Surprise!

Our son, Trevor, and family got in late last night to join with two other sons’ families to celebrate my birthday. They were staying at a hotel, so I invited everyone to our house for breakfast this morning. About nine o’clock we all enjoyed my French Toast Casserole, sausage, biscuits and gravy and had a wonderful time visiting. Son Benjamin, who had arrived on Thursday, would have to leave today at 1:00 to make his flight connections back to Houston.

Trying to think of an activity we’d all enjoy, we settled on going to an estate sale. Even though it took a few stops to coordinate everybody’s arrival at the sale, we all eventually got there, browsed around and found a few things to our liking. I wanted to go to Cann Gardens next, to show our two-year-old granddaughter the fish swimming in their pond, but the others wanted to visit the bookstore.

The bookstore proved fascinating for all, even giving us the chance to sip a cool glass of iced tea while the children selected one item small enough to take home on the plane. They had some money, and it was so cute to watch them practice paying for it by themselves. “If we hurry, we can still stop at Cann Gardens,” I persisted. The others insisted there wasn’t time, so I gave in reluctantly and we headed home. There was a cook-out planned for lunch, so I knew I needed to get home and help with that.

I started to go in the front door, but 4-year-old Anne-Marie wanted to take me to the backyard. We had done some work out there, and everyone was enjoying the new look. Suddenly something caught my eye fluttering on the fence. A row of raffia (hula) skirts and bright flowers were decorating it, and as I looked further, I saw decorations all over the back yard! It was a birthday party! The yard had been transformed into a luau! Tables were lined up laden with food, others held checked cloths, and bright tropical flowers had sprouted along the edge of the yard. Colorful Japanese lanterns hung from yard swings, and luau-themed posters, banners, and placards covered garage, house walls and almost every other available surface.

“Surprise!” my family yelled. Suddenly several leis were put around my neck, flowery bracelets slipped on my arm and a bright flower clipped in my hair. “That’s why we had to come home!” Jamie explained. How had they managed all this? I knew we were to have a birthday cake at some point, but nothing like this! Apparently, our daughter-in-law had slipped away while we were shopping, and she and our son, Greg, and their family had prepared a lavish celebration. There were even guests present, friends we hadn’t seen in some time. Suddenly I was aware of music everywhere.

“Where is the music coming from?” I asked. Our grandson, Adam, said that was from his dad’s truck, parked near the back fence. It was an “oldie” radio station with classic tunes from the fifties and before. They had thought of everything!

“I’ve never had a birthday party!” I exclaimed over Red Velvet cake made by my granddaughter Allison, and my favorite ice cream. That wasn’t something that we did while I was growing up. Just getting another year older seemed present enough. Then when I had my own children, I did many parties and cakes for them, but if I wanted a cake, I usually made my own.

“Well, you have now,” they laughed with me. That was twice they had surprised me in as many days! What a great feeling! All that work, imagination and thoughtfulness just for me! It was a Happy Birthday!