SURPRISE!!

Many of you know that my dad's 60th birthday was Feb 1. I didn't write anything on Thursday because we have been planning his Surprise Party for a month. I didn't want to give anything away!

It started out with Mom getting an invitation list to me. She had to go to Flatt's Stationers to fax the list to me so that Dad wouldn't be suspicious. I sent out 75 invitations to friends from childhood, college, professional collegues, and family. The response was overwhelming! The plan was to have all of these folks come to the Hamilton House for the party without Dad knowing.

So here is it how it all went down....

We told Dad earlier in week, that we were coming on Saturday to take him to dinner for his birthday.On Friday night, Frank and I dropped Katherine off at Grandma Kathy's house and headed for Mexia. Mom took Dad to the movies and for a good steak dinner in Waco (you know...the big city). Frank and I met Justin for dinner and a little conspiring. We were staying at the Hamilton House on the down low....Saturday morning, we decorated the room with photos and photo albums. We made a stop by Justin's shop so he could solve the "balloon crisis" as I called it. Then, Frank and I met Mom and Dad for lunch. During lunch, I made up some lame story about wanting Mom to go shoe shopping with me for teacher-friendly shoes. Instead of shoe shopping, Mom and I headed out to HEB to get the most gigantic cake ever. Then we went to the Hamilton House to do more decorating.....

By this time, it was 1:30. We had to get Dad ready and to the Hamilton House by 4:30....no problem. We are mastering time management today!

Once we arrived back home, we spent the next hour or so sneaking photos, albums, and college annuals out the door. Kathy arrived to the house with Katherine around 3:15, thank goodness! I was just going crazy....time was moving so slow, it seemed to moving backwards. We played with Katherine for a bit and finally it was 4:00. Yes!

OK... "Dad, here's the deal...you are to go upstairs and put on the clothes that have been laid out for you. You can't ask any questions from this point forward." So, to my surprise, Dad stood up and went straight upstairs.


That is when the tornado of Jennifer began. I shoved Katherine into Frank's arms and told him to get her in her carseat. Then I ran around for a good 5 minutes picking up all the stuff I forgot....then I ran out the door. Then I ran back in, grabbed my purse and then back out the door. OK, time management rating had fallen a little.

Kathy, Frank, Katherine and I race the Hamilton House to get ready and finish putting up all of the photos. Mom calls. We miss the call. We call back. They're on the way. AAH! NO! delay, delay. Mom says that's no problem. OK, crisis avoided. We were able to get ready in time and wait for them to show up. Time management rating has leveled off.

They show up! I open the door for my dad and say, "Hi! Welcome to your birthday party!" After some stunned silence, a HUGE smile came across his face.... People showed up from as far as Austin, Nacadochges and Mineral Wells.....I have to say we had a blast! It was a great party....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!