{"id":9888,"date":"2013-05-21T15:23:14","date_gmt":"2013-05-21T13:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.breigh.com\/wordpress\/?p=9888"},"modified":"2015-12-07T06:39:20","modified_gmt":"2015-12-07T05:39:20","slug":"101-list-my-birthday-surprise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/archives\/9888","title":{"rendered":"Bucket List – My Birthday Surprise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Settle in, this is going to be a long one\u2026<\/p>\n

About two months ago my friend Penny<\/a> told me her husband was going away for a weekend in May, she was unloading her son with her sister-in-law and asked if I wanted to have a girl\u2019s day.\u00a0 I\u2019m always<\/em> up for a girl\u2019s day so I promptly marked it on the calendar.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to this past Saturday morning.\u00a0 The plan was that Penny was going to come here before lunch, we\u2019d go meet her friend at a restaurant in town so that she could give her the cupcakes she ordered, we\u2019d spend the day shopping, come home and have dinner and then chill together for the evening.\u00a0\u00a0 I was sitting on my sofa wondering where on earth I was going to come up with the energy.\u00a0 While she was sitting on the train we were sending each other messages. I explained that she my have to nudge me throughout the day to wake me up, as the drugs I\u2019m on for the IVF (yes, I still plan to post and write more about this) have knocked me out.\u00a0 She told me I\u2019d probably feel better if I got up and had a shower and got ready, but I replied that I didn\u2019t think I even had the energy to shower, that we should go to town rather than going to the mall so we\u2019d be outdoors and I\u2019d not stink her out! haha<\/p>\n

She wasn\u2019t having any of it and told me to get my ass in the shower, that she was going to be here in a half hour and I better be ready.\u00a0 BAH!\u00a0 I knew she was right so I shlupped my way to the shower hoping that it would wake me up a little.\u00a0 Seriously, the extent of my exhaustion and braindeadedness from the medications is insane. You have to see it to believe it.<\/p>\n

When she arrived I mentioned to her that we should go into town at noon and have some lunch while we waited for her friend, but she wanted to eat afterwards.\u00a0 I was calculating in my head and wondering why she wanted to wait until after 2pm to have lunch, I need to eat every few hours and it made no sense.\u00a0 I tried to change the plan a few times but she didn\u2019t seem at all interested in having lunch earlier, so I sucked it up and thought to myself that Penny is weird.<\/p>\n

When I went to look at the cupcakes she made for her friend, they were wrapped up like a present.\u00a0 There was a card on it that said \u201cBryan\u201d and she explained that her friend\u2019s husband\u2019s birthday wasn\u2019t until the next day but that he REALLY loves cupcakes.\u00a0 She asked Penny to wrap the box of cupcakes so that he wouldn\u2019t see them and eat them before the party.\u00a0 Seemed to make sense, although I wasn\u2019t sure what kind of person can\u2019t control themselves at all and leave a few cupcakes alone for 24 hours.\u00a0 Penny\u2019s friends are weird.<\/p>\n

As we sat on the tram on our way into town she was busy messaging on her phone and would tell me that her husband was saying this or that.\u00a0 He was in Paris for the weekend with his father and I sat there wondering how he had time to do anything if he is messaging her the whole time.\u00a0 I yawned, shook my head and thought \u2026 Penny AND her husband are weird.<\/p>\n

When we got to town it was almost time to meet her friend, but she kept wanting to stop to pee, go to different shops, walk in the opposite direction from the restaurant to look at this or that.\u00a0 I kept looking at my watch and wondering why I was the only one worried about being on time for her friend.\u00a0 Again I just silently thought to myself\u2026 Penny is weird.<\/p>\n

Then, as we were looking through one of the shops, she got a message and told me that her friend messaged her and told her she was already at the restaurant.\u00a0 Well, DUH!\u00a0 Of course she is, she\u2019s been sitting there waiting for us while Penny drags me all over without a care in the world.\u00a0 Penny is SO weird.<\/p>\n

Her friend said that when we got to the restaurant that she was in the door and straight over to the right.\u00a0 So when I walked in I started looking for her, because the place was SO busy.<\/p>\n

\"Surprise\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When I looked over to where her friend said she\u2019d be, instead of seeing her, I saw a group of my<\/em> friends.\u00a0 What the heck?\u00a0 I was so confused.\u00a0 My drug addled brain was already not firing on all cylinders so things were taking a lot longer to register than normal.<\/p>\n

I saw this big group of my friends in the restaurant and my first thought was \u201cThose bitches! They all<\/em> got together for lunch and didn\u2019t invite me and Penny!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Then I realized they were all looking at me, not in the horror of realizing they\u2019d been busted, but smiling and beaming.\u00a0 I was trying to make sense of what I was seeing – \u201cWhat in the hell<\/em> is going on?\u00a0 Why are they looking at me like that?\u00a0 Did I win something??\u201d.<\/p>\n

