SURPRISE!!!

The cousins and Mom. Putting together the pack n' play...

Me and Aim trying to figure out the Baby K'Tan sling!

How many times in your life can you say you've actually, sincerely been surprised? Like, really surprised? As in, you had zero inckling that something was "up?" Most people have had surprise parties thrown for them at one time or another, or received a gift, meant to be a surprise. And most people provide the appropriate response, they act, well, surprised! But, if most people are honest, they'd admit that they had a "feeling" something was "up." It is actually pretty damn hard to organized a successful surprise. If you have, or have been the receiver of a legitimate surprise, doesn't it feel awesome???????

I have been lucky enough to have been part of at least five real surprises in my life.

1-Dad's 50th Birthday. All of his sisters and his mom flew in to Edmonton to surprise Dad for his birthday. They stayed for a few short days, but we had a blast. It was sooo fun having them all together in Canada! What an awesome family, to spend the money to visit for such a short time! Dad was well loved!!! This happened almost 15 years ago so the details are sketchy, but I remember that Dad was sincerely surprised and ecstatic!

2-A while back, like say, 6 or 7 years ago, I was in a real low in my life. It was December, I had just ended a relationship and I was living in the country alone, 2 hours from the rest of my family. December was not looking like it was going to be a real festive month for me, but despite my loneliness, I was determined to decorate my little country home, even if I had to do it by myself. I remember talking to Mom on the phone, telling her that it was December 1st and I was heading out to put lights on the roof. I said I was calling incase I fell. If she didn't hear from me in a few hours, she might want to call someone. I hung up the phone, pulled on my winter gear and headed outside to set up the laddar and find hte lights. I remember climbing up the laddar lonely as hell, tears swelling as my frustration for trying to do the job by myself grew. Just as my self pity party really started, a car pulled up the lane. It was mom and Nic!!! They had hung up the phone with me, hopped in the car and drove the two hours to Eckville to bring me Holiday spirit!!! We decorated my house, laughed, sang and baked Christmas cupcakes. They really saved Christmas for me by surprising me and reminding me how much I really was loved!!! I was genuinely surprised!!!

3- About three years ago I was lucky enough to witness an expertly executed surprise. Nic, and if you know her, you can imagine the engineering that would go into her planning of the perfect surprise, pulled off the ultimate surprise!! She had decided to get Troy a puppy for Christmas. Troy had wanted a puppy as long as we could all remember, so this gift was gonna be a dream come true for him. Nic picked out the puppy, hoping that she could leave him with his puppy family until Christmas, but the owners were not willing to keep him that long. NIc had to bring the puppy home, but determined not to spoil the surprise until Christmas, she worked out a way to keep Duke from Troy until then. Mom and Aim took turns puppy sitting in their homes until the big day. Nic, in the mean time, knowing that Troy is a shake and rattle present guy, planted a fake puppy box under their tree. She filled the box with something she figured weighed about as much as the puppy and she wrapped it in the same paper she intended to use on the real puppy box. Nic did not want Troy suspecting a thing on Christmas Day. She even brought the fake box with her when she and Troy hauled all of their gifts over to mom's to be opened with the family Christmas afternoon. Troy had been shaking and rattling that fake box all month, suspecting that it would be a good gift as it was coming from his wife. He couldn't wait to open it. Nic, had planned for mom to ask Troy to run outside or to the basement (can't remember which) to get her something and while he was gone, we ran upstairs to mom's bedroom, got the sleepy puppy, stuffed him in a box identical to the fake box, and rushed him down the stairs to the tree. When Troy was finished his errand, he reached for the box as it was his turn to open a gift. He picked up the box, not suspecting a thing. He set the box, weighing exactly what the box he'd been shaking all month weighed, on his lap and pulled off the lid. I wish I could describe to you the look on his face when a wet pink tongue reached out and licked his cheek! As I write this I get choked up, it was truly one of the very best surprises I have witnessed. Troy cried, Nic cried, hell, we all cried. The tears were tears of joy, so much emotion over one adorable little puppy and one huge, huge surprise!!!

4-2 Christmas's ago, Shane Cole, pulled off a giant surprise right before our eyes. He and Aim had flown to Edmonton, to spend Christmas with us Canadians. What we didn't know, was that Shane had planned to propose to Aimee Christmas morning, in front of all of us! What Shane didn't know, was that Christmas morning at our house has traditions that run deep. One of those traditions is that we all have "seats," places we each sit, places that Santa leaves gifts for each of us, places we've called our own, for years. This came as news to Shane who had quietly gotten up early, found the perfect seat in the room, one where he could easily see everyone, one where he could easily hide the ring and he did just that. He placed his precious gift behind the couch and waited for the rest of us to join him around the tree. Imagine his surprise when we informed him that he could not sit in his perfect seat, that seat was actually, mine. He was flustered, so he told us, we were oblivious. He left his ring in hiding and moved over to Aim's special spot. Then he had to wait and wait and wait. See, another tradition is that we take turns opening gifts. This prolongs christmas morning, making it feel like it lasts forever. Sometimes we have breaks in the middle and eat breakfast or let the dogs in and out of the house. Shane had wanted to wait until the gifts were opened to pop the question, but he didn't realize he'd be waiting for three hours. He told us he was nervous the entire morning, in anticipation. Finally his moment came and though we all thought it was weird that this guy was reaching behind the couch, not one of us figured he was looking for a diamond ring!!! It wasn't until he emerged from the back of the couch and kneeled infront of Aim that we all, her included figured it out!!! Another surprise that involved tears of joy, lots of 'em!! Another successful, fantastic surprise!!!

5- Last weekend, Mom, Shane and I pulled off another pretty great surprise! Mom and I flew into Denver for the weekend so we could attend Aim's baby shower and help her get ready for little Baby Cole's arrival. Shane picked us up at the airport after convincing Aimee that he had to work late and dropped us off at the corner of their street. He headed inside and went straight up to the bathroom, ensuring that Aim would have to answer the doorbell. We rang and she answered and damn, was she surprised and confused!!! She could not believe that we were there, standing on her doorstep!! She had had zero idea that we were coming and that is what made it sooo perfect!!! We had an awesome time preparing for the baby. We shopped, we attended a perfect shower, we shopped, we organized, we shopped and we celebrated together the anticipation of baby's arrival!!!!

I love, love surprises!!!! Here's hoping you get to be a part of a truly real, happy surprise!!