SURPRISE!

I have had a week to soak in the love.

For those few of you who read by blog (and for some of those you may stumble into it here and there) starting in January of 2008 I began to plan a major trip to Las Vegas to trumpet in my 40th birthday which occurred in December 2008. As it turned out, due to any number of perfectly acceptable reasons (lack of time off, the economy), the only person who actually made it to Vegas to party (well, eat and gamble and see shows with) was Lynne.

Unbeknownst to me, a few of those that could not make it to Vegas began planning a surprise party for me to be held the weekend of Diana’s birthday (which gave them a perfect event to use as a smoke screen. I have come to find out that the planning actually started before I went to Vegas in early December.

So I received an evite from Diana telling of the party and Lynne called and said she was planning on coming into Cleveland for Di’s party (and to see her family).

I understand that there was an e-mail slip that almost gave it away, but luckily I did not figure it out but of the e-mails that flooded my friends’ in-boxes from each other as they came up with excuses and reasons why the e-mail was sent.

I, not knowing the party was actually for me, threw huge rocks into the clockwork of my friends planning by stating that because it was also my mother’s birthday close to Di’s party, might not be in town.

The e-mail flourishes have been shared with me regarding this go on for days after my “I might not be there” and caused the planners to contact my sister and mother to bring them into the cloaked fold.

The secrecy ran all the way to Anne flying in from Nashville for the party. Unfortunately due to a misunderstanding that I had used Priceline in the past to make travel arrangements, Anne found herself with a travel schedule that got her to Cleveland on Saturday night at 9 pm only to leave 8 hours later on Sunday morning at 6:00am. Luckily for me, she decided to treat it as an adventure and made the trip.

I am still somewhat godsmacked by the love my family and friends put into this party for me and am so blessed to have them all in my life.