Let the mind games begin

One of the things I brag about most often is that I'm too smart to be outsmarted. Really. No one has successfully ever truly surprised me (except for Kathy's sister, Susan, with the table, but that's a whole other story). I'm always one step ahead of everyone else. Until yesterday. The hubby and I went to dinner with Janice and Kenny for my birthday. Like we always do for our birthdays. We went back to their house afterwards, like we always do. So they thought I wouldn't suspect anything. Or so I thought, they thought I wouldn't suspect anything. As we pulled into the driveway, I was already attempting to see movement through the windows. And Janice caught me looking. As we entered the house there were decorations, but no people. Hmmm....I thought, they're hiding upstairs. Nope. They're hiding in the other room. Nope. No people. "Why the decorations?" I asked. "Because it's your birthday" I was told. She did not lie, it was. "Open our presents" they said. So I did. They were all awesome, but I think it would be tacky to list them here. Still no people. For a while I was convinced there would be no other people and for a while I still thought they'd appear from upstairs. My husband and Janice and Kenny totally succeeded in leaving me clueless. No control of the situation. Not a comfortable feeling. They messed with my head so bad that I had a wine cooler (no big deal for most, but I have had no alcohol of any kind for the better part of a year now.) Shortly thereafter, there was a knock on the door and lo and behold, enter Sonia and Bill! What a lovely surprise. And then, another knock - enter Debbie and Melanie! Oh my, that was awesome! Right behind them, enter Mandi - whose laugh and smile alone can light up a room! As I said last night - I got the chance to be with some of my most favorite people all at once, when normally I'm with them one at a time. Very nice. I loved it. Although I missed terribly the folks who could not make it (and you all know who you are) I still had a wonderful time. At one point, I laughed so hard I peed myself (yea, I know - no different than any other day) but it still makes for a good laugh when I tell people. The moral of the story is that a successful party is not measured by the number of people, but by the people who count. I must say, that from the phone call I received from my father in law singing to me 2 days early, to the best card I ever got from my mom (with a great gift as well), to the phone call I received from my brother the night before my birthday because he wanted to be the last person to speak to me in my 40's (LOL), to my husband being the first person to wish me happy birthday by singing (off key, of course) shortly after midnight, when he came home from work, to the fun day at work (yes, at work) beginning with balloons, decorations, and candy splattered all over my desk (thanks, Jani), not to mention numerous extremely funny cards, to the countless phone calls from everyone in my life who counts, (thanks for those calls (in order of receipt): Justin, Kenny, Kathy, a flower delivery from Kathy (with an AWESOME card!!) Joey, Will, Josh, Charlotte and Rob, Mom, Vanessa, Jennifer, Kathy again, Anne, and some guy named Brad (that was funny, Kath), to the emails from Caryl and Wendy, to the messages on my blog from Claire and Caryl, to the text message from my cousin-in-law, Lori, to the dinner, to the gifts, to Janice's poem (her very best yet!) to the party, to the fun - this truly was the best birthday I have ever had. Go figure, so far 50 - I'm actually liking it!
P.S. I know I said it would be tacky to list the gifts, but I think you should all know that Kenny got me an "Emergency Loss of Control Kit" (An extra large Depends, in a box, complete with a hammer to open it quickly!) What can I say? The man knows me well.
P.P.S. - Check out some of the photos (thanks so much, Jani!) If you look carefully, you will see some of my presents!!