shhhhh! it's a surprise party...

May 15, 2015

We pulled it off. After weeks of planning a surprise party for my sweet Eli - who's birthday isn't for another two weeks - we managed to make him blush the reddest shade of red you ever did see!

For starters, since school gets out three weeks earlier this year, that bumped both Eli and Jeremiah to summer birthdays. The "summer birthdays" as we call them, typically pick a day to celebrate with their friends at school. After last year's fiasco, you better believe I had to make up for Eli Jackson's birthday. If you don't remember the story, you can read about it here. Seriously, the saddest day ever. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad birthday experience - turned as good as we could make it!

I was telling someone today that it's funny how my kid's birthdays are just as big a deal to me as to them -- I mean, that's the day they entered the world and were laid in my arms for the first time. That's the day my life was forever changed. So, to celebrate them... it just brings you back to that moment all over again. It causes you to reflect on how wonderful and special they are and just how overwhelmingly thankful you are for them in your life. Of how wondrous and glorious being a mother is. It's just so hard to explain. So the events of last year just make my heart sad - to see him so disappointed on his day.

All of that to say - I had to make this year killer. Knowing I wanted to celebrate his "summer birthday" at school before it ended ... suddenly, I had a thought! I could get the Game Truck - for real this time - and surprise him! He wouldn't suspect a thing since his birthday is still a little bit away.

It couldn't have turned out better and believe it or not, the weather cooperated to my cause. It was raining. All day. So much so that the students couldn't eat lunch outside or play on the playground. This gave me thirty solid minutes to decorate and get the game truck situated without him seeing me or the truck. You gotta know - I see the kid all day long. I can't walk around and not see him. It's just the way the campus is. And, the parking lot where said game truck would be is right by his classroom.

So you better believe I was excited about the rain today! At 11:30 a.m. we were in the clear -- Eli was in the cafeteria and the clock was ticking. My dad, Mel {my SIL}, and I decorated his classroom with little time to spare. Right about the time lunch ended, I had Mel go distract Eli while the rest of the class entered the room. Of course, I then let them in on the surprise so we could all surprise Eli in his grand entrance. They were ecstatic - possibly just as excited as Eli - and pulled off an amazing surprise for him. He was elated, over the moon, blushing, laughing, and proclaiming "whaaaattt?!!" in that high pitched, classic Eli voice. He was just as thrilled with the theme - Pokemon - and got a HUGE kick out of his very own Pokemon card.

It was seriously the best thing just to see that sweet little red face grinning from ear to ear. I love that kid. More than anything.

Shhhhhhhh!!!

Each of the students got a goodie bag with of course, Eli's card, some real Pokemon cards, and some Pokemon figures.
This was a HIT! The kids were literally obsessing over them.
Too, too cute.

Silas and cousin Maddy

Annnd, more cousins!

He LOVED the cards.
When we got home he said, "Aaaactuuuallllllly, I was thinking I could put the cards in my collection... they are big and all, but, wellllll, that's okay!"