Then Penny told me to turn around and look ahead\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Shock\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Yup folks, that\u2019s the look of utter shock and confusion.\u00a0 I STILL had not realized what was going on.\u00a0 Who is that with the camera in front of their face?\u00a0 What is happening?\u00a0 Why are they all here?\u00a0 What has happened?!<\/p>\n

SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!<\/p>\n

Then they all started singing happy birthday.\u00a0 Whose birthday is it?!\u00a0 Oh wait, it was my birthday last week.\u00a0 They are singing happy birthday to me.\u00a0 Look at how smiley they all are.\u00a0 Wait, is this a surprise birthday party?\u00a0 For me?!<\/p>\n

THIS IS A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR ME!! Thank god Penny made me shower! haha<\/p>\n

\"Surprise\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Yeah, that\u2019s when things started making sense.\u00a0 I was all caught up with the program now.\u00a0 Well, sort of\u2026 I was still in shock and couldn\u2019t believe it was happening. Nobody had ever done anything like this before\u2026 and look at Penny.\u00a0 She’s as pleased as punch!\u00a0 She totally pulled it off!\u00a0 She planned the whole thing, got everyone there, got ME there and didn\u2019t have a heart attack.\u00a0 Maybe she wasn\u2019t as weird as I thought she was!<\/p>\n

Then the big shock came!\u00a0 My husband had known about this whole thing the entire time and actually managed to keep it from me!\u00a0 This is a man that I have to stop from giving me gifts two days before occasions because he can\u2019t stand the excitement.\u00a0 I think it was the fact that he had the wrath of 20 women to face if he slipped up!<\/p>\n

\"Tiara\"<\/a><\/p>\n

They gave me tiara, a friggin\u2019 tiara!\u00a0 I wonder how long I can get away with wearing that thing\u2026<\/p>\n

The minute I put it on all I could think about was this:<\/p>\n[youtube id=”lmtpjALHRzY” width=”600″ height=”350″]\n

Ahh you just gotta love Amy Farrah Fowler!<\/p>\n

Moving swiftly on…<\/p>\n

\"Present\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Once the tiara was in place and I got over the shock a little, it was time for presents!\u00a0 Now the wrapped package made a lot more sense.\u00a0 I mean, looking back, that story about wrapping the guy\u2019s cupcakes so he wouldn\u2019t eat them?\u00a0 How did that not make me suspicious?!<\/p>\n

But wait!<\/p>\n

\"Cupcakes\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There actually ARE cupcakes in there?!\u00a0 The most delicious looking, chocolate cupcakes. What mean bastard put those in there when I can\u2019t eat them?!\u00a0 Once again I was so confused\u2026 but then they explained that Penny picked the brain of my fellow bypasser and friend, Susan, and together they came up with a recipe for a cupcake that would work for me.\u00a0 I could not believe it.\u00a0 I wanted to stuff one in my face right then and there but I had just ordered a sandwich and knew I only had so much space!<\/p>\n

Time to move on and see what\u2019s in the other packages\u2026 definitely not anything like I was expecting.\u00a0 I was shocked and thrilled when I saw what my friends had gotten me.\u00a0 Carol was front and center to get my reaction, and looking at some of the faces I made, I\u2019m not sure if I should thank her for it or not! haha<\/p>\n

\"Present\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Present\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Present\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Present\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Oh gosh, I look like one of those weird children whose videos go around the internet when they lose their shit after opening some awesome Christmas present. You all know those kids I\u2019m talking about, the screaming weirdos.\u00a0 Yeah, that was me.<\/p>\n

They bought me an ereader, a Kobo Glo, and I love it!<\/p>\n

For the past while I\u2019ve been complaining about the performance of my Samsung Galaxy Note, which I use as a phone, ereader, mobile internet, agenda, and a load of other things.\u00a0 Lately when I\u2019ve been reading on it the battery has been going down 1% per minute and it\u2019s been making me insane.\u00a0 I\u2019ve wanted an ereader but after getting this big phone mostly for that purpose I just couldn\u2019t rationalize buying one for myself.\u00a0\u00a0 Well, that is no longer an issue!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure they were all chuckling to themselves over the last few months ever time I posted a status on Facebook bitching about trying to read on my phone! Sneaky, sneaky devils!<\/p>\n

Along with the Kobo they also gave me a cleaning set, a universal plug and money to buy a cover for it.\u00a0 I also got lovely cards and a gift certificate for the theater. How awesome is that?<\/p>\n

Also?\u00a0 They gave me this:<\/p>\n

\"Bottle<\/a><\/p>\n

A mason jar full notes from my friends.\u00a0 Notes about things they love about me, fun times we\u2019ve had together, uplifting thoughts and a general mishmash of feel good tidbits.\u00a0 I was instructed to take the jar home and take out a piece every time I was feeling down and remember that I have friends that love me that are there for me.<\/p>\n

These women\u2026 they know me. They know what I am going through at the moment because they are the people I talk to.\u00a0 They know the emotional toll the IVF is taking on me and how difficult it has been both emotionally and physically\u2026 and they did this for me, just to make me smile.<\/p>\n

Then it all hit me like a tidal wave, I think it was the bottle of love that put me over the edge.\u00a0 It hit me just how incredibly lucky I am to have these women in my life, how amazing they are and how amazing my husband is.\u00a0 That no matter what happens I have the love and support of all of these incredible people.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know what is coming!<\/p>\n

\"Crying<\/a><\/p>\n

Yup, you guessed it!\u00a0 I was just so touched and overwhelmed by their love and generosity that I couldn\u2019t stop it any longer.\u00a0 Time for the glasses to come off and let the weeping begin!<\/p>\n

\"Sob\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Thankfully, as I said, they all know me and they know I can be a weepy thing.\u00a0 I generally despise crying in front of people but between this amazing gesture and me being on a roller coaster of hormones at the moment, there was simply no avoiding it.\u00a0 So I just let myself cry\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Sob\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026 and cry<\/p>\n

\"Sob\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026 aaaaand cry some more.<\/p>\n

\"You<\/a><\/p>\n

Ok you good?\u00a0 Yup\u2026 I think I\u2019m done.<\/p>\n

Whew, ok now that we got that out of the way.\u00a0 Let\u2019s see about that cupcake, shall we?!<\/p>\n

\"candles\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Penny even brought candles. So I got to have a candle in my cupcake, which I was pretty excited about!<\/p>\n

\"surprise13\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What?! I told you I was excited! haha<\/p>\n

\"Cupcake\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Check out that cupcake!\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t look like something I should be able to eat, does it?\u00a0 I was so shocked! I don\u2019t know the recipe but the cupcake was made with coconut flour (I think) and the icing was actually sugar free marshmallow made with agave rather than sugar (this went through the middle of the cupcake) and there was a drizzle of raspberry and chocolate on top. HOLY YUM!<\/p>\n

\"candle\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After I stopped squealing like a nerd I blew out my candle. I don\u2019t think I have to tell anyone what I wished for!<\/p>\n

Once we\u2019d had lunch, dessert, the candle was blown out and the presents were sorted\u2026 we decided it was time to move on.\u00a0 The restaurant was crazy warm and we decided to leave and go somewhere else to have a coffee and chat.\u00a0 Preferably somewhere outside in the cool air!<\/p>\n

\"City<\/a><\/p>\n

They wouldn\u2019t let me remove the tiara so I got a bit of strange looks.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why but I love this photo, just walking through the city with my girlfriends.\u00a0 So Sex and the City only without the crazy high heels!<\/p>\n

\"Happy\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I was such a happy, happy girl!<\/p>\n

\"Happy\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Nothing makes me smile more than spending time with the people I love!<\/p>\n

\"Friends\"<\/a><\/p>\n

While I still had some of the girls together I asked them to pose for a quick 365 photo for the day. I had so many photos taken but none by me so we all scrunched in a store window for a photo.\u00a0 I love this photo so much!\u00a0 While it\u2019s not the best quality as it\u2019s just a quickie mobile shot, I love everything that it reminds me of and what it means to me.\u00a0 Friendship, laughter and a freaking tiara!<\/p>\n

What an amazing day my friends gave me.\u00a0 I think I will be riding that high for a long, long time.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t know how to thank them, how to let them know how much I appreciate it.\u00a0 Penny, for organizing the whole thing, going out of her way to make me special cupcakes to enjoy, getting everyone together and for pity sake, getting my lazy ass in the shower! haha\u00a0 Xander for managing to keep the secret, holding me off every time I was tempted to buy the ereader myself haha and just being who he is.\u00a0 All my friends for pitching in for such cool gifts, even those who weren\u2019t able to attend the party.\u00a0 The friends that came from up to 2-3 hours away just to spend time and be there or came in spite of the fact that they weren\u2019t feeling very well.\u00a0 Just everything\u2026 there are no words to express the joy they brought me that day or how much I appreciate them.<\/p>\n

Thank you all! I love you all so so much!<\/p>\n

I just realized that this technically means I can knock something else off my 101 List<\/a>!\u00a0 Have a birthday party! Sweet!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Settle in, this is going to be a long one\u2026 About two months ago my friend Penny told me her husband was going away for a weekend in May, she was unloading her son with her sister-in-law and asked if I wanted to have a girl\u2019s day.\u00a0 I\u2019m always up for a girl\u2019s day so …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[378,8],"tags":[203,884,774,813,35,353,683,464,773,173,765,52],"class_list":["post-9888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-bucket-list","category-life-in-nl","tag-birthdays","tag-bucket-list","tag-ereader","tag-featured","tag-friends","tag-happiness","tag-hubby","tag-love","tag-party","tag-penny","tag-reading","tag-xander"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9888"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15604,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9888\/revisions\/15604"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.canadutch.nl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}