*SURPRISE!!! This Day Couldn't Get Here Soon Enough

Who doesn't love a good surprise? Especially if it's something you've been wanting for awhile. Orchestrating a surprise is great fun for me. Keeping it a secret is absolute torture!!! Today a surprise is going to take place. That I have been able to keep it a secret for over a week is nothing short of a miracle.

I have three children, Dylan, 26, Sierra, almost 24, and Bridger, almost 16.  As you can see, Bridger is the definite caboose of this little tribe.  The poor thing is being raised as an only child since the other two left home in search of their fame and fortune.  (Well, for their first apartments and jobs, at least!)  Bridger idolizes his brother and sister.  He cannot get enough of them.  The big kids adore him, too.  It's like a Mutual Adoration Society Meeting whenever they get together. 

When Dylan and Sierra ended up in Saint George, Utah, they were only about two and a half hours away. Then a couple of Christmases ago, Sierra announced she was moving to Colorado.  

"I guess now's as good a time as any to tell you something."  Yeah.  Or not...

"Way to go ruining our Christmas, Sierra," Dylan told her.  "You'll have Mom crying all night. Opening presents should be really fun now."  He did say it in a good-natured, teasing sort of way, but it was more than slightly true. I found myself wiping my eyes for days.

ANYWAY...Sierra lives far from home now; ten hours by car, an hour and fifteen minutes by plane.  The opportunities to have all of my children together are the most precious thing to me ever, because they are so rare and special.  Today, I will get to be with two of them at once.  And one of them doesn't even know yet!!! Bridger is sleeping soundly in his bed, completely unaware of how special this day is going to be.

Sierra and I have been planning this since last week.  "Keep it a secret," she begged.  "Tell him you're taking him up north," she suggested.  I wouldn't LIE, but I didn't want to give it away.  

So all week long I have been talking about "when we go up north."  

"When we go up north, be sure to pack your swimsuit and nice clothes in case we use the hot tub or go to museums while we're in 'THE CITY.'" Notice I did NOT specify WHICH city.  Notice I never SAID we were going up north to any specific location.  Such a good non-liar, I am.  We WILL be going north, but then we'll take a sharp right and head EAST.  I'm just leaving that part out for now. I think I'm pretty good at this secret agent stuff.  Maybe I could moonlight with the CIA now that I'm retired. I'm sure someone there would appreciate my SKILLS at utilizing misleading information to throw someone off the scent, so to speak.

Wish me luck.  My plan is to load the car just like we would if we were heading to our house up north for the weekend.  Bridger is exhausted; he had a big day at Seven Peaks Water Park yesterday with his good friend Kyler, so I know he's going to want to sleep. He'll have PLENTY of time for THAT.  When he finally wakes up, it will take him a moment, but he will realize we're not on I-15 toward Salt Lake City.  He will smile the rest of the day.  What a great plan.  I am so happy.

I could only be happier if Dylan and his wife Jamie were joining Sierra and Bridger, too.  When my kids get together, it is a love-fest for me. They laugh; they tease; they tell jokes and stories; they give me a hard time, teasing me in a fun way.  It makes me so proud to be a mom when I watch them interact with so much respect and love and fun. They are such good people who are such good friends.

Let this day begin. The anticipation and suspense is about to make me BURST!!!  This is better than Christmas. It's especially better than a Christmas with some crummy announcement about Sierra's moving away. ;-) It's MUCH better than THAT. It's going to be a great day.