Throwback Thursday: Surprise 17th Birthday

Happy Thursday! So since my birthday is this weekend I thought it was only fitting to have a throwback story from a past birthday.

My birthday is the day after Halloween, so 90% of the time I always get put on the back burner because going to a Halloween party is a top priority when you are young. It wasn't a top priority for me, and honestly I didn't go to my true dress like a huzzy Halloween party until my sophomore year of college. I still didn't dress like a huzzy, I was a house-wife. I wore a pink rope and high heels with my hair curled. It was pretty cute, and I didn't feel like I was showing my stuff to the entire world. Okay, back on topic. I was trying to plan a birthday party. I have always liked really laid back and chill parties. I like when everyone gets together, eats good food and enjoys a good time.

All of my friends I invited said they had Halloween parties to go to. Okay, I wasn't totally surprised, but I would be lying if I said it didn't hurt my feelings. Still to this day when I get shunned or put on the back burner I crawl back into my shell and just hang with my family, the ones that have always been there and will love me until the end of time.

My mom went to the grocery store the weekend before and bought all this fajita meat. I asked her,"Geez, Mom! Going to make fajitas?!" Her response was very clever, quick and honest,"Well it was on sale, so I just got a lot since we really like them." I didn't think anything of it and just blew it off.

The following Saturday I had plans to spend the day with my dad and one of my friends, Taylor. My dad took me to Houston's Gold Exchange to design a ring that would be from him. It is a side-ways heart with three stones on one side and one on the other. On the inside it is engraved,"Who loves you??" This is something my dad has always asked me and my sister since we were little. Next, we went to the mall and just hung out. I got a new shirt and was going to wear it to dinner. We spent the entire day together just enjoying each others company.

We were headed back to the house and running behind schedule. I basically had enough time to get changed and go since we were "meeting" some of our family friends for dinner. My dad told me to hurry when we got out of the car. Some of my friends were really close to my neighbor, so their cars were there. I remember thinking, typical. I was so focused when walking up to the house and wasn't really paying any attention to the things around me. We rang the doorbell because my dad was getting stuff out of his truck. My mom opened the door, I walked inside and everyone yelled,"SURPRISE!" I was shocked! I glanced around and saw my friends (most of which told me they already had plans), family and family friends. I started to tear up, but didn't want to cry in front of everyone because I didn't know who was all there. So silly.

I was so shocked. How the heck did they plan all this and I never know? I walked around to say hi to everyone and thank them for coming. What a treat to have that many people be there to surprise ME on my birthday. So all that fajita meat my mom bought...yeah it was cooked and ready to be eaten in the kitchen. She's so sneaky! ;-) It really was on sale, so she wasn't lying about that. But she did get that much fajita meat for my surprise party and not just because we like it. We enjoyed the rest of the night, ate cake and opened presents. There were people visiting and hanging out in the kitchen, outside, the living room, the play room (a room for our toys when we were younger that turned into a second living room once we got older we just never changed the name) and dining room. It was so much fun, not only for me but for everyone else.

My parents and friends got me good. I was in total shock and was for a couple days. Everyone kept asking me, "You didn't see our cars?" No. Everyone parked at the rec center, so I just thought something was going on there and it was dark so it was hard to see. I felt so loved and thankful after that night. It was a blast!

Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? How did it go?

Love,

AB