(Surprise) Last night, I

.... was given a surprise party. Felt like a rock star. My hubby did it, organized it all (my hubby!). Hosted by my awesome friends, with the perfect backyard spread, complete with warm spring breezes and clear evening skies. All my favorite people were there in person or in spirit. A night of names and stories, tossed around, lobbed back and forth, thick banter, pure and free, laughter flowed in circles, deep crescendos, peeking and crashing, again and again...

.... and all knowing about the hep C... there to celebrate my completed task, to cheer me on, slap my back, to ask uncertain questions, to have fun... to be wild... Must have been, what... 30, 40 people there? Counting the kids, yeah, at least, felt like it anyway. There were tablecloths with yellow flower center pieces, crowds of friends, good friends who hadn't seen each other in years, piles of food and the cake... had some for breakfast (having just written that line, I had to stop and have another... and another... now it's gone). And there was this big bouncy, blow-up, castle shaped, fair size, play thing in the corner yard. All night long, the kids (8, 9 of them?) jumped non-stop, rolled, flipped, flew apart to smash together, group games morphed at light speed. Amazing. The best kids, all of them, my favorite on the planet. My daughter's favorite mates.

And my parents were there..... and my mother in law and her sister visiting from South Dakota, my father in law, and the sister's husband..... even my brother in law, wife, niece and nephew came, and my friends.......... friends of 10 years, 15 years, and friends of new, friends from out of town, friends from in, all there yelling "Surprise!"

I almost passed out. Who knew it was going to be such a big deal. No one saw that coming did they. I thought I was simply going to a small intimate dinner party. They thought....? Well, my heart raced for nearly an hour. Couldn't catch my breath, or even look around for the first few minutes. Stumbled in shock towards my mom and drank water till my legs settled and my eyes focused. Then man.... what a good time! I can't believe the intimate conversations I had. One by one, clear and present, open and free, I remember them all...

Then my hubby tink tink tinked his glass and spoke, with teary eyes, words I will forever replay... about me....... I was riveted to my seat, unable, unwilling to look away. Take it in Ample, I said.... take it all in, this is real...... So I did, everything, the whole night, wonderful. I swear, I even enjoyed my trips to the bathroom, just so on the way back, I could chance a pause, hold invisible for a quiet moment, to watch, from the outside, the mass as a whole. So colorful.... Textures buzzed in random streams. Leaning heads bobbed while bodies stood open, sat relaxed... hmmmmm.........

And I kept it good till the very last moment, then stopped right on time. Felt the line approaching, the pumpkin spell breaking, the spark leaving my eyes, and trusted it. Even asked for help and got it fast, close friends jumped to, made it happen, gathered lost items and efficiently wrapped up the goodbyes. They practically kicked me out of the door (thank you, I mean it).

And the ride home, sweet, warm, safe to randomly replay visions of the wonder, to laugh out loud a few more times. On to sleep, heavy with light.... the whole night.... what a surprise. everything... still in shock....


and PS. to my blogging buddies: You were there, too. Your names are known to my close friends here. Your sites are visited regularly. Your stories mingle with mine. Can you believe it? I love it. I had no idea.

And thank you to everybody who came, what a surprise. Thank you. I mean it. We are so good.