Surprise

I had the most awesome birthday evening yesterday. I spent most of the day on my own, just bumbling along from one thing to another. Then in the evening, went to the Stage, where I met my parents in the parking lot outside with my friends and took the elevator up to the third floor where all the magic happens. When I got out and walked a few steps into the gallery area, where everyone was gathered, there were balloons and cupcakes and wine all over, and my friend Brooke shouting “Surprise! Happy Birthday!” with a bunch of other people, which, really, really, did surprise me. I hadn’t been expecting it at all, but apparently Brooke and Tony collaborated to put all this together and sneakily got people on board. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to me and it was just really cool. At the beginning of the Stage, Tyler Clark’s kids (cutest ever) sang me Happy Birthday again, to resounding applause, and the evening was off to a good start of family and friends. My mom teared up seeing how many friends had gathered to surprise me. She and my dad didn’t know about the party–they came on a whim. I was glad they got to see the little family I have here in this little city when I’m away from my family in the little town I grew up in forty-five minutes north of here.

Thank you, everyone who came and wished me happy birthday. It was really such a surprise and made my day. Definitely the best birthday I’ve had in a long time. My secret: never had a surprise birthday party before. This probably helped in surprising me to the point of initial confusion and shock at it happening.

And thanks everyone in my family outside of town who sent birthday messages and hugs. I really feel blessed, as they say ( which I usually don’t say), but today it seems particularly appropriate.