"Don't worry...just hold on and I'll take you where we're going."
"I will, but I think I'm going to fall. Are we at the airport?"
"You're not going to fall...and I don't know if we're at the airport. You'll see in a minute...we're almost there."
Birds were somewhere to our right and I suddenly realized that it felt like we were in the woods. The sun was shining on a perfect March afternoon but Adam had my face covered with a scarf. I couldn't see a thing. Holding onto his arm, I tried to feel with each step as he guided me.
"SURPRISE!" A combined cheer had me reach to pull down the scarf. A group of friends were gathered and smiling wide in front of us. My head quickly tried to process where we were and how I could have been so clueless.
I thought we were going to the airport. I get sick when we have to go to the airport. It was my 40th Birthday and for whatever reason, I was convinced that Adam was taking me somewhere for a surprise. He knows how much I hate to fly though.
During my Senior year in high school, our Spanish class took a trip to Mexico. As we sat on our flight home, the plane suddenly dropped straight down while something along the lines of, "Lo siento, no tenemos gasoline" was repeated throughout the plane. Hanging onto my best friend, we screamed as we realized that the pilot was saying that we were running out of fuel. The plane was dropping fast and we didn't know how much longer it would be until we met the ground.
He eventually pulled the plane back up and made an emergency landing in Chicago. Staying the night, we had to get on another flight the next morning to go home to Ohio. Needless to say...I really haven't been happy to get on a flight ever since.
That's what I thought the blindfold was for. Adam knew that if I couldn't tell we were headed for the airport, I wouldn't be nervous. It wasn't until we had gotten out of the car and heard the quiet and the birds that I became curious as to where we could have been though. It was definitely too quiet to be the airport.
Realizing that it was a party, I Hugged Adam. I had the greatest mixture of happiness, surprise and disbelief as I looked around at the faces of family and friends throughout. We were in a driveway and a whole get together had been formed with food and fun.
Hugging some friends, I happened to look towards the left and there they were...my best friends from home. My childhood and lifelong girlfriends from my hometown in Ohio, were standing there in North Carolina. I couldn't begin to believe it. Jumping up and down and screaming like a crazy person, I tackled each one of them.
The day was filled with food and fun. Family and friends came together to make it the biggest surprise in all of my forty years.
The greatest part was to have some of the best people from different parts of life, be in one place.
The friendships both new and old that have seen both highs and lows (even on airplanes) are truly the most wonderful gifts on Earth.
Thank You to the friends and family that made the day so special. There are not enough words to tell you how much it meant. Thank You as well - Marti, Stacy, Julie, Amy, Tricia, Sissy, Mom and Dad...and especially, Adam. I'll fly with you anywhere. I Love You - XO