

My Husby and I waited.

Finally, Tristan came out.

“Oh, you guys have to come in and see this,” he said. “It'll knock your socks off!”

I looked at my Husby, who shrugged and shut off the van.

“What's a couple of minutes?” he said.

We went inside.

The hallway was deserted.

Tristan led us to the gym.

He pushed open the door.

And the first person I saw was my Dad.

What on earth was he doing here?

At a rehearsal?

He was with my Aunt June.

The relative he was supposed to be visiting.

Okay, this was getting weirder and weirder.

The door opened wider.

And I saw that the room was filled with friends and family.

Wow! Everyone I knew in one room.

My only thought? 'Oh, boy. We're going to be late to my daughter's dinner.'

Then I saw my daughter.

She was smiling and excited.

And standing next to the music equipment that had been borrowed 'for a friend's dance'.

And that's when it hit me.

There was no graduation banquet.

There was no friend's party.

There was no lawyer's visit.

They had all been a ruse to get my Husby and I into that room for our surprise 30^th Anniversary party.

And I was truly surprised.

And had a wonderful time, visiting and sharing memories.

And listening to beautiful music.

How my kids managed to plan and execute it, on Facebook and through assorted emails without me catching on or even becoming suspicious is a mystery to this day.

Well, this is me we're talking about.

Okay. Maybe not such a surprise after all.