Saturday, February 25, 2012

As Good As It Ever Was

This week I surprised my cynical husband.  He is a man that is never surprised.  He has a gift for making you feel like a jackass during a who done it movie and is impossible to shop for.  We literally never exchange gifts because there is nothing you could ever buy him that he would want or would surprise him. He'll say, 
"How about you return this and get rid of our second mortgage for my birthday?" 
Obnoxious.  You know that guy.
If you know any cynics, it is a rare treat to catch him/ her off guard.  I am the guileless, gullible one in this house.  I am about as cunning as Bambi.  And my three year old actually lies better than me.  Do not tell me something is a secret if you want it kept.  It will burn a hole in my mouth.  
So when I paid cash for two plane tickets for my in-laws to arrive on hubby's birthday, I thought for sure that I'd spill the beans.  My Mom and Dad- in law arrived Thursday night and I forced them into a corner of our darkened, junk filled playroom when I heard my hubby arrive home from work.  I whisper shouted the code word, "scarecrow! scarecrow!" (so empowering!) and they bolted into their hiding places.  
I put on my best "I'm pissy and it's about damn time you got home" face and greeted him at the door.   This was not a stretch for me as an actor.  
I told him that there was yet another problem with our poorly constructed new house, and led him upstairs.  I started to get really into it, saying, "That's it!! I've had it! Prepare yourself.  It's disgusting!"
Then we walked in as my two kids and in-laws sprung up, shouting, "Surprise!!"
And he was.  My little cynic was genuinely and happily surprised.
The next day we had a quickly thrown together birthday party for hubby, including dollar store decor and cold pizza from yet another pizza joint that refuses to deliver to us out here in Deliverance country.  
It was perfectly wonderful!  My cousin and her lovely family joined us for the celebration and we laughed over cold pizza and gourmet birthday cake (yum!) from Cecilia's of Athens.  
Oh, did we laugh!  We laughed about escorts at office Christmas parties, the early days of marriage, bad ex-girlfriends, and why my father-in-law believes it is not necessary to say, "I love you," ever.  He may be the only man that can actually get away with arguing that point.  He had me convinced for awhile there!  
I had an eye opening moment that has happened to me so often in my new life here, down South.  As I looked around the table at the beautiful people seated in my dining room, I thought, "It just doesn't get much better than this."  
It doesn't.
If you had told me a year ago that I would be celebrating my husband's birthday in Georgia, with his parents and my cousin's family, I never would have believed it.  If you had told me that hubby would have left everything he had ever known to relocate to Georgia, which might as well have been another planet, I would have shook my head in disbelief.  If you had told me that it would be possible for my wonderful in-laws to laugh again, until tears welled up in their eyes, I would have denied it.  
But here we are.  Together.  Happy.
Sadly, they have to home to the boatload of troubles that we've left behind (at least geographically).  They are still plagued with worries that would make Lindsay Lohan's parents feel just peachy in comparison.  But for this week, right now, they are just grandparents.  They are "Babo" and "Dedo".  They play with apps on my Kindle, and snuggle, and try new recipes, and go see stupid romantic comedies.  They push little girls at the park and have push up contests with my five year old.  They even talk to the dog like he is part of the family.  
And who knows?  I learned long ago that God's dreams are way bigger than mine.  I wouldn't put it past the Guy to move the whole family to Georgia in a year's time.  He tends to surprise us with small miracles when we need them most.  
Here's hoping.  


My mother-in-law and my cuz


Me and the old man cookin'

The three little ladies at their table.

The delicious cake that originally said, "Happy Birthday, Doris."



1 comment:

  1. Oh Katie Bug--you are truly gifted with the pen!! You are! I loved this Post; think it's my current favorite. I love that you were able to pull off this surprise. Good job wifey!! And I cannot tell you how much I loved sitting around that table, telling stories and laughing. It always seems to work like magic that way. It just feels so comfortable and familiar and well..like family! I love you--so blessed to have you here. Still doesn't seem real! xoxoxo

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