So, I spent the morning half-nervous, half curious about what kind of surprise my family had in store for me. They've only been talking about it for six months....
Me, over the hill.
Humph.
But the morning came and went, we came home early from work and read the paper and mucked around, and then we got mysteriously 'sent to town' by the kids. I knew something was up. When we got back, it was a full-on surprise.... banners and balloons and decor and a CAKE! Zowie! The kids really outdid themselves. I was so proud of them. My kids were there, and B, and they'd called two of my 'other' kids that I had at one point in time or another (both girls were part of my 'floater' kids, that came to stay in and out of our house because of problems at home). We had ice cream and cake, and OH what a cake! This thing had black frosting galore! Once you ate a piece your tongue was at Defcon 5. Zombie tongues abounded at the table... It wasn't quite like the three tier chocolate frosted wonder, but I'm here to testify that it DID have raspberry filling!
It was positively covered in candles. The girl had used one box of tall multicolored striped candles, and three boxes of little pastel birthday candles. She was mighty proud of the fact that she'd fit all forty on the surface! It lit up the whole darn dining room. I was hoping they'd called the fire department to be on standby.
So there I am, pre-huff, trying to figure out how to blow out FORTY CANDLES AT ONCE. The girls are sitting there looking at the cake like it may go off at any minute.
(Did you see how I got surprised, and didn't even have a chance to change out of my work-around-the-house grubbies before the picture-taking commenced? Niiiiice. LOL)
Aah, success! We have extinguishment. Note the flock of hungry kids thinking "Are we gonna cut this sucker or WHAT?" Alas, that's my son in the foreground, towering over me by a foot. If he grows any more we're going to have to see the building department about a permit for a roof raising.
Well, to make a long story short, we ate the heck out of that cake, and then everyone's tongues were green and black, and then Mom and Dad showed up (wow!) and we had a lot of fun watching the boy demonstrate his pickin skills at Guitar Hero.
And then, of course, I got asked the perennial question: Where are we going to dinner? It's our tradition that we all go to dinner on someone's birthday, at the location of their choice. It's your special day to pick. Well, being as it was New Year's Eve, I was pretty sure there wasn't any place to go that didn't need reservations. So, I figured Denny's or Arby's might be an okay choice. But B was having none of it. There was a little sparkle in his eye. "You already MADE reservations, didn't you!" I exclaimed, and he grinned. So we all piled in the car (B & I and the kids plus one), and Mom and Dad followed us downtown. To: the sushi place. Oh My Heavens TO DIE FOR.
We ate until I thought I'd explode, and it was a lot of fun. We tried a new kind of sake, B got pretty tipsy, the kids tried three kinds of sushi for the first time, and Mom even braved a couple of pieces! It was a blast. As we were leaving we got invited out to my folks' to play cards tonight since we weren't doing anything better. I had a great time and my birthday was far over the top from what I'd expected. The kids had their own places to go for the evening's festivities, and I thought they'd probably take their car from the restaurant and do their thing while B and I went home to bed.
But I was wrong.
The kids followed us home. As we walked in the door, I found out why. "Here's your real present" B said, handing me a little bag. I looked down and my breath went away.
So.... what was in it? Any guesses?
Nope, although he's the best gift ever. Might be a little hard to gift wrap, though.
The weenie??
Nope. That was my birthday gift a couple of years ago. But we did put the bow on her head and laugh our butts off watching her fall over trying to shake it off.
(Look..... this time they took a picture that doesn't make me look like a goober!! Must be the presence of my lucky weenie.)
I opened the little bag, which contained a little box. Now, any female knows the significance of The Little Box. And this one said "Fine Diamond Jewelry" on the top of it. I turned white and went into the other room, amid a storm of protests. They brought me back to open it, because they knew half the pleasure was going to be in watching.
For Christmas we all made each other "Santa lists". Mine had a few things on it, and quite a few joke items. You know, the things you'd never get as a gift, starting out low and going to the absolutely ludicrous. "I want: world peace, ten pounds less on my butt, a new house, and the winning Lotto ticket." On everyone's lists were slipped in all of those things that you really want but you don't want to tell anyone. One of the items on my list was "a significant piece of jewelry".
Over the course of the last year I've worn a little necklace with a simple ring on it, plus a token that we got from the Hallmark shop that reads "Forever". B has a similar chain, with two tokens, "Strength" and "Faith". They are our promise rings, so to speak. We never are without them. I put mine on early on in our relationship, because even though he wasn't done with all of his legal wrangling, I wanted something solid to tell the world that I was faithful and true, that I was his. I couldn't have the ring, but I could wear a facsimile. The ring was an old one I picked up from Avon, but the symbolism was there.
So, back to the box.
I opened the box, and there it was. A perfect piece of sterling silver on a tiny chain, with a little diamond in the center. My breath was taken away.
Of course they had to get a picture post-shock & awe. I still look like a goober, but a happy one, no?(Actually, I look like a really pale flasher....
or maybe the offering in a vampire feast.
The 'before' ad for a tanning salon??)
Nevermind.
This is the little beauty up close, where you can see it.
He put it on my neck and you would have needed a crowbar and a winch to pry him out of the embrace I gave him.
"Now you're wearing something of mine." He whispered in my ear.
Oh, yes.
His.
I love the sound of that.
To sum it all up, I am a thoroughly surprised, well loved, and happy woman with an incredible family. We stayed up for a little while last night and then went to bed. The kids sent us a couple of text messages from their party. "Hope you enjoy your TIME ALONE. LOL" Wink wink nudge nudge. (What, did they think the box contained a lifetime supply of Viagra?)
Well.
Bless their conniving hearts, anyhow. I am thunderstruck and feel very special.
If the end of 2008 is any indication, 2009 is going to be grand.
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