SURPRISE!!!!!

This weekend was FABULOUS!!! Six months ago, our dear friends Trey and Lacie moved 6 hours away to a small country town. We were all so sad, but determined to keep our friendship strong. Flash forward to September... we knew Lacie was turning 30 at the end of November and we wanted to do something special to let her know how much we love her and our friendship. So after a few emails and calls to Trey, we devised a scheme to surprise Lacie and make a wonderful memory too.

So Heather, Maria, Deanna and I left Friday about noon to drive 6 hours north to surprise Lacie. The plan was for the P family to go out to eat, we would sneak in the back door, decorate the house pink and then wait to give the surprise of a lifetime. So we got stuck in 2 hours of STINKY Houston traffic and were running late. We were laughing and so nervous that we would not make it in time to pull it all off.

We arrived 15 minutes before they are supposed to be getting home from supper at a pizza joint 200 yards from their house. The four of us are running across the neighbors yard loaded down with decorations and gifts, when what should be see? TREY!!! He is holding Braden and waving for us to go back to the car. So we turn around and run as fast as our little feet can carry us! We jump in Heather's SUV and duck down. Our hearts were pounding and we were laughing, even though we were all out of breath. We waited for what seemed like an hour (really 6 minutes) and their car drove off.

So we ran back across the yard, decorated and waited in the dark. We saw the car pull into the driveway and we were all grabbing each other as we sat on the floor about to burst with excitement. Lacie opens the garage door and says, "Trey, there's something wrong inside the house!" After much coaxing, she came in slowly. As she saw all the pink she started saying, "No way! No way!" Then she rounded the corner and the hugs and screaming began!!! We were SO excited that we had pulled it off! She suspected nothing!!! Then her sweet husband gave her another surprise - a plane ticket back from Houston. She was coming home with us on Saturday! He also got his sweet mom to come to their house to keep her 2 boys.
So we stayed up practically all night - laughing, crying, eating, some drank coffee (I'm the last hold-out!), talking, and more laughing. About 4:30am all the birds were in bed. Saturday we toured the tiny town Lacie calls home and stopped in the next "big city" for lunch at an adorable cafe where we shared 3, yes 3, desserts... Dr. Pepper Cake, East Texas Sawdust Pie and Peanut Butter Pie. Then we went in some "bling" and antique stores on the square before hitting the farmer's market.
So as we were driving home for 6 hours, we talked, laughed, sang church songs, giggled and planned future gatherings. And then we got a wild hair! Robyn was not able to make the trip because she was moving into her new house that weekend. Robyn's 30th BD was just the week before, so what did we do? We went and banged on her front door at 10pm and yelled, "SURPRISE!" of course!!!
As I look back on this weekend, it reminds me of many past fun times with this dear group of friends. I get all welled up thinking of the trials and joys we have shared. There is no doubt in my mind that the LORD put these wonderful friends in my life. Thank you birds for being such WONDERFUL friends!!! And I look forward to many, many, many more fun memories